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A review by stefgibmc
The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell
3.0
This has to be one of the most ingenious and profound novels I’ve read. Serpell proved her talent and craftsmanship by blending genres, honoring history, and mastering generational serendipity brimming with organic ingredients.
Each chapter is a story in its own right, the blending of these short stories was breathtaking. The issue is that each chapter was not created equally. Serpell left her heart in the last third of the book, unobjectionably so. The issue for me is that the other two thirds were so incredibly painful to suffer through, that I had to pep talk my way through. It felt stiff, dry, and long winded. I worried that each woman would be codependent shells bound for the traditional trajectory often expected. I was dumbfounded that it turned around so abruptly towards the end. Delighted, even. Not often do I shut a book that I forced myself through with so much respect.
One part of me feels that every component and shortcoming was intentional and necessary to build momentum. The other part of me knows that if there were to be more consistency and cohesion early on, this would be a top 5 for me.
Each chapter is a story in its own right, the blending of these short stories was breathtaking. The issue is that each chapter was not created equally. Serpell left her heart in the last third of the book, unobjectionably so. The issue for me is that the other two thirds were so incredibly painful to suffer through, that I had to pep talk my way through. It felt stiff, dry, and long winded. I worried that each woman would be codependent shells bound for the traditional trajectory often expected. I was dumbfounded that it turned around so abruptly towards the end. Delighted, even. Not often do I shut a book that I forced myself through with so much respect.
One part of me feels that every component and shortcoming was intentional and necessary to build momentum. The other part of me knows that if there were to be more consistency and cohesion early on, this would be a top 5 for me.