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A review by anusha75
The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu
2.0
I tried hard to like this - I really did.
Vimbai is such a one-dimensional character with little personality, and I felt nothing for her (or Dumi). And I generally like flawed—even despicable—main characters.
I read critical reviews book that called the book "subversive". They spelled lazy wrong.
The big reveal was obvious right from the start, and I don't buy that Vimbai didn't see it AT ALL. It just felt like dishonest writing. As someone said, the cliffhangers at the end of every chapter are tacky, amateur, and don't really work because we all know what the climax is going to be. Also for a book that supposedly explores queerness, it didn't explore it at all. Plus a lot of the humour seemed punch-down, which did nothing for me.
The main reason I picked up this book was to get insights into the socio-political realities of Zimbabwe, which thankfully, the author does touch upon (though the narrative is a bit neoliberal and does nothing to implicate the capitalist class) —and this alone gets both stars.
I've heard that Huchu's sci-fi is better, and I'm going to give him another go, assuming he has evolved since this debut book.
Vimbai is such a one-dimensional character with little personality, and I felt nothing for her (or Dumi). And I generally like flawed—even despicable—main characters.
I read critical reviews book that called the book "subversive". They spelled lazy wrong.
The big reveal was obvious right from the start
Spoiler
though I think this book would've done better if it explored the politics of sexuality, instead of going the "big reveal" routeSpoiler
It reduces queerness to a mere plot point. Vimbai's departure from homophobia to "there's no on-off switch for love" (award for the most unoriginal quote ever) was way too quick. And it happens over five "love is love" dialogues said by a supposed philosopher at a teen philosophy club (HOW?!). If only I could take my entire family to a phil club and time my coming out.The main reason I picked up this book was to get insights into the socio-political realities of Zimbabwe, which thankfully, the author does touch upon (though the narrative is a bit neoliberal and does nothing to implicate the capitalist class) —and this alone gets both stars.
I've heard that Huchu's sci-fi is better, and I'm going to give him another go, assuming he has evolved since this debut book.