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maggiebook's review
4.0
I would sum up this book with three words, moving, raw and beautiful.
The book is written in short chapters, almost paragraphs so there isn't a lot of excess to the book. The story follows the narrator Thandi an American girl born to a South African mother and a NY father. She tells of her life going to school, being part of a family from two different cultures and the death of her mother and its impact on her. I liked that she doesn't try to make the reader like her. She says what comes to mind and shows all the bad messy stuff without apology. The book does seem like she wrote down things as they came into her mind which may be distracting for some readers but I think it fits the randomness of your thought process that comes with losing someone.
Although What We Lose is fictional, the character shares many similarities to the author which makes you feel you are reading an autobiography.
The book is written in short chapters, almost paragraphs so there isn't a lot of excess to the book. The story follows the narrator Thandi an American girl born to a South African mother and a NY father. She tells of her life going to school, being part of a family from two different cultures and the death of her mother and its impact on her. I liked that she doesn't try to make the reader like her. She says what comes to mind and shows all the bad messy stuff without apology. The book does seem like she wrote down things as they came into her mind which may be distracting for some readers but I think it fits the randomness of your thought process that comes with losing someone.
Although What We Lose is fictional, the character shares many similarities to the author which makes you feel you are reading an autobiography.
baoluong's review
4.0
Part fiction, part autobiographical, What We Lose is more than a book about grief. It is an exploration into the many reasons to live. In the light of her mother's death to cancer, Thandi thinks to every decision her mother made that effectively influenced her own decisions. As she navigates a world without her mother, she questions the person she grew up to be.
Not for nothing, Clemmons drops straight truth in beautiful writing. I have a feeling I'll revisit this book as a reminder of later lessons I have yet to encounter. There's so many great pieces of knowledge nestled in these pages. You don't realize where you're being led at first and then Clemmons hits you over the head with soft musings to painful realities.
I recommend this to fans of complicated mother-daughter relationships. Topics about race, feminism, class, and identity. If you like this book, why not try Little Fires Everywhere.
Not for nothing, Clemmons drops straight truth in beautiful writing. I have a feeling I'll revisit this book as a reminder of later lessons I have yet to encounter. There's so many great pieces of knowledge nestled in these pages. You don't realize where you're being led at first and then Clemmons hits you over the head with soft musings to painful realities.
I recommend this to fans of complicated mother-daughter relationships. Topics about race, feminism, class, and identity. If you like this book, why not try Little Fires Everywhere.
trapwomanistcyborgwitch's review against another edition
4.0
Wow. I really identified with this story of grief. My mom died 4 years ago and I really related to the sadness of this book. Very ambitious and unusual. A lot to think about. I may write more later. I Recommend this book.
suzyvee's review against another edition
emotional
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death of parent
loveambreen's review
3.0
I tried really hard to like this more than I did, but I think it just doesn't translate well as an audiobook.
This is the kind of book I would have loved to read and analyze in class, because there's clearly something going on there, but doesn't necessarily work (for me) as a casual read.
This is the kind of book I would have loved to read and analyze in class, because there's clearly something going on there, but doesn't necessarily work (for me) as a casual read.
danicabird's review
4.0
I felt completely one with the narrator as if I could have written her thoughts without having lived any of her experiences. The book is written in a series of vignettes that will occasionally jump around in time, but orbit the loss of her mother. The short bursts of story make this book so unique and beautiful but also left me wanting more. I wanted to stay with this narrator longer than we are allowed.
africanbookaddict's review
4.0
!!! Book blog review: https://africanbookaddict.com/2017/07/11/what-we-lose-a-novel-by-zinzi-clemmons/
Laden with meditative, intimate and at times unsettling vignettes, What We Lose will leave you in a pensive state. Thandi – the heroine of this novel, is the only child of her mother (a coloured South African) and father (a light skinned African American) who is very aware of her privileges & multicultural background. Readers follow Thandi on her journey from childhood to adulthood as she navigates what it means to be a black woman in America and South Africa, dealing with the loss of a loved one, motherhood and love.
What We Lose is based on Zinzi Clemmons’s life, BUT it isn’t her life. If you’ve been following Clemmons’s work online, especially her 2013 piece – A Geography of Hurt, you’d find the subject matter in this novel familiar. While there isn’t a clear-cut plot to this novel, Clemmons successfully portrays Thandi’s life through short vignettes. The vignettes reflect Thandi’s complex thoughts – private, absorbing and heartfelt thoughts, that one probably wouldn’t even share with their closest partner. Some bits of the text feel philosophical which was confusing at times, but appreciated. I love how pictures and graphs and random news articles are scattered throughout the book, as it gave the storytelling an unconventional feel.
Johannesburg, South Africa plays a vital role in this novel. The world is so absorbed in American politics (aka: Trump) that we forget about the intense and ever present racism in post-apartheid South Africa. Thandi and her family are coloureds and wealthy, so readers experience a different account of racial dynamics in South Africa through their lens, which is refreshing. It was intriguing to see how American racial relations and South African racial relations were juxtaposed and how they impacted Thandi’s life and even play a role in her grieving process and the important decisions she makes in her life.
Anyone whose lost a parent will deeply resonate with this novel. I initially thought this novel would be morbid and sorrowful, but I was glad to find that it reads more as a visceral novel – deep feelings and black psyche are articulated so aptly!
I’m not sure how this book is being marketed to the public; but for me, What We Lose tackles so much more than the issue of race. This coming-of-age novel reminds you that we are all human. We are all dealing with our personal struggles. We are all trying to thrive and heal and survive. Illness, love, race, mental health, motherhood, sisterhood and social class dynamics are wonderfully weaved into the overall themes of grief and the quest to belong.
Read full review + quotes on: africanbookaddict.com
Laden with meditative, intimate and at times unsettling vignettes, What We Lose will leave you in a pensive state. Thandi – the heroine of this novel, is the only child of her mother (a coloured South African) and father (a light skinned African American) who is very aware of her privileges & multicultural background. Readers follow Thandi on her journey from childhood to adulthood as she navigates what it means to be a black woman in America and South Africa, dealing with the loss of a loved one, motherhood and love.
What We Lose is based on Zinzi Clemmons’s life, BUT it isn’t her life. If you’ve been following Clemmons’s work online, especially her 2013 piece – A Geography of Hurt, you’d find the subject matter in this novel familiar. While there isn’t a clear-cut plot to this novel, Clemmons successfully portrays Thandi’s life through short vignettes. The vignettes reflect Thandi’s complex thoughts – private, absorbing and heartfelt thoughts, that one probably wouldn’t even share with their closest partner. Some bits of the text feel philosophical which was confusing at times, but appreciated. I love how pictures and graphs and random news articles are scattered throughout the book, as it gave the storytelling an unconventional feel.
Johannesburg, South Africa plays a vital role in this novel. The world is so absorbed in American politics (aka: Trump) that we forget about the intense and ever present racism in post-apartheid South Africa. Thandi and her family are coloureds and wealthy, so readers experience a different account of racial dynamics in South Africa through their lens, which is refreshing. It was intriguing to see how American racial relations and South African racial relations were juxtaposed and how they impacted Thandi’s life and even play a role in her grieving process and the important decisions she makes in her life.
Anyone whose lost a parent will deeply resonate with this novel. I initially thought this novel would be morbid and sorrowful, but I was glad to find that it reads more as a visceral novel – deep feelings and black psyche are articulated so aptly!
I’m not sure how this book is being marketed to the public; but for me, What We Lose tackles so much more than the issue of race. This coming-of-age novel reminds you that we are all human. We are all dealing with our personal struggles. We are all trying to thrive and heal and survive. Illness, love, race, mental health, motherhood, sisterhood and social class dynamics are wonderfully weaved into the overall themes of grief and the quest to belong.
Read full review + quotes on: africanbookaddict.com
theoreticalsiren's review
challenging
dark
emotional
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.5
This was a very emotional experience and I enjoyed the writing a lot. It’s a wonderful coming of age tale that doesn’t shy away from working through the terrible challenges that life throws at us. Plus, the way that SA history is weaved into this narrative is unlike anything I’ve ever read before, so it was a beautiful new experience.
malea_ann's review
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0