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3.82 AVERAGE
3.82 AVERAGE
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
dark
informative
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Gorgeous writing, and exposed me to topics in history that I knew nothing about previously. That said, this book didn’t really work for me. The changing between third-person and first-person, the conscious choice to not include important details like location and time period until the book is almost finished: these features made for a challenging and slow read.
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Minor: Alcoholism, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Violence, Religious bigotry
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am unsure what I expected exactly but the book exceeded my expectations. It felt so honest and kind in the descriptions of the characters.
I’m changing this book to 4 stars. It was flawed, but I realize now, Abdulrazak Gurnah, is going to break my heart at least 10 times. He is probably the person, living or dead, I’d like to be in the company of…Eating, walking, listening to music, smoking Dunhills in a garden, I want to just vibe with this humble genius. It’s…. The compassion! The insight. Cheers to the most handsome and empathic writer ever.
The first part of the book was very good and interesting - set in Mombasa it is a love story which accounts for the large mix of cultures during the early parts of British colonialism. A captivating love story! Forbidden too.
THEN, the middle of the book suddenly turns into a different, semi-related story that, while heart warming, took me ages to get through. I myself felt the first author deserted me! An okay book to pick up while on vacation (in Kenya, no less), but not good.
THEN, the middle of the book suddenly turns into a different, semi-related story that, while heart warming, took me ages to get through. I myself felt the first author deserted me! An okay book to pick up while on vacation (in Kenya, no less), but not good.
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Has it happened to you that you get an idea of the plot from the blurb and then it turns out to be something else? I thought this book was going to be about culture clash and the undying love of Rehana and her Englishman. It was and it wasn’t. The books starts off with their love story and then drifts into complicated love stories consuming their descendants. It also talks about a rough period in Zanzibar’s history and how they came to join Tanzania. It was definitely an interesting read, with great characters and I did like how the author tied it all.