Reviews - Nervous Conditions

1.1k reviews for:

Nervous Conditions

Tsitsi Dangarembga

4.04 AVERAGE

lowrythm's review against another edition

4.0

emotional reflective sad 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

julia_eilis's review against another edition

3.75

emotional sad slow-paced

Plot or Character Driven: Plot

Strong character development: Yes

Loveable characters: Complicated

Diverse cast of characters: Yes

Flaws of characters a main focus: Yes

mmillerb's review against another edition

5.0

smart

petert1648's review against another edition

5.0

While I agree with those reviewers who highlight the critique of post-colonialism and the feminist aspects of this book, I would also want to praise the craft with which it is written, from the arresting beginning "I was not sorry when my brother died", through the experiences and education which gradually affect the young woman's perception of her place in the world, and the depiction of the forms of oppression, both subtle and brutal she and the other women in the novel are faced with. Throughout the book I had the feeling of reading about real people rather than just embodiments of a set of ideas.
When there have been so many coming-of-age stories, it is hard for one to stand out from the crowd, but, for me, this one did. Highly recommended.