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A review by whatjaimereads
Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga
challenging
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga is undoubtedly a masterpiece, and I am so grateful to last year’s Booker Shortlist for bringing it to my attention.
This is a short novel, but every word is placed with intent, there’s no question that this is a modern classic which will stand up to the test of time. Nervous Conditions is a semi-autobiographical novel that chronicles an important moment in Zimbabwean history, the turn of independence, through the eyes of a teenage Tambudzai and her extended family. The discussions of gender, (post)colonialism, race, and mental illness are incisive and deeply impacting. Tambu’s character was designed to be relatable to the masses within Zimbabwe, and the realisations of the dominance of poverty, particularly through the eyes of an increasingly-educated protagonist, will be unforgettable.
Dangarembga treats each of her characters with kindness and generosity, despite the hardship with which they are faced. This is deeply reminiscent of the recent article written by Simukai Chigudu for The Guardian which I bang on about all the time; so if you read and enjoyed that, I definitely recommend moving onto this. Actually, I recommend this to everyone, there’s no way that you can go into this book without benefitting from its richness and the knowledge that it imparts. Undeniably accomplished, outstandingly realised, and a true privilege to have read.
This is a short novel, but every word is placed with intent, there’s no question that this is a modern classic which will stand up to the test of time. Nervous Conditions is a semi-autobiographical novel that chronicles an important moment in Zimbabwean history, the turn of independence, through the eyes of a teenage Tambudzai and her extended family. The discussions of gender, (post)colonialism, race, and mental illness are incisive and deeply impacting. Tambu’s character was designed to be relatable to the masses within Zimbabwe, and the realisations of the dominance of poverty, particularly through the eyes of an increasingly-educated protagonist, will be unforgettable.
Dangarembga treats each of her characters with kindness and generosity, despite the hardship with which they are faced. This is deeply reminiscent of the recent article written by Simukai Chigudu for The Guardian which I bang on about all the time; so if you read and enjoyed that, I definitely recommend moving onto this. Actually, I recommend this to everyone, there’s no way that you can go into this book without benefitting from its richness and the knowledge that it imparts. Undeniably accomplished, outstandingly realised, and a true privilege to have read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Child death, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Excrement, Grief, Violence, and Misogyny
Moderate: Forced institutionalization, Miscarriage, and Vomit