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A review by soilacanread_
Coming to Birth by Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye
4.0
This was way more interesting than I was expecting considering I rarely read slice-of-life novels that just follow the life/lives of people.
It juxtaposes the independence of Kenya with the independence of Paulina, a Luo girl who is married young (she was just 16! But that was even more common back then) and struggles to get a child. She comes to Nairobi to be with her new husband and the daily life of the city carries her along its tide. The story spans about 20 years (1956-1978); just before Kenya gained independence to the immediate aftermath of the fight for freedom.
The thing that always strikes me about Nairobi in its earlier days is how the adjectives used to describe it have not changed at all. Bustling, polluted, melting pot of cultures, full of opportunities. The vibe of the city was fixed long ago. Be it Macgoye' 1950s Nairobi or Meja Mwangi's 1980s Nairobi or Wanjiru Koinange late 2000s Nairobi.
I understand why this was a Kenyan literature set book in high schools at some point. It really hits on key themes that most Kenyans can relate with and touches on several weighty historical events. Tribalism. The coming of independence. Early marriage. Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Tom Mboya. And on and on. It was a fast read. Paulina is a very calm but enjoyable narrator.
It juxtaposes the independence of Kenya with the independence of Paulina, a Luo girl who is married young (she was just 16! But that was even more common back then) and struggles to get a child. She comes to Nairobi to be with her new husband and the daily life of the city carries her along its tide. The story spans about 20 years (1956-1978); just before Kenya gained independence to the immediate aftermath of the fight for freedom.
The thing that always strikes me about Nairobi in its earlier days is how the adjectives used to describe it have not changed at all. Bustling, polluted, melting pot of cultures, full of opportunities. The vibe of the city was fixed long ago. Be it Macgoye' 1950s Nairobi or Meja Mwangi's 1980s Nairobi or Wanjiru Koinange late 2000s Nairobi.
I understand why this was a Kenyan literature set book in high schools at some point. It really hits on key themes that most Kenyans can relate with and touches on several weighty historical events. Tribalism. The coming of independence. Early marriage. Ngugi wa Thiong'o. Tom Mboya. And on and on. It was a fast read. Paulina is a very calm but enjoyable narrator.