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A review by heritage
A Bend in the River by V.S. Naipaul
3.0
A young man of mixed Indian-Arab heritage living on the east coast of Africa in the early 1960s moves further inland to take over the ownership of a small general store in a town on a bend in the river.
This is my second book by VS Naipaul. The first one I read was In a Free State, which was a collection of three novellas. While I was completely engaged with the characters and their plights in that one, this one was only able to arouse a cursory interest. My feeling is that Naipaul is well suited to writing short fiction, but can't sustain a plot over an extended series of chapters. As such, much of this novel is just a collection of little things that happened to the main character as the situation builds into something else.
As far as the purpose of the novel goes, it's an exploration of post-colonial Africa. I think the protagonist could have been removed entirely and the book published as a treatise on how Naipaul sees the continent. The writing and the setting are decent, even though there were times when they did falter.
I'm surprised this book is as well received as it is. Certainly there are portions that would be criticized by today's readers as insensitive, racist, elitist, etc. But that wasn't really my issue. I recognize it as a product of its times. It's the actual lack of polish to the narrative and the way we're kept from completely understanding the character. And there are even what I felt were contradictions in both. Perhaps that's what he was trying to get at, though.
After reading In a Free State, I was curious to read more by Naipaul. After this one, my curiosity is lessened. I may try another one, but I'm not in a hurry.
This is my second book by VS Naipaul. The first one I read was In a Free State, which was a collection of three novellas. While I was completely engaged with the characters and their plights in that one, this one was only able to arouse a cursory interest. My feeling is that Naipaul is well suited to writing short fiction, but can't sustain a plot over an extended series of chapters. As such, much of this novel is just a collection of little things that happened to the main character as the situation builds into something else.
As far as the purpose of the novel goes, it's an exploration of post-colonial Africa. I think the protagonist could have been removed entirely and the book published as a treatise on how Naipaul sees the continent. The writing and the setting are decent, even though there were times when they did falter.
I'm surprised this book is as well received as it is. Certainly there are portions that would be criticized by today's readers as insensitive, racist, elitist, etc. But that wasn't really my issue. I recognize it as a product of its times. It's the actual lack of polish to the narrative and the way we're kept from completely understanding the character. And there are even what I felt were contradictions in both. Perhaps that's what he was trying to get at, though.
After reading In a Free State, I was curious to read more by Naipaul. After this one, my curiosity is lessened. I may try another one, but I'm not in a hurry.