Scan barcode
A review by dg_reads
Intruders: Short Stories by Mohale Mashigo
4.0
INTRUDERS: SHORT STORIES by Mohale Mashigo was my #ReadTheWorld2021 pick for February. In exploring lists of fiction for southern Africa, this one popped out at me as it was listed as a fantasy collection which is a genre I’ve been really enjoying of late. I’ll admit that the cover also very much caught my eyes!
INTRUDERS is a collection that includes a lot of variety in the realm of fantasy and a bit of sci-fi as well. The collection features a lot of different people and creatures of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of perspectives. There are twin hunters who seek down killer creatures, sort of reminiscent of the Supernatural series. There is a geneticist working on a way to take men out of the equation in giving birth to a new child. There is also a series of interconnecting stories which I always find as a pleasant surprise when reading a collection.
The book begins with an introduction where Mashigo talks about the idea of Afrofuturism as it relates to her stories. She explains that Afrofuturism is meant to address the experiences of the diaspora of those living outside of Africa. She says that she feels a bit of Afrofuturism in the shadows as she’s writing, but feels that the term doesn’t really apply to Africans living in Africa, but leaves it to others to coin the appropriate term. I found this a very interesting essay to begin the collection, especially as Afrofuturism has begun to appear more on reading challenge lists.
As with any story collection, there were some stories that I connected with more than others and some that I really wished could be blown up into a much longer work, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. I would definitely pick up more from Mohale Mashigo the future.
INTRUDERS is a collection that includes a lot of variety in the realm of fantasy and a bit of sci-fi as well. The collection features a lot of different people and creatures of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of perspectives. There are twin hunters who seek down killer creatures, sort of reminiscent of the Supernatural series. There is a geneticist working on a way to take men out of the equation in giving birth to a new child. There is also a series of interconnecting stories which I always find as a pleasant surprise when reading a collection.
The book begins with an introduction where Mashigo talks about the idea of Afrofuturism as it relates to her stories. She explains that Afrofuturism is meant to address the experiences of the diaspora of those living outside of Africa. She says that she feels a bit of Afrofuturism in the shadows as she’s writing, but feels that the term doesn’t really apply to Africans living in Africa, but leaves it to others to coin the appropriate term. I found this a very interesting essay to begin the collection, especially as Afrofuturism has begun to appear more on reading challenge lists.
As with any story collection, there were some stories that I connected with more than others and some that I really wished could be blown up into a much longer work, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. I would definitely pick up more from Mohale Mashigo the future.