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peshie_liphadzi's review
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
jamsbooks's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
kamckim's review
3.0
My entry from Senegal, So Long a Letter, is an epistolary novel from Ramatoulaye to her friend, recounts the struggles of R's life after her husband has died. She is the first wife and has no recourse after her husband's family and his second wife inherit everything. She uses her words to fill her sense of loss and reflect on the changes in the family, the tradition and the nation of Senegal as it transitioned from an African to a colonized to a modern nation. It is interesting if you are reading post-colonial African or feminist pieces. Personally, I grew a bit weary of the narrator's voice. However, it is still an important story to tell. Readers unfamiliar with Senegalese culture or Islamic culture may have a difficult time connecting some of the more subtle references to culture or fail to grasp the significance of some passages that would have more import for the Senegalese.
peytonlr's review
5.0
so absolutely beautiful. every word was poetry and every character vivid with life.
krpollard's review
4.0
The epistolary form can sometimes come off as preachy, but I like the immediate familiarity that it allows the main character, Ramatoulaye, to establish with the reader. It is so refreshing to read a story that celebrates female friendship, and I love the positive message that Ba sends about the importance of education and equal treatment for women. Her message is still as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.
kmatthe2's review
3.0
3.5 stars. An inconsistent book. At times lyrical and lovely. At other times a little overwrought and clunky. An important book, nevertheless.
lindseyzank's review
4.0
I think if we read Ba's fictional letter as more of an essay about socialism, religion, family, marriage, and women, then we will be much more satisfied as readers. As a "novel," it just doesn't have enough going on- and that's not because of the length (though partially so, of course), but because characters quickly come and go and we never get any true character development outside of Ramatoulaye's own grappling with the death of her polygamous husband. I absolutely love Ba's consideration of what it means for a progressive, liberated woman to raise daughters. This is a conflict and contradiction that I think needs to be explored more often. Some of the side stories are a bit tangential to the overall aim of the letter. Because we only get Ramatoulaye's letter to her friend Aissatou, we are mostly in the dark in terms of Aissatou's point of view, which I find jarring.Likewise, we never get to hear Binetou's perspective about being the "second" wife; perhaps there exists internal conflict for the younger wife as for the first wife. Ba doesn't experiment with any of those possibilities, leaving the story a bit flat. Her commentary about healthcare for women, education for girls, and the role of women in politics is what really elevates the text for me.
solijim's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
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? No
4.0
sallywilde's review against another edition
4.0
Alors que son mari vient de décéder, notre narratrice rentre dans une période de veuvage de 4 mois, au cours de laquelle elle écrira une lettre à sa meilleure amie pour revenir sur cette vie de femme et d'épouse sénégalaise. Elle y parle de son désarroi face à la polygamie de cet homme qu'elle a aimé et qui, après lui avoir fait 12 enfants, choisi de courtiser une adolescente. De cette adolescente privée d'éducation par sa mère et son futur mari, forcée d'épouser un homme dont elle ne voulait pas et d'abandonner ses rêves. De cette tradition du mariage polygame qui détruit la vie des femmes qui n'ont pas leur mot à dire. Elle parle de féminisme, des Indépendances, de son pays qui change, de toutes ces évolutions qui se répercutent sur la vie de ses enfants, de ses filles, et qu'elle se force à intégrer tant bien que mal pour ne pas finir comme sa propre mère, coincée dans des idéaux et des traditions qui peuvent faire tant de mal.