A review by libraryoflanelle
Our Lady of the Nile by Scholastique Mukasonga

4.0

Last month I read ‘Our Lady of the Nile’ by Scholastique Mukasonga, translated by Melanie Mauthner. 

I had a lot of mixed feelings after finishing this book. It’s incredibly powerful, tackling significant and real topics about the sociopolitical climate leading up to the Rwandan genocide, all seen through the lives of teenage girls whose harmful and dangerous viewpoints are shaped by their society and their boarding school environment. For almost the whole of the final third, I had a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes, so be prepared for an intense read as events reach their climax.

The book reads partly like a collection of stories, which threw me initially, but ultimately complements the overarching plot and allows for deeper exploration of the themes.

A note of caution: There are a number of triggers to consider, all are listed in my StoryGraph review. There is also one description of a fat woman that felt fatphobic to me. This may be due to the translation, but it’s worth bearing in mind.
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