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A review by ekyoder
We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
4.0
"We Need New Names" works in two halves: Darling's childhood in Zimbabwe and teen years after moving to America to live with her aunt. Bulawayo had some fun ideas. I liked the depictions of Darling's adventures and games with her childhood friends, the Western journalists and NGO staff as a source of humor, and the universal experience of kids being bored in church.
The second half of the book--Darling's life in Michigan--seemed to lag. I feel like other novelists have explored the immigration experience, and the feeling of belonging to two cultures and no culture in more interesting ways. As a greedy reader, I longed to know more about Darling's childhood friends--how was Chipa handling motherhood, did Bastard ever harnass his innate charisma and leadership skills--and couldn't seem to care about Darling's quiet cousin or generic high school classmates. Even the more interesting storylines and anecdotes from this half-- the man at the nursing home, Darling's fractured relationship with her mother--were undeveloped, and never reached the same emotional poignancy as the group of children illicitly climbing trees to pick guavas.
Thanks to this book, I'm now eager to pick up other novels or short stories about Zimbabwe's political history, economic issues, and immigration to/from other countries. I kept finding myself being frustrated at the child narrator when Bulawayo was delivering exposition about the worthless old currency, anti-colonial movements, and the Zimbabwean voting system (Note: not a critique of the book--the child narrator worked well! I just have too many gaps in my knowledge about history!). Can anyone offer recommendations?
The second half of the book--Darling's life in Michigan--seemed to lag. I feel like other novelists have explored the immigration experience, and the feeling of belonging to two cultures and no culture in more interesting ways. As a greedy reader, I longed to know more about Darling's childhood friends--how was Chipa handling motherhood, did Bastard ever harnass his innate charisma and leadership skills--and couldn't seem to care about Darling's quiet cousin or generic high school classmates. Even the more interesting storylines and anecdotes from this half-- the man at the nursing home, Darling's fractured relationship with her mother--were undeveloped, and never reached the same emotional poignancy as the group of children illicitly climbing trees to pick guavas.
Thanks to this book, I'm now eager to pick up other novels or short stories about Zimbabwe's political history, economic issues, and immigration to/from other countries. I kept finding myself being frustrated at the child narrator when Bulawayo was delivering exposition about the worthless old currency, anti-colonial movements, and the Zimbabwean voting system (Note: not a critique of the book--the child narrator worked well! I just have too many gaps in my knowledge about history!). Can anyone offer recommendations?