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deedireads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Stone Virgins is a technically challenging and emotionally difficult read, but there’s no denying that it’s also an incredible work of fiction. While I struggled with it, I was also so impressed.
For you if: You are comfortable with prose that’s lush, but sometimes hard to follow, if it’s worth it.
FULL REVIEW:
I’d never read Yvonne Vera before — my experience with African literature is pretty lacking overall, truth be told — so when my good friend Bernie Lombardi announced he was hosting a buddy read of The Stone Virgins, I eagerly joined. And while I wasn’t quite in the right head space to fully enjoy this one, there’s no denying it’s a masterful work.
Vera’s author bio puts it best when it says her books are “known for their poetic prose, difficult subject-matter, and their strong women characters, and are firmly rooted in Zimbabwe's difficult past.” This is no exception. Winner of the Macmillan Prize for African Adult Fiction in 2000, it focuses on two sisters — only one of whom survives — who live in a village near Bulawayo before and after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain.
The prose here is lush and gorgeous, and her ability to whiplash between beauty and extreme violence (be warned; there are stomach-churning scenes here) is incredible. There’s something reminiscent of Toni Morrison in the reading experience. But it’s also a challenging read that demands slow attention (and that’s where I struggled, as I was traveling for work, pulled in many directions, and super busy). The book has almost no dialogue; the narration moves fluidly forward and backward in time. One review that I read said it felt like reading someone’s dream, and I wholly agree.
Even though this was a bit of the wrong book at the wrong time for me, I’m really glad I read it — and even more glad to have had Bernie’s group chat full of such smart, careful readers to discuss it with. I’m in awe of Vera’s talent, and it’s easy to see why this one received so much acclaim.
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Stone Virgins is a technically challenging and emotionally difficult read, but there’s no denying that it’s also an incredible work of fiction. While I struggled with it, I was also so impressed.
For you if: You are comfortable with prose that’s lush, but sometimes hard to follow, if it’s worth it.
FULL REVIEW:
I’d never read Yvonne Vera before — my experience with African literature is pretty lacking overall, truth be told — so when my good friend Bernie Lombardi announced he was hosting a buddy read of The Stone Virgins, I eagerly joined. And while I wasn’t quite in the right head space to fully enjoy this one, there’s no denying it’s a masterful work.
Vera’s author bio puts it best when it says her books are “known for their poetic prose, difficult subject-matter, and their strong women characters, and are firmly rooted in Zimbabwe's difficult past.” This is no exception. Winner of the Macmillan Prize for African Adult Fiction in 2000, it focuses on two sisters — only one of whom survives — who live in a village near Bulawayo before and after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain.
The prose here is lush and gorgeous, and her ability to whiplash between beauty and extreme violence (be warned; there are stomach-churning scenes here) is incredible. There’s something reminiscent of Toni Morrison in the reading experience. But it’s also a challenging read that demands slow attention (and that’s where I struggled, as I was traveling for work, pulled in many directions, and super busy). The book has almost no dialogue; the narration moves fluidly forward and backward in time. One review that I read said it felt like reading someone’s dream, and I wholly agree.
Even though this was a bit of the wrong book at the wrong time for me, I’m really glad I read it — and even more glad to have had Bernie’s group chat full of such smart, careful readers to discuss it with. I’m in awe of Vera’s talent, and it’s easy to see why this one received so much acclaim.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, and War
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