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amarreth's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Told through the lens of a 12-year-old girl, the story is about what it is to grow up and be a woman in the 1970s in Uganda as it is shifting from what was before to what is a colonized country. We see how the culture both rejects colonization and is forced to embrace it, we see what that means for a child who is also trying to understand her place in her family, without her mother, with a mostly absent father, and adoring, though firm, grandparents. The vestiges of the clan system, and the xenophobia that can bring as well as colorism that she, who is very dark, faces, and also that she herself applies to others. The story is simple, and that it is about a girl growing up. But everybody knows that growing up is never actually that simple and this story shows that very well.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism, Xenophobia, Colonisation, Religious bigotry, and Classism
Moderate: Death of parent and Grief
Minor: Miscarriage, War, Infertility, Kidnapping, Sexual content, Alcoholism, Child death, Domestic abuse, Violence, and Infidelity
The racism is mostly colorism, but that is not a tag. Additionally, the kidnapping is actually abduction of an adult minor character.amberinpieces's review against another edition
emotional
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Moderate: Medical content, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, War, Cancer, Death of parent, Grief, Car accident, Body shaming, and Sexism
Minor: Alcohol, Alcoholism, Colonisation, Bullying, Islamophobia, Toxic friendship, Misogyny, Pregnancy, Racial slurs, Religious bigotry, Slavery, Blood, Miscarriage, and Sexual content
wordsofclover's review
emotional
informative
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Kirabo is a young girl growing up in a small Ugandan village with her grandparents when she starts first asking questions about the absence of her mother, as well as her own status as a good girl. As she gets to know the local village witch, Nsuuta, Kirabo learns what it means to have a wilder self inside of her and learns the history of Nsuuta and Kirabo's grandmother. As she grows older and moves away for school, Kirabo also comes into her own independence and beauty and must decide for herself where her future lies.
I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator did a beautiful job bringing the many Uganda folklore tales to life with her words, and in terms of a lyrical, lovely book to listen to, this was certainly the one. I will say I think it took me a while to understand where we were going at first because there was so much talk about Kirabo's 'second self' I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to go down some kind of magical realism route or stay strictly historical fiction.
I enjoyed the middle part of the book a lot as Kirabo grows a bit older and goes to the city to live with her father and his family, and onward to school where she is protected from the Uganda–Tanzania War that happens during this time.
The emphasis on what it means to be a woman in this book from a woman with sexual needs and looks that can bring men to her feet but also as a sister, daughter and friend is explored thoroughly and we see that Kirabo also has a slightly unusual upbringing in many ways as her father and grandfather are very proud to educate her fully and want her to succeed in a third-level education and career rather than becoming a homemaker. I loved Kirabo's relationship with her grandfather which was very sweet.
There were some elements to the story that felt a bit unfinished or not explored enough for me - Kirabo's feelings about her absentee mother is something that is very big at the start, disappears in the middle and comes back in a not so nice way at the end and the way this all worked out was kind of sad to read. I think there were strong themes in this book and I loved learning more about Ugandan culture, history and politics but there were parts of Kirabo's story that I just wanted more on - her friendships and school life more so than her relationship with a local boy for example.
I did like the author's way of writing though, and I think I will eventually read her other book which I think is a kind of companion novel to this one (or vice versa).
I listened to this on audiobook and the narrator did a beautiful job bringing the many Uganda folklore tales to life with her words, and in terms of a lyrical, lovely book to listen to, this was certainly the one. I will say I think it took me a while to understand where we were going at first because there was so much talk about Kirabo's 'second self' I couldn't help but wonder if this was going to go down some kind of magical realism route or stay strictly historical fiction.
I enjoyed the middle part of the book a lot as Kirabo grows a bit older and goes to the city to live with her father and his family, and onward to school where she is protected from the Uganda–Tanzania War that happens during this time.
The emphasis on what it means to be a woman in this book from a woman with sexual needs and looks that can bring men to her feet but also as a sister, daughter and friend is explored thoroughly and we see that Kirabo also has a slightly unusual upbringing in many ways as her father and grandfather are very proud to educate her fully and want her to succeed in a third-level education and career rather than becoming a homemaker. I loved Kirabo's relationship with her grandfather which was very sweet.
There were some elements to the story that felt a bit unfinished or not explored enough for me - Kirabo's feelings about her absentee mother is something that is very big at the start, disappears in the middle and comes back in a not so nice way at the end and the way this all worked out was kind of sad to read. I think there were strong themes in this book and I loved learning more about Ugandan culture, history and politics but there were parts of Kirabo's story that I just wanted more on - her friendships and school life more so than her relationship with a local boy for example.
I did like the author's way of writing though, and I think I will eventually read her other book which I think is a kind of companion novel to this one (or vice versa).
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
Minor: Kidnapping, Miscarriage, and War
mikaclapson's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Misogyny
Moderate: Colonisation, Body shaming, Miscarriage, War, and Classism
Minor: Alcoholism, Adult/minor relationship, Rape, Kidnapping, and Trafficking
lochanreads's review
challenging
emotional
funny
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Set in Uganda, The First Woman is a memorable coming-of-age epic that speaks on the complexities and nuance of womanhood against the backdrop of a violent dictatorship and paternalistic ideals.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Abandonment, and Death of parent
zara89's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cancer, Abandonment, Chronic illness, Terminal illness, Misogyny, Infidelity, Car accident, Death of parent, Pregnancy, and Miscarriage
Minor: Infertility and War
micaela11's review against another edition
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Toxic friendship, Infidelity, Sexism, Misogyny, and Abandonment
Moderate: Rape, War, and Trafficking
achingallover's review
challenging
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment, Adult/minor relationship, Blood, Body shaming, Cancer, Car accident, Colonisation, Death of parent, Grief, Miscarriage, Misogyny, Religious bigotry, Racism, Police brutality, Toxic friendship, Trafficking, War, and Violence
beckyjc's review
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
I discovered the Jhalak Prize this year, and The First Woman won its adult award for 2021. I also saw Makumbi speak at Cheltenham Literature Festival alongside Sophie Mackintosh in 2020 and her charisma encouraged me to try her writing.
This looked to be another absorbing family saga set against an historical and cultural backdrop I know little about - and I have enjoyed a few of those this year. This one started a bit slowly for me and it took a while for it to grip me, but I did enjoy it more as the story progressed. I think part of this is because there was a magical realism element, which I'm usually quite sceptical of. Kirabo 'flies' out of her body, particularly at times of emotional stress, and I still wasn't convinced about this by the end of the book.Was this really happening? If not, what was going on and what did it represent? Nsutta discusses this with her as if it's real and links it to the original state of woman, but I couldn't quite buy into it somehow.
The conversations that Kirabo has with village 'witch' Nsutta about womanhood and her discoveries of motherhood in all its incarnations are the parts I enjoyed the most. They are touching, wise and imbued with a wry humour. This is a novel defined by the relationships between the female characters; friends, mothers and daughters, aunts and nieces, grandmothers and granddaughters. All are drawn in their full complexity and humanity. The mythology around the 'first woman' is an undercurrent that resurfaces at various points of the narrative, and I always find it interesting to read about origin myths and national stories or worldviews from other countries and cultures. Part of Kirabo's journey is about testing the boundaries of these myths and exploring how well they stand up and can provide teachings in a fast changing world.
I learned more about Ugandan tradition, the impact of Idi Amin's regime, and the societal upheavals brought about by British colonialism and the arrival of Christianity. The contrasting definitions of wealth, family and power according to views of the villagers, Kampala residents and the West are explored. But it's the definition of what makes a woman and a mother that drives the novel.
Lively and profound.
This looked to be another absorbing family saga set against an historical and cultural backdrop I know little about - and I have enjoyed a few of those this year. This one started a bit slowly for me and it took a while for it to grip me, but I did enjoy it more as the story progressed. I think part of this is because there was a magical realism element, which I'm usually quite sceptical of. Kirabo 'flies' out of her body, particularly at times of emotional stress, and I still wasn't convinced about this by the end of the book.
The conversations that Kirabo has with village 'witch' Nsutta about womanhood and her discoveries of motherhood in all its incarnations are the parts I enjoyed the most. They are touching, wise and imbued with a wry humour. This is a novel defined by the relationships between the female characters; friends, mothers and daughters, aunts and nieces, grandmothers and granddaughters. All are drawn in their full complexity and humanity. The mythology around the 'first woman' is an undercurrent that resurfaces at various points of the narrative, and I always find it interesting to read about origin myths and national stories or worldviews from other countries and cultures. Part of Kirabo's journey is about testing the boundaries of these myths and exploring how well they stand up and can provide teachings in a fast changing world.
I learned more about Ugandan tradition, the impact of Idi Amin's regime, and the societal upheavals brought about by British colonialism and the arrival of Christianity. The contrasting definitions of wealth, family and power according to views of the villagers, Kampala residents and the West are explored. But it's the definition of what makes a woman and a mother that drives the novel.
Lively and profound.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Abandonment, Death of parent, Misogyny, and Sexism
Minor: Slavery, Violence, and War
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