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3.36 AVERAGE
3.36 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I liked the second of Dangarembga's trilogy a lot less than the first, and rather stupidly assumed the auhor had not realised how unlikeable her protagonist had become. It is clear in the brilliant, but difficult, This Mournable Body that Dangarembga is very clear on how unpleasant Tambu is - the use of a sharp, claustrophobic second person forces the reader to walk with her through decisions that are often selfish and yet self-destructive all at the same time. There is no space from Tambu, no easy capacity to coolly judge her, and yet no way not to be constantly judging her at the same time. In a world with increasingly critiques of colonialism featuring loveable, idealistic and caring protagonists, Tambu sits as an anomaly. I can admire this, in many ways. The book challenges our assumptions about who deserves compassion, and what the impact of colonialism is. In one telling passage: "You grow increasingly galled by your cousin and her assumption that everyone has the luxury she has of surviving without being obsessed with one’s own person."
Nevertheless, the first half, following her slide into desperation fuelled by infuriating decisions, I simply hate reading. Around the middle of the book, when the story becomes more linear and the plot less telegraphed, I found myself far more engaged, and able to admire the skill and the complexity with which we were being asked to see Zimbabwe through Tambu's status-obsessed eyes. By living so intently with her, we also feel her trauma and her desperate need for healing. Her continuous rejection of connection - selfish acts and neglect which push others away - is like the behaviour of the wounded and the shocked. That we can see this, and yet must live through it with Tambu, makes it visceral.
And even as the tension around the clearly looming destruction of all that Tambu thinks she wants builds unbearably, there is sharpness in the portraiture of those around her - the white boss blind to the exploitation that enables her, the war veterans trying to build in a nation of destruction, the immigrants and urban poor. I suspect this will be a book that stays with me forever, but it wasn't a lot of fun to read.
I read this without knowing this is the third installment from a trilogy. As it can be read as a standalone it also requires effort and it can be frustrating to some readers, I think readers who reads the two previous books can digest this story much more better and appreciates it more.
Having said that, the story was told from a second person of view and can be confusing at first. It took me longer to adapt to this point of view.
The story focusing on Tambu's life and her struggles to become successful despite her cultures, personal history, psychology, post war society,the racisms and corruptions of their country. There's a lot going on in this book.
I found that the name of the characters sometimes can be a bit confusing as it introduced as Freedom or Concept. Took me awhile sometimes to access that it's a character names actually. Some phrases can be quite challenging since it's not in english. Overall I love seeing how Tambu growing up, moulding into a better and better person and being successful and happy at it.
Having said that, the story was told from a second person of view and can be confusing at first. It took me longer to adapt to this point of view.
The story focusing on Tambu's life and her struggles to become successful despite her cultures, personal history, psychology, post war society,the racisms and corruptions of their country. There's a lot going on in this book.
I found that the name of the characters sometimes can be a bit confusing as it introduced as Freedom or Concept. Took me awhile sometimes to access that it's a character names actually. Some phrases can be quite challenging since it's not in english. Overall I love seeing how Tambu growing up, moulding into a better and better person and being successful and happy at it.
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
So, it's not like I didn't like this last book in the trilogy, but I felt like it had been written by someone other than the person who wrote Nervous Conditions. Or maybe I didn't like who Tambu has become and her voice seems shaky. I usually like complicated characters but there is a disconnect for me in her development arc. Something is missing. The writing style is still stellar though, that's what allowed me finished the novel.
Didn’t finish it! Part 1 is quite convoluted and the writing often loses itself in metaphors I don’t see the need for.
I am biased towards anything about Zimbabwe. Yet I felt like this book was half-hearted, too many brilliant moments squandered and it did feel like the author didn't feel like writing. The first part? I struggled indeed. I got served tasteless sadza.
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nervous Conditions was in 1988 het eerste Zimbabwaanse boek geschreven in de Engelse taal door een vrouw. Het won meteen een belangrijke boekenprijs. Dertig jaar later werd het boek door de BBC verkozen tot een van de boeken die de wereld veranderden.
Dangarembga schreef later nog twee boeken over hoofdpersonage Tambudzai. This Mournable Body, de laatste in de reeks, haalde de shortlist van de Man Booker Prize dit jaar. Zoals je wel weet lees ik de gehele longlist van de Booker Prize, en toen ik dit boek op de lijst zag staan wilde ik me eigenlijk wel wagen aan de gehele serie.
In de drie boeken draait het om Tambudzai. In het eerste deel overlijdt haar broer, waardoor zij de mogelijkheid krijgt om naar school te gaan. Het tweede deel volgt direct op het eerste en gaat over haar leven in een klooster waar ze onderwijs krijgt. Het laatste deel speelt een stuk later en laat zien dat Tambudzai, ondanks al het goede onderwijs dat ze heeft genoten, niet in staat is geweest om haar dromen te verwezenlijken.
Het zijn zeker belangrijke boeken, in de zin dat er een hele lijst aan misstanden voorbij komt die zich zoal voordoen in Zimbabwe. Ongelijkheid wat betreft mannen en vrouwen, racisme en (revolutionair) geweld zijn een paar van de hoofdthema's die telkens weer terugkeren.
Toch bleek deze serie voor mij toch een grote deceptie. Mijn grootste punt van kritiek is dat Dangarembga veel te vertellen heeft, maar dat ze keer op keer vergeet een goede roman te schrijven. Geen enkel oog lijkt ze te hebben voor een meeslepend plot, karakterontwikkeling en interessante personages.
Verschrikkelijk saai en droog vond ik alle drie de boeken. Dat Tambudzai een nogal irritant personage is hielp ook niet erg mee. Alle positieve reacties begrijp ik echt niet.
In de videorecensie vertel ik meer over de afzonderlijke delen. Voor de leessoundtrack dook ik in de Zimbabwaanse muziek. Dat was wel een groot succes.
Videorecensie
Leessoundtrack
Dangarembga schreef later nog twee boeken over hoofdpersonage Tambudzai. This Mournable Body, de laatste in de reeks, haalde de shortlist van de Man Booker Prize dit jaar. Zoals je wel weet lees ik de gehele longlist van de Booker Prize, en toen ik dit boek op de lijst zag staan wilde ik me eigenlijk wel wagen aan de gehele serie.
In de drie boeken draait het om Tambudzai. In het eerste deel overlijdt haar broer, waardoor zij de mogelijkheid krijgt om naar school te gaan. Het tweede deel volgt direct op het eerste en gaat over haar leven in een klooster waar ze onderwijs krijgt. Het laatste deel speelt een stuk later en laat zien dat Tambudzai, ondanks al het goede onderwijs dat ze heeft genoten, niet in staat is geweest om haar dromen te verwezenlijken.
Het zijn zeker belangrijke boeken, in de zin dat er een hele lijst aan misstanden voorbij komt die zich zoal voordoen in Zimbabwe. Ongelijkheid wat betreft mannen en vrouwen, racisme en (revolutionair) geweld zijn een paar van de hoofdthema's die telkens weer terugkeren.
Toch bleek deze serie voor mij toch een grote deceptie. Mijn grootste punt van kritiek is dat Dangarembga veel te vertellen heeft, maar dat ze keer op keer vergeet een goede roman te schrijven. Geen enkel oog lijkt ze te hebben voor een meeslepend plot, karakterontwikkeling en interessante personages.
Verschrikkelijk saai en droog vond ik alle drie de boeken. Dat Tambudzai een nogal irritant personage is hielp ook niet erg mee. Alle positieve reacties begrijp ik echt niet.
In de videorecensie vertel ik meer over de afzonderlijke delen. Voor de leessoundtrack dook ik in de Zimbabwaanse muziek. Dat was wel een groot succes.
Videorecensie
Leessoundtrack
I've read this as a stand alone so I don't feel like I have a complete picture of the protagonist or some of the reoccurring characters like her mother, thus, my opinion and the impact of this book may have been different if I also read the other two novels in the tribology.
Nonetheless, I've really enjoyed this story and the numerous themes it touched upon. Tambu, the main character, felt very real and the struggles she faced can be traced back to the particular political and economic environment as well as shortcomings due to her personality and overall approach to things. She is a very complicated person and can be seen as an unlikeable character especially as she reaches her breaking point and we see the ugly manifestation of it. Dangarembga does a good job of showing how Tambu's actions can be explained by and have roots in her the characters experience and treatment by other people.
One of the themes Dangarembga touches on that I really appreciated was this idea of 'waithood' which refers to the blurred gap between being a young person and being an adult. one of the main characteristic associated with being an adult is being financially independent, however, due to the economic situation in Tambu country (Zimbabwe), it is very difficult to get to this milestone. Therefore, although she is of adult age, Tambu struggles to find a stable well paying job and an independent place of residence meaning that she thus lacks the signifiers of adulthood. I loved Dangerembga's depiction of this, as the young population continues to rise across African states this issue of 'waithood' is going to become more prominent.
I would definitely recommend this book! It offers a powerful and realistic insight into life and the struggles of adulthood in Zimbabwe.
Nonetheless, I've really enjoyed this story and the numerous themes it touched upon. Tambu, the main character, felt very real and the struggles she faced can be traced back to the particular political and economic environment as well as shortcomings due to her personality and overall approach to things. She is a very complicated person and can be seen as an unlikeable character especially as she reaches her breaking point and we see the ugly manifestation of it. Dangarembga does a good job of showing how Tambu's actions can be explained by and have roots in her the characters experience and treatment by other people.
One of the themes Dangarembga touches on that I really appreciated was this idea of 'waithood' which refers to the blurred gap between being a young person and being an adult. one of the main characteristic associated with being an adult is being financially independent, however, due to the economic situation in Tambu country (Zimbabwe), it is very difficult to get to this milestone. Therefore, although she is of adult age, Tambu struggles to find a stable well paying job and an independent place of residence meaning that she thus lacks the signifiers of adulthood. I loved Dangerembga's depiction of this, as the young population continues to rise across African states this issue of 'waithood' is going to become more prominent.
I would definitely recommend this book! It offers a powerful and realistic insight into life and the struggles of adulthood in Zimbabwe.