A review by gracepelican
The Mourning Bird by Mubanga Kalimamukwento

5.0

A novel about survival. Chimuka, the narrator, is robbed of her stable childhood when her father, then mother die, leaving her and her brother on the streets of Lusaka, Zambia after fleeing abusive relatives. Chimuka eventually turns to sex work to survive. Her circumstances are dire and heartbreaking. The end, though, is optimistic. Chimuka’s resilience breaks a cycle of death she had felt was inevitable. This is a brutal story, written with real heart and striking details.