A review by readingafrica
She Would Be King by Wayétu Moore

4.0

This novel reminded me of [b:Homegoing|27071490|Homegoing|Yaa Gyasi|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1448108591l/27071490._SY75_.jpg|47113792], but with fantasy and mythical stuff. It's partly about a magical African woman, partly about slaves in America with mythical powers and partly about the aftermath of the slave trade, when formerly enslaved people were sent back to Africa with no regard for their country/region of origin. The characters in this novel ended up in Liberia, and it was interesting to read about the relationship between the natives already living in the area called Liberia and the settlers (freed slaves who've been granted access to an African country and suddenly gain the upper-hand over the natives). The novel made me more interested in learning about the history of Liberia and the (non-fictional) relationship between native Liberians and the settlers--there's probably a lot to explore there (neo-colonialism?).