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kristine2221's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
pia_leurs's review against another edition
4.0
A short and somewhat gruesome but beautifully written read for a coffee shop afternoon :))
blackfeatherhideout's review against another edition
4.0
"An Elegy for Easterly" is a collection of short stories mainly set in Zimbabwe during the decline of her economy. The various characters that are featured all come with a unique perspective on the situation, and in her unique way, Gappah manages to weave a thread through the collection that binds the stories together seamlessly.
The best short stories are the ones that tease you. Just when you’re about to take another bite, that is the end of the story. There are some I wished would have lasted longer, such as 'Something Nice from London'. I wanted to go home and hear about Peter’s burial, but that would have made it lose its impact, I suppose.
The best short stories are the ones that tease you. Just when you’re about to take another bite, that is the end of the story. There are some I wished would have lasted longer, such as 'Something Nice from London'. I wanted to go home and hear about Peter’s burial, but that would have made it lose its impact, I suppose.
samfah's review against another edition
1.0
This was a CHORE to read, mother mercy. It's not even hard to read (save for all the African language), it was just hard to get through. It took me longer to read this than it did any other book on my uni reading list: a list which included NABAKOV by the way. Even that was less tedious. I actually dreaded having to pick this up and finish it. The stories aren't even bad, neither is the writing--far from it, even. I was just bored and I didn't really care. Glad it's over.
vikingwolf's review
This is a selection of short stories about life under the Robert Mugabe regime in Zimbabwe. The first couple of stories weren't bad but I lost interest when I didn't like the next few. I'm not a fan of short story volumes so I'm sure most readers will like it a lot better than me, as it is a bit different from what you would normally read.
hetauuu's review against another edition
4.0
An Elegy for Easterly is my first read from Zimbabwean author Petina Gappah. In this collection of thirteen short stories, Gappah explores the lives of ordinary people in contemporary Zimbabwe. This is a fantastic short story collection. I specifically noticed how amazing her endings are. The ending to almost every single story here was such a gut-punch, it knocked the air out of me and kept these stories lingering in my mind for days. My absolute favorite was The Cracked, Pink Lips of Rosie's Bridegroom, a story about a newlywed couple where the groom has AIDS. Gappah never uses the word AIDS, but she makes it clear to her readers in other ways - a perfect execution of show, don't tell - and it makes the story all the more impactful. Other stories I adored were The annexe shuffle about a law student who is admitted into a mental hospital after referring to a suicide attempt, Our Man in Geneva wins a Million Euros about a Zimbabwean man living in Geneva who gets caught in an email scam, and In the Heart of the Golden Triangle about a young wife and mother who longs for her past, written in second person.
florismeertens's review against another edition
Bijtende, komische verhalen maar met genoeg hart voor de machtelozen. De verwerking van de Zimbabwaanse hyperinflatie vond ik echt heel treffend. Niet elk verhaal was raak, maar ik zou nu wel graag een roman van haar lezen.
12dejamoo's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.0
I so rarely find a short story that I thought was the right length. And this was too short. It's not a style or context I'm overly familiar with and I would've liked to spend a little more time settling into it before it was over. But I did really enjoy what was here.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Colonisation and Pregnancy
Moderate: Rape and Miscarriage
rudyb's review against another edition
had never read from this author before but this was fantastic, will have to look up some more of her short stories.