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alidottie's review against another edition
For some reason I never rated this book. I remember it pretty well, but I don't think I would give it a high rating even though I felt like it was a well-written insight into life around Idi Amin
temsu's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
motherbird76's review against another edition
dark
tense
medium-paced
3.5
Definitely learned a bit from this historical fiction. This book will count for the prompt: “set in a country that’s landlocked” (Uganda)
schtocker's review against another edition
It just wasn't gripping me. We spent so long getting to the point where we met Amin that by the time we did, I was a bit bored.
heyhaveyouread's review against another edition
3.0
**Minor Spoilers**
This was a strange book - covering an intense period of time in Uganda. Though the details are fiction, the timeline is broadly accurate. The writing is often grotesque in describing the brutality of the atrocities committed. There is dark humour in the absurd stories of indigestion, dictators rising Christ like through a swimming pool, and personal telegrams to the Queen.
The story begins with Nicholas Garrigan - a newly minted doctor from Scotland, who had registered for adventure, to work in Uganda. I enjoyed the descriptions of life in rural Mbarara, especially the medical stories through the first half of the novel - many still resonant to rural practice today.
[One of my favourite moments is right towards the end of the book when Garrigan returns to Mulago hospital after attempting to flee across the Rwandan border, being chased by Amin’s forces, almost dying of snakebite, and somehow getting involved with the Tanzanian APC - in classic hospital style, he just gets asked why he’s late, and is put to work]
He then meets Idi Amin and in an almost ‘Heart of Darkness’ sense, becomes more and more embroiled in this terrifying, paranoid but seemingly charming man’s life.
Garrigan acts as the narrator of the entire novel and perhaps as we are meant to, I sincerely disliked his character - he appears to lack moral fibre, alongside any true ambition or purpose. Does this allow him to be a true narrater? Perhaps - but he plays too much of a character in the events of the story for this to be possible. Initially, he simply hangs around like a limp overcooked spaghetti carefully ignoring the violence around him. It is only when he becomes a victim does he open his eyes to the suffering of those around him. Many reviewers are more sympathetic to Garrigan - that this is a tale of self redemption and that he realises his own complicity late, as we can do - but I did not see this. He uses his privilege as a Mzungu and doctor to choose to not see.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for the love of political history and bilzharia
This was a strange book - covering an intense period of time in Uganda. Though the details are fiction, the timeline is broadly accurate. The writing is often grotesque in describing the brutality of the atrocities committed. There is dark humour in the absurd stories of indigestion, dictators rising Christ like through a swimming pool, and personal telegrams to the Queen.
The story begins with Nicholas Garrigan - a newly minted doctor from Scotland, who had registered for adventure, to work in Uganda. I enjoyed the descriptions of life in rural Mbarara, especially the medical stories through the first half of the novel - many still resonant to rural practice today.
[One of my favourite moments is right towards the end of the book when Garrigan returns to Mulago hospital after attempting to flee across the Rwandan border, being chased by Amin’s forces, almost dying of snakebite, and somehow getting involved with the Tanzanian APC - in classic hospital style, he just gets asked why he’s late, and is put to work]
He then meets Idi Amin and in an almost ‘Heart of Darkness’ sense, becomes more and more embroiled in this terrifying, paranoid but seemingly charming man’s life.
Garrigan acts as the narrator of the entire novel and perhaps as we are meant to, I sincerely disliked his character - he appears to lack moral fibre, alongside any true ambition or purpose. Does this allow him to be a true narrater? Perhaps - but he plays too much of a character in the events of the story for this to be possible. Initially, he simply hangs around like a limp overcooked spaghetti carefully ignoring the violence around him. It is only when he becomes a victim does he open his eyes to the suffering of those around him. Many reviewers are more sympathetic to Garrigan - that this is a tale of self redemption and that he realises his own complicity late, as we can do - but I did not see this. He uses his privilege as a Mzungu and doctor to choose to not see.
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 for the love of political history and bilzharia
lmoy's review against another edition
4.0
I was in Kampala when they were filming this, so I was eager to see the movie. The book is SO much better than the movie, although I think Forrest Whitaker did a fantastic job.
my_adventure_awaits's review against another edition
1.0
The one star rating here is not for the quality of the writing - it is simply because I did not care for the story whatsoever.
I read this book with my friend as part of our bookclub and was looking forward to it. However, the last 150 pages killer any affection I had for this story. It was just depressing event after depressing event. And yes, I knew going into it that it certainly wasn't going to be a cheery book.
The lack of personal connection I had with any of the characters when paired with Amin's sadism and cruelty and my dislike of Nicholas just made it impossible to enjoy this book. It got to the point where I thought "Great, who's going to die/be torture/killed next?" instead of looking forward to how the story plays out.
Like I said, this review is not for the quality of the writing, only for my dislike of the book. I definitely will not be re-reading this but I would encourage others to try it.
I read this book with my friend as part of our bookclub and was looking forward to it. However, the last 150 pages killer any affection I had for this story. It was just depressing event after depressing event. And yes, I knew going into it that it certainly wasn't going to be a cheery book.
The lack of personal connection I had with any of the characters when paired with Amin's sadism and cruelty and my dislike of Nicholas just made it impossible to enjoy this book. It got to the point where I thought "Great, who's going to die/be torture/killed next?" instead of looking forward to how the story plays out.
Like I said, this review is not for the quality of the writing, only for my dislike of the book. I definitely will not be re-reading this but I would encourage others to try it.
marie_gg's review against another edition
4.0
I wanted to read this before I see the movie. Foden based this story on a real-life character (not Amin, but Amin's Scottish doctor), who is still alive and kicking in the UK. I didn't know much about Amin's reign as dictator of Uganda, and this novel certainly gave me a disturbing picture of what went on.