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atcucchetti's review
4.0
“They don’t even stop, they merge with the darkness, where they’re going nobody’s ever found again, into deep-rooted memories of long-lost childhood, playing hooky, a sister with long legs and immense, terrified eyes that had missed him by a matter of minutes.”
Set in Mauritania Kaya Days plays out in a short, visceral burst during the days of rioting that follow the death of the seggae musician Joseph Reginald Topize in police custody. The tight page count packed full of emotion tracks Santee as she searches for her missing younger brother and feels like a fever dream. This translated book set in 1999 had me reflecting about police violence here in the US, contemplating the realities of gender disparity, focusing on family perception, considering colonial legacy and Googling events and music. A density illusion, Kaya Days was heavier and required more attention and consideration than the 117 page count implied.
Set in Mauritania Kaya Days plays out in a short, visceral burst during the days of rioting that follow the death of the seggae musician Joseph Reginald Topize in police custody. The tight page count packed full of emotion tracks Santee as she searches for her missing younger brother and feels like a fever dream. This translated book set in 1999 had me reflecting about police violence here in the US, contemplating the realities of gender disparity, focusing on family perception, considering colonial legacy and Googling events and music. A density illusion, Kaya Days was heavier and required more attention and consideration than the 117 page count implied.
stacialithub's review
3.0
I knew nothing about Mauritius, nor about Kaya, a seggae (fusion "of sega, the traditional music of the Mascarene Islands, and reggae") musician who was arrested because he smoked pot onstage in 1999, then died in police custody a few days later. It led to days of rioting.
This is a fictional account set in those days, centered around a naive 15-year-old girl who is sent to the city to pick up her younger brother from school. She doesn't find him at school &, instead, gets pulled into the suspended-reality of worlds unknown to her (from being a young, naive girl in a city on her own, prey to a certain extent, to being one of multitudes on the fringes of, then within, riots, looting, & more). It has a stream-of-consciousness feel, occasionally & briefly jumping into the thoughts of others, not just the main character. Some of the Kreol words & slang remain untranslated, partially reflecting the multiplicity of the peoples & languages in Mauritius & the ease of mixing languages. The beautiful, surreal cover reflects the contents of the story -- a delicate balance of ethereal floating, vividness, & singularity, off-kilter & plunged into the depths of the unknown. I'm not quite sure how I felt about the story as a whole (& what references & knowledge I may have missed) but it was an intriguing reading experience.
This is a fictional account set in those days, centered around a naive 15-year-old girl who is sent to the city to pick up her younger brother from school. She doesn't find him at school &, instead, gets pulled into the suspended-reality of worlds unknown to her (from being a young, naive girl in a city on her own, prey to a certain extent, to being one of multitudes on the fringes of, then within, riots, looting, & more). It has a stream-of-consciousness feel, occasionally & briefly jumping into the thoughts of others, not just the main character. Some of the Kreol words & slang remain untranslated, partially reflecting the multiplicity of the peoples & languages in Mauritius & the ease of mixing languages. The beautiful, surreal cover reflects the contents of the story -- a delicate balance of ethereal floating, vividness, & singularity, off-kilter & plunged into the depths of the unknown. I'm not quite sure how I felt about the story as a whole (& what references & knowledge I may have missed) but it was an intriguing reading experience.
yusrara's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
2.5
andrea_gagne's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.25
nnijmeh89's review
adventurous
challenging
dark
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Some parts went right over my head and had to turn back and reread to fully understand. The beginning of the story was slow to get into but then all of a sudden we on this wild adventure. It was refreshing to read about people in a country, Mauritius, that we don’t hear much about.
shoohoob's review
besties I think I’m just too stupid for this book
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault, Stalking, Gun violence, Violence, and Death
dreesreads's review
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
fast-paced
3.0
Almost frantic in its depiction of Mauritius during the 1999 riots, I also found this book a bit confusing. Santee is a confused girl at the beginning, and 48 hours later she is a woman, an active participant, and seems to know exactly what is going on.
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