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saqib_292's review against another edition
2.0
Oof. I was so, so excited to read this book because:
1) it's by a Ghanaian author writing in a freshly post-colonial reality
2) it's a scathing critique of Nkrumah's Ghana
3) everybody says that this is up there with Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart' as one of the best African novels ever.
I was quite disappointed. It's interesting, don't get me wrong. The repeated images of dirt, filth, dilapidation and overall "shit" (for want of a more direct term) as a sustained metaphor to drive home the moral corruption of Ghana under Nkrumah is fantastic. It's just such a slog to read. I really did not care for any of the characters. I didn't care about the plot. The writing is beautifully descriptive at times, but then wades through dense commentary that makes the reading experience so staccato and draining.
Rating: 2.1/5
1) it's by a Ghanaian author writing in a freshly post-colonial reality
2) it's a scathing critique of Nkrumah's Ghana
3) everybody says that this is up there with Achebe's 'Things Fall Apart' as one of the best African novels ever.
I was quite disappointed. It's interesting, don't get me wrong. The repeated images of dirt, filth, dilapidation and overall "shit" (for want of a more direct term) as a sustained metaphor to drive home the moral corruption of Ghana under Nkrumah is fantastic. It's just such a slog to read. I really did not care for any of the characters. I didn't care about the plot. The writing is beautifully descriptive at times, but then wades through dense commentary that makes the reading experience so staccato and draining.
Rating: 2.1/5
emr158's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
sirfrankiecrisp's review against another edition
One of the best books I have ever read.
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
dark
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.25
The Beautyful Ones Are Not Yet Born is a satirical look at immediate post independence Ghana under the leadership of Kwame Nkrumah via the experiences of the unnamed narrator, a railway clerk who struggles to maintain his integrity and avoid the lure of corruption. It’s not an optimistic or feel good read. The promise of independence was not realised, with leaders seemingly more interested in accessing western consumer goods than working to improve the lives of ordinary Ghanaians. Neocolonialism was not much of an improvement over actual colonial rule. The author’s use of excrement as a not-so-subtle metaphor for post-colonial Ghana didn’t necessarily make for the most pleasant reading experience, but it certainly was effective. For readers who have little knowledge of Ghanaian history a quick crash course via Wikipedia will help you get more out of this book.
Content Warnings
Minor: Colonisation
mokey4's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I have ever read, by any author from any place. I tried to read it while I was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Ghana but could not force my way through it- I needed escapism, and the book was too close to my then-present situation (though the economic & political atmosphere had certainly improved in Ghana by the time I was there, in 1997-1999). I picked it up again a few years after my return to the US and it resonated deeply with me and my experience of Ghana.
mokey4's review against another edition
5.0
This book offers an accurate portrayal of Ghana in the 1960s (I think), post-Nkrumah optimism. I tried reading this book when I was in Ghana but it was too depressing, so I read it a few years later and found it utterly amazing. The language is great, the story riveting. Perhaps more so if you've spent time in Ghana.
wizurd101's review against another edition
5.0
On one level I have read this character and this life before: a man alienated from his work in a bureaucratic system, lowkey hates his wife and kids/all women, "neutral"/passive personality used as a reference to more clearly see the weirdness of his society. But in this book I felt a genuine vigor and desire for change that I've never seen in anything else like this.
The language is fantastic. I'm thinking of the wood bannister, the stairs into the sea, and the wee scene.
Just 5 minutes of reading historical context completely changed the novel for me, so if you know very little about Ghana, Ghanaian independence or Nkrumah and his hopes for the nation (as I did) you should definitely read up.
All the reviews that say that they "couldn't get through it" are lame, because the book is beautiful and holds so much to think about. This guy is the only flaneur I've felt has a real motivation to be doing what he's doing. Lol.
The language is fantastic. I'm thinking of the wood bannister, the stairs into the sea, and the wee scene.
Just 5 minutes of reading historical context completely changed the novel for me, so if you know very little about Ghana, Ghanaian independence or Nkrumah and his hopes for the nation (as I did) you should definitely read up.
All the reviews that say that they "couldn't get through it" are lame, because the book is beautiful and holds so much to think about. This guy is the only flaneur I've felt has a real motivation to be doing what he's doing. Lol.
_eph_'s review against another edition
This book was too frustrating by half. I hated his writing. I understand that he wrote like that to convey how depressing and alienating post-independence Ghana was like but I still didn't appreciate it. He uses the passive voice like a weapon, describes the most mundane of objects tediously. There is little to his internal thoughts, and I cannot say I knew him at all by the halfway mark. The only sighs of relief I got as when I came across dialogue but even that was scattered so few and far in between that I had to put it down. I don't even remember anything of the "plot" because this was 3 years ago but my god... my frustration is still nevertheless there.
emielste's review against another edition
3.0
After a lyrical and symbolic first third, the rest of the novel was more plot-driven and on-the-nose. Still an effective message.