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3.42 AVERAGE
3.42 AVERAGE
Not one of my favorites but I can definitively appreciate the depth of this novel. I read this for a post-colonial literature class for which I was substituting. The characters are well-thought out, it's not much of a beginning, middle, end-type traditional story but the book does unpack a lot of themes through the eyes of a European living in Africa.
Naipaul is one of those 'heavy' writers who I think I always subconsciously avoided when younger (especially after my one brush with Rushdie which didn't end well). So I picked this up without too much planning and with the aim of reading something less fluffy yet fictional. To be honest - I loved the whole process of reading (listening) to it despite the lack of a conventional plot. The prose is simple and flows languorously, the observations are always relatable and will have you nodding and the history lessons (especially in the early part of the book, Chapter 2) are amazing eye-openers which left me wishing why I didn't read this earlier.
We travel with Salim (an intelligent man of Indian descent) who moves away from his family catchment area on the coast to somewhere which sounds like the Congo. It's just post-independence and as Salim settles down in an unknown town to run his shop we see the country change and his outlook too over the next decade or so. That is all there really is to it as a plot - the other characters are all essentially to give a window into the country and Salim's own mental ruminations. If you've ever felt you lack a purpose in life - I daresay you will find them agreeable. If not, they may seem as rambling as the Catcher in the Rye :)
The characters are very African - the local tradeswoman who knows magic, the boy picked up and sent to school and coming into power because he's the right place at the right time, the megalomaniac narcissist of a black leader, the white man who looses sheen and power with time, the eccentric and well-intended priest who runs a school, the white women misled who seeks the pleasures of the flesh as an outlet, the enterprising Indian entrepreneur who's always going places, the corrupt cop, the propped-up beneficiary of nationalization who demands respect etc. Somewhere towards the second half of the book I thought some of the stereotypes were getting very heavy but then again this is a story of one city, in one country in Africa so anything we're extrapolating is more with us than the author as he would know doubt tell us. It is a cynical and bleak work - but at the same time it's more generic about human beings than about a certain type of human beings. So while I sensed the racism that he's accused of by many there's nothing to really put a finger on in this tale.
The scene which seemed egregious (as with most readers) was the one where Salim slaps his lover Yvette. Unlike some reviewers on GR I have no issue about the event as such (men do beat women - right or wrong, it was probably more common 50 years ago) - it's more about the aftermath of the scene with little regret or scorn from both sides (in a story narrated in the first person) which actually made me wonder if I have understood the character correctly? Is there a bit of a unreliable narrator here somewhere given the extent of self-awareness we've seen so far? But no we move right along and that scene somehow jars (in 2021) at least.
If it is just for the writing, I'd really like to give this 5+ stars if possible - for making a plotless book so enthralling and the town at the Bend of the River so real.
We travel with Salim (an intelligent man of Indian descent) who moves away from his family catchment area on the coast to somewhere which sounds like the Congo. It's just post-independence and as Salim settles down in an unknown town to run his shop we see the country change and his outlook too over the next decade or so. That is all there really is to it as a plot - the other characters are all essentially to give a window into the country and Salim's own mental ruminations. If you've ever felt you lack a purpose in life - I daresay you will find them agreeable. If not, they may seem as rambling as the Catcher in the Rye :)
The characters are very African - the local tradeswoman who knows magic, the boy picked up and sent to school and coming into power because he's the right place at the right time, the megalomaniac narcissist of a black leader, the white man who looses sheen and power with time, the eccentric and well-intended priest who runs a school, the white women misled who seeks the pleasures of the flesh as an outlet, the enterprising Indian entrepreneur who's always going places, the corrupt cop, the propped-up beneficiary of nationalization who demands respect etc. Somewhere towards the second half of the book I thought some of the stereotypes were getting very heavy but then again this is a story of one city, in one country in Africa so anything we're extrapolating is more with us than the author as he would know doubt tell us. It is a cynical and bleak work - but at the same time it's more generic about human beings than about a certain type of human beings. So while I sensed the racism that he's accused of by many there's nothing to really put a finger on in this tale.
The scene which seemed egregious (as with most readers) was the one where Salim slaps his lover Yvette. Unlike some reviewers on GR I have no issue about the event as such (men do beat women - right or wrong, it was probably more common 50 years ago) - it's more about the aftermath of the scene with little regret or scorn from both sides (in a story narrated in the first person) which actually made me wonder if I have understood the character correctly? Is there a bit of a unreliable narrator here somewhere given the extent of self-awareness we've seen so far? But no we move right along and that scene somehow jars (in 2021) at least.
If it is just for the writing, I'd really like to give this 5+ stars if possible - for making a plotless book so enthralling and the town at the Bend of the River so real.
Loved this "in an unnamed African country" novel -- could not help myself from speculating... Rich in atmosphere, cultural detail, suspense...
challenging
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
A Bend In The River is set in an unnamed African country during the 1960s+. We get to see a population (of different groups of people) trying to adapt to a constantly changing dynamic and a country trying to find an identity post colonialization. The events that occur throughout the book mirror several African nations after gaining independence, demonstrating the problems that unfortunately connect these countries; tribalism, fluctuating economy and corrupt officials which isn't something unique to Africa.
Seeing how characters form relationships and navigate their lives with a fragile country attempting to find an identity as the back drop really gives an insight to human nature. Overall this was a very gripping and interesting read.
Seeing how characters form relationships and navigate their lives with a fragile country attempting to find an identity as the back drop really gives an insight to human nature. Overall this was a very gripping and interesting read.
3 and 1/2 stars
When faced with potential calamity in his hometown on the East Coast of Africa, an Indian man uproots his existence and travels to a remote African village situated at the bend in the river. There he becomes a shop keeper and over the course of many years weathers the tides of poverty, prosperity, and political fluctuation that affect the town.
The story is the kind of life is lifelike tales in which a character sits at the center of events without having much impact on them. The main character is thoughtful and pondering. He contemplates the life he's chosen, the shifting political poles, and his personal interactions with a kind of emotional distance.
I'd say this book was good, interesting, and worth a read, but it's not one that drew any passion from me either for the language or the story.
When faced with potential calamity in his hometown on the East Coast of Africa, an Indian man uproots his existence and travels to a remote African village situated at the bend in the river. There he becomes a shop keeper and over the course of many years weathers the tides of poverty, prosperity, and political fluctuation that affect the town.
The story is the kind of life is lifelike tales in which a character sits at the center of events without having much impact on them. The main character is thoughtful and pondering. He contemplates the life he's chosen, the shifting political poles, and his personal interactions with a kind of emotional distance.
I'd say this book was good, interesting, and worth a read, but it's not one that drew any passion from me either for the language or the story.
Naipul is definitely a great writer, and this novel shows that fact.
An interesting story, and a must-read for those interested in post-colonial Africa. Salim's story is a rich one, and takes us through many different perspectives of Africa that would stand true by those who stood on the continent at the time. Whilst the book has had controversy over its seemingly pro-colonial depictions of Africa, I think the book should be taken through the view of the characters who believe this, rather than being a glowing defence of imperialism.
Whilst a great read, the storytelling does rely descriptions of landscapes, and particularly, as noted the river. This does work well, but sometimes requires a bit more than just face value reading, which for some is a slight turn off.
An interesting story, and a must-read for those interested in post-colonial Africa. Salim's story is a rich one, and takes us through many different perspectives of Africa that would stand true by those who stood on the continent at the time. Whilst the book has had controversy over its seemingly pro-colonial depictions of Africa, I think the book should be taken through the view of the characters who believe this, rather than being a glowing defence of imperialism.
Whilst a great read, the storytelling does rely descriptions of landscapes, and particularly, as noted the river. This does work well, but sometimes requires a bit more than just face value reading, which for some is a slight turn off.
I haven't written a review for a book before, but I cannot overstate how many times I would have thrown this book away if this was not for an English class.
I am interested to hear what book discussion participants think, as I disliked both the main character and the book itself.
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2021 Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book you hadn't planned on reading
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2021 Extreme Book Nerd Challenge - Book you hadn't planned on reading
