A review by petert1648
Nervous Conditions by Tsitsi Dangarembga

5.0

While I agree with those reviewers who highlight the critique of post-colonialism and the feminist aspects of this book, I would also want to praise the craft with which it is written, from the arresting beginning "I was not sorry when my brother died", through the experiences and education which gradually affect the young woman's perception of her place in the world, and the depiction of the forms of oppression, both subtle and brutal she and the other women in the novel are faced with. Throughout the book I had the feeling of reading about real people rather than just embodiments of a set of ideas.
When there have been so many coming-of-age stories, it is hard for one to stand out from the crowd, but, for me, this one did. Highly recommended.