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A review by lisaslibrary
Houseboy by Ferdinand Oyono
3.0
The Houseboy paints a portrait of the reality of French colonialism in Cameroon, told through the diary entries of Toundi, a houseboy for a wealthy white family. The treatment the native Cameroonians is despicable, and this book highlights just how nasty their oppressors were: the forced conversion to Christianity, the horrible treatment of the Cameroonians, and the blatant and rampant racism, to name a few examples. The abuse and the atrocities described were very sobering to read.
The Houseboy was enlightening, historical, and very depressing, but in a realistic way, not in a contrived tragedy way. It made me realize how little I know about the colonization of different parts of Africa: I learned a lot from this little book.
The Houseboy was enlightening, historical, and very depressing, but in a realistic way, not in a contrived tragedy way. It made me realize how little I know about the colonization of different parts of Africa: I learned a lot from this little book.