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dannythestreet's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
sad
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
I find it interesting that we barely get to hear the main character's point of view, her thoughts or feelings. She is mostly just describing things as they are. I think it's characteristic of the way she was brought up, taught not to be a burden, to obey and do as told without complaining or thinking too hard about it. As a contrast we have Nyasha (the best character in the book) who is being endlessly abused by her father, yet she cannot keep quiet, refuses to be "good". What's happening to her at the end is heartbreaking yet unfortunately not surprising, he is a victim of this system same as all of them are.
Overall, the book offers some helpful insight into life in Zimbabwe, blackness, womanhood, poverty, education, family relationship and more
It's not my favourite book but definitely worth a read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Death, Racism, Misogyny, Emotional abuse, Child abuse, Eating disorder, Physical abuse, and Mental illness
Moderate: Grief, Violence, Pregnancy, Domestic abuse, and Self harm
agnela's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Body shaming, Pregnancy, Racism, Animal death, Infidelity, Self harm, Violence, Alcoholism, Child abuse, Child death, Domestic abuse, Animal cruelty, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Colonisation, Misogyny, and Sexism
torihope98's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, and Misogyny
Moderate: Physical abuse, Body shaming, Child death, Child abuse, Fatphobia, and Eating disorder
Minor: Vomit, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Religious bigotry
fromlindenmere's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
sad
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Pregnancy, Misogyny, Vomit, Religious bigotry, Body shaming, Cursing, Physical abuse, Infidelity, Grief, Mental illness, Racism, Emotional abuse, Eating disorder, Child death, Death, Classism, and Colonisation
caskraft's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Xenophobia, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Racism, Pregnancy, Child death, Colonisation, and Sexism
Minor: Infidelity, Eating disorder, and Classism
now_booking's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
It’s hard for me to rate this book because on the one hand, I really resonated with this story and the characters and as an African, it was a story told with a lot of heart and nuance and reflexivity. We get the benefit of Tambu’s older self editorially providing wisdom and reflection as she looks back at her younger self. And this is helpful in casting Tambu as a sympathetic character because with time and with age, there’s clearly been a lot of analyses of how she sees things. But despite her promising start in this story, I couldn’t help but feel that she wasn’t really the main character in her own narration.
The premise is that when Tambu loses her brother, who happens to be her nemesis, she inherits his opportunity to move in with their wealthy uncle to pursue her dream of an education and a better life for her family. But she finds that life isn’t as perfect as she believed in the household of her god-like uncle and aunt, and she finds that in the pursuit of her dreams, she may be losing her identity.
This was set up like it was going to be Tambu’s coming of age story, but it didn’t really deliver on that expectation. In the end, it was kind of a collection of incidents and events about family expectations, gender inequity and coloniality and the legacies of compromising oneself for the Western gaze in order to be successful enough to look after one’s family. Yet even though my expectation for a connected story about Tambu wasn’t met, and even though this was very “slice of life,” I think it articulated experiences that were very realistic and pertinent to a Zimbabwean and more broadly, African, experience. The character development was stellar, the scenes and reflections were on point, the scenarios and ways of thinking resonated. I could see the experiences of my own family, friends and neighbours in the grievances and hurts and expectations and hopes and responsibilities that lay in this book. I loved the complex family dynamics and the imperfect characters. If I’m removing one star, it’s because this did not feel entirely cohesive to me. I enjoyed the stories but I did feel it felt a little incomplete and “so what” at the end. It left me as a reader wondering what the author wanted to accomplish with this story which ended as abruptly as it started, kind of in the middle. The focus was very much on the themes and the characters demonstrating the themes, but there wasn’t really an overarching plot or a main story. I could enjoy the pieces of story and the slices of experience and these are themes I care about, so it worked for me. But I also felt like this wasn’t really anchored and it only worked for me because I liked older Tambu’s editorializing voice. The story wasn’t allowed to tell itself without older Tambu/the author’s voice inserting itself into my consciousness to make decisions on my feelings about the story for me. Indeed, my favourite character was the peripheral Aunty Lucia, whose boldness, wisdom, open sexuality and cunning made her engaging and powerful in a world where the women were subdued by nervous conditions. Specific to this edition, I thought it was a strange choice to include a spoiler-ridden introduction at the start of this book and I think that could spoil the book for people who are vehemently anti-spoiler.
My understanding is that this is the first book in a trilogy of books featuring Tambu which might explain why this felt so abrupt and somewhat incomplete. But I also felt like this didn’t end on a cliffhanger or with any express trigger to pick up the next book. That said, overall, I really liked the story and would like to see what older Tambu’s foreshadowing will lead to, so I plan to check out the other books in the series. I recommend.
The premise is that when Tambu loses her brother, who happens to be her nemesis, she inherits his opportunity to move in with their wealthy uncle to pursue her dream of an education and a better life for her family. But she finds that life isn’t as perfect as she believed in the household of her god-like uncle and aunt, and she finds that in the pursuit of her dreams, she may be losing her identity.
This was set up like it was going to be Tambu’s coming of age story, but it didn’t really deliver on that expectation. In the end, it was kind of a collection of incidents and events about family expectations, gender inequity and coloniality and the legacies of compromising oneself for the Western gaze in order to be successful enough to look after one’s family. Yet even though my expectation for a connected story about Tambu wasn’t met, and even though this was very “slice of life,” I think it articulated experiences that were very realistic and pertinent to a Zimbabwean and more broadly, African, experience. The character development was stellar, the scenes and reflections were on point, the scenarios and ways of thinking resonated. I could see the experiences of my own family, friends and neighbours in the grievances and hurts and expectations and hopes and responsibilities that lay in this book. I loved the complex family dynamics and the imperfect characters. If I’m removing one star, it’s because this did not feel entirely cohesive to me. I enjoyed the stories but I did feel it felt a little incomplete and “so what” at the end. It left me as a reader wondering what the author wanted to accomplish with this story which ended as abruptly as it started, kind of in the middle. The focus was very much on the themes and the characters demonstrating the themes, but there wasn’t really an overarching plot or a main story. I could enjoy the pieces of story and the slices of experience and these are themes I care about, so it worked for me. But I also felt like this wasn’t really anchored and it only worked for me because I liked older Tambu’s editorializing voice. The story wasn’t allowed to tell itself without older Tambu/the author’s voice inserting itself into my consciousness to make decisions on my feelings about the story for me. Indeed, my favourite character was the peripheral Aunty Lucia, whose boldness, wisdom, open sexuality and cunning made her engaging and powerful in a world where the women were subdued by nervous conditions. Specific to this edition, I thought it was a strange choice to include a spoiler-ridden introduction at the start of this book and I think that could spoil the book for people who are vehemently anti-spoiler.
My understanding is that this is the first book in a trilogy of books featuring Tambu which might explain why this felt so abrupt and somewhat incomplete. But I also felt like this didn’t end on a cliffhanger or with any express trigger to pick up the next book. That said, overall, I really liked the story and would like to see what older Tambu’s foreshadowing will lead to, so I plan to check out the other books in the series. I recommend.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism, Abandonment, Infidelity, Child death, Colonisation, Death, Eating disorder, Emotional abuse, Grief, Toxic friendship, Child abuse, Death of parent, Mental illness, Misogyny, Racism, Sexism, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Bullying, Body shaming, Fatphobia, and Physical abuse
iarlais's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
I was rather surprised when I reached the end of the novel - for I had completely forgotten it was the first part of a trilogy, and not a standalone story. Nevertheless, I'm going to try and review it as one.
This is a less action-packed book that others I've read about colonialism in Africa. That's fine, because this story requires no action to be told. Borrowing its title from Wretched of the Earth, this work of historical fiction delves deep into the psychological consequences of colonialism by showcasing how each character is affected by them. Because these consequences are so damaging and long-lasting, it's important not to judge the characters in this novel too much, for they're all suffering under an intense mental strain. This is one area in which Dangarembga excels. She makes sure that however you feel about each character in the novel, you can at least somewhat understand their perspective. Well, except for Jeremiah perhaps.
This book is a neat piece of intersectional reading, for it reminds the reader that to be black in a colonial state is one curse, but to be both black and female is worse entirely. In Rhodesia, Tambu, Netsai, Nyasha, Maiguru, Lucia, and Ma'Shingayi all have to bear with the white supremacy of the colonists, and the misogyny of the black men in their lives. They are all doubly oppressed, and Dangarembga shows the different ways of reacting to oppression by having each woman respond in their own way.
This novel also plays around with contrasts and subversion of expectations. Babamukuru, initally oh-so-different than the comically despicable Jeremiah, turns out to still be quite patriarchal and overbearing in his own way. He is styled as God by Tambu at multiple points throughout the novel, but this high status in her perspective is eroded by his own actions over time. At first, Maiguru seems to have escaped the systemic clutches that hold Ma'Shingayi down, but the novel over time reveals the truth that her life is not as free as it seems. The opening passage of the novel makes Tambu seem callous - and she is aware of this potential perception - but her apathy towards her brother's death is slowly justified.
One aspect of this novel that I find particularly powerful is the characters' arguments against colonial rule and education - because they're not all reasonable. When one character is yelling about white people's witchcraft, but then accurately assesses how this "education" will make the student lose themselves, you realise Dangarembga knows how to make her characters human. Not everyone has the most well-thought-out critique of oppressive institutions, but they can still hit upon the general correct area when they see the damage that's being done. I've seen many people who dropped out of school who can still succinctly criticize capitalism, so this element of the novel really resonated with me.
I do think the novel has one fatal flaw, however - Tambu. Tambu, similar to a few semi-autobiographical protagonists, feels fairly bland compared to her family, all of whom have a few personality traits to offer. Don't get me wrong, she has her motivations, but overall she feels like an observer character, one for the reader to peer through so they understand the novel's setting better. She's not unlike Nick Carraway in that regard. Once the section dealing with her brother's death passes, there's not much that helps her stand out as a person. It is however thanks to her narrative perspective that Nyasha has such a massive presence in the novel, a sure blessing with regard to how masterfully she summarises the complexities of a black Rhodesian girl's situation just by refusing to back down, even when she feels she maybe should.
I also do feel the novel can feel a bit dry sometimes, which is less owed to the story and more, I think, because of Tambu's lack of character. Nevertheless, I think this is a decent first novel that superbly analyses the devastating effects of colonialism on indigenous women, one that hosts a great ensemble of characters without ever feeling overambitious.
This is a less action-packed book that others I've read about colonialism in Africa. That's fine, because this story requires no action to be told. Borrowing its title from Wretched of the Earth, this work of historical fiction delves deep into the psychological consequences of colonialism by showcasing how each character is affected by them. Because these consequences are so damaging and long-lasting, it's important not to judge the characters in this novel too much, for they're all suffering under an intense mental strain. This is one area in which Dangarembga excels. She makes sure that however you feel about each character in the novel, you can at least somewhat understand their perspective. Well, except for Jeremiah perhaps.
This book is a neat piece of intersectional reading, for it reminds the reader that to be black in a colonial state is one curse, but to be both black and female is worse entirely. In Rhodesia, Tambu, Netsai, Nyasha, Maiguru, Lucia, and Ma'Shingayi all have to bear with the white supremacy of the colonists, and the misogyny of the black men in their lives. They are all doubly oppressed, and Dangarembga shows the different ways of reacting to oppression by having each woman respond in their own way.
This novel also plays around with contrasts and subversion of expectations. Babamukuru, initally oh-so-different than the comically despicable Jeremiah, turns out to still be quite patriarchal and overbearing in his own way. He is styled as God by Tambu at multiple points throughout the novel, but this high status in her perspective is eroded by his own actions over time. At first, Maiguru seems to have escaped the systemic clutches that hold Ma'Shingayi down, but the novel over time reveals the truth that her life is not as free as it seems. The opening passage of the novel makes Tambu seem callous - and she is aware of this potential perception - but her apathy towards her brother's death is slowly justified.
One aspect of this novel that I find particularly powerful is the characters' arguments against colonial rule and education - because they're not all reasonable. When one character is yelling about white people's witchcraft, but then accurately assesses how this "education" will make the student lose themselves, you realise Dangarembga knows how to make her characters human. Not everyone has the most well-thought-out critique of oppressive institutions, but they can still hit upon the general correct area when they see the damage that's being done. I've seen many people who dropped out of school who can still succinctly criticize capitalism, so this element of the novel really resonated with me.
I do think the novel has one fatal flaw, however - Tambu. Tambu, similar to a few semi-autobiographical protagonists, feels fairly bland compared to her family, all of whom have a few personality traits to offer. Don't get me wrong, she has her motivations, but overall she feels like an observer character, one for the reader to peer through so they understand the novel's setting better. She's not unlike Nick Carraway in that regard. Once the section dealing with her brother's death passes, there's not much that helps her stand out as a person. It is however thanks to her narrative perspective that Nyasha has such a massive presence in the novel, a sure blessing with regard to how masterfully she summarises the complexities of a black Rhodesian girl's situation just by refusing to back down, even when she feels she maybe should.
I also do feel the novel can feel a bit dry sometimes, which is less owed to the story and more, I think, because of Tambu's lack of character. Nevertheless, I think this is a decent first novel that superbly analyses the devastating effects of colonialism on indigenous women, one that hosts a great ensemble of characters without ever feeling overambitious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Eating disorder
Moderate: Miscarriage, Racism, and Misogyny
xh_reads's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexism, Misogyny, Eating disorder, Child abuse, Child death, Racial slurs, and Racism
abbie_'s review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
3.0
I bought and read the third book in Tsitsi Dangarembga’s Nervous Conditions trilogy back in 2021, so it was about time I found myself a copy of the first book! I enjoyed Nervous Conditions slightly more than This Mournable Body, but did struggle with the writing in both a little 😭 I swear, anything published before 2010 has me struggling these days - Nervous Conditions was published in 1988. I saw a review that said it felt like it had been written to be studied at school, and honestly, I can see that. There’s a lot to unpack in it, mainly to do with class and gender (which is a good thing!), but occasionally the characters will just break out into a monologue that feels a bit unnatural. Nevertheless, I did appreciate its commentary on colonialism, education, and sexism!
I will probably read The Book of Not, seems rude not to having read #1 and #3!
I will probably read The Book of Not, seems rude not to having read #1 and #3!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Classism, Eating disorder, Misogyny, Racism, and Physical abuse
serenspace's review against another edition
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny, Child abuse, and Eating disorder