Reviews - Nervous Conditions

1.1k reviews for:

Nervous Conditions

Tsitsi Dangarembga

4.04 AVERAGE

ncrohrbaugh's review against another edition

5.0

Loved her!! interesting cultural perspective and commentary on the impacts of colonization in Africa (applicable to global colonization as well)

eviedavie's review against another edition

4.0

challenging emotional informative reflective tense medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: No

bamanda28's review against another edition

5.0

I have a major soft spot when books are written from a child or adolescent's perspective and done well. The voice of our young protagonist as a high achieving, eager to please, but so smart she starts to see the cracks in the adult world was soooo relatable and charming. The title of this book and the cover I had (a woman crying) really threw me as this book is by no means a Debbie downer. I found the setting of 1960s-70s Rhodesia infinitely interesting and so vividly detailed. I'm impressed and can't wait to read more by this author!!

capricho's review against another edition

5.0

adventurous emotional reflective sad tense fast-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: Complicated

The first sentence was a revelation that extended to the very last pages of this book. I resonated with the underlying theme of colonization and how it shows up in our relationships to others, to placemaking and home, and most of all our relationship to ourselves and our familial relationships.

In an interview the author shared that there are no villains in this story because she intentionally shares the thinking and full complexity of even the most briefly mentioned characters. The only real villain in this story is colonization.

If you have ever found yourself saying “they were doing their best” about your immigrant parents, I tenderly and humbly offer you this book. If you have experienced the ancestral or childhood loss of your first language, I also offer this book as medicine and recognition of that grief.

Content Warnings

cocoonofbooks's review against another edition

2.5

This book has the seeds for a number of interesting stories, but it never fully commits to any of them except for a general sense of patriarchy/oppression vs. women/feminism, except for the very end when there's a rush of European vs. African ideas that are wrapped up with her cousin's illness before the abrupt end of the book. In the main character's conflicting thoughts there are some interesting questions about how generosity and charity can be an abuse of power used to keep people in their place, and whether it is better to put up with injustice in order to achieve one's personal goals or better to stand up for your principles even if it is to the detriment of your future and your family. Yet except for refusing to attend her parents' wedding, she never seems to commit to anything or really come to any conclusions about herself or her life. Ultimately I wanted more from this book that I just didn't get. I'll be interested to discuss this with my book club.

kaliopa's review against another edition

4.5

dark reflective medium-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Character

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Complicated

fevi's review against another edition

4.0

challenging inspiring reflective medium-paced

No início da minha leitura, estava achando a personagem narradora-protagonista, Tambudzai, extremamente presunçosa. No entanto, com o desenrolar da história e das discussões propostas por Tsitsi Dangarembga, pude entender que ela era muito mais do que isso. A personagem estava em um processo constante de não se sujeitar à condição imposta pelo patriarcado. Nem ela nem as outras personagens femininas.

Em Condições Nervosas, acompanhamos a vida de Tambu em busca de ascensão social por meio dos estudos. Essa é a sua única oportunidade. Ela só a consegue após a morte de seu irmão. Seu tio é quem provê as condições necessárias para isso e deixa isso claro o tempo todo.

Ao passar pelo processo de libertação por meio da educação, Tambu começa a compreender como o patriarcado impõe normas e condutas para as mulheres que a rodeiam. Sua mãe, tias e prima passam o livro inteiro lutando contra essa assimilação. Nem sempre vencem, mas sempre tentam se impor.

O livro aborda temas como colonialismo, educação, machismo, patriarcado e gênero. É uma história que nos faz refletir profundamente sobre a condição da mulher na sociedade africana. O livro tem seus problemas. Há muitas descrições e detalhes que poderiam ser facilmente cortados, mas, no geral, é uma obra robusta e potente. Fica a recomendação.