alexandriaslibrary's reviews
240 reviews

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

4.25

emotional funny reflective medium-paced

4.0

So charming! Loved so many moments, but felt like it would’ve shone a tad more w some more narrative pieces (Sea Animals was a standout for me <3)

No Edges: Swahili Stories by Lilian Mbaga, Lusajo Mwaikenda Israel, Katama G.C. Mkangi, Mwas Mahugu, Fadhy Mtanga, Clara Momanyi, Euphrase Kezilahabi, Fatma Shafii

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adventurous challenging reflective medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix

4.0

The first short story collection translated from Swahili to English. Some of the stories are translated with a more natural flow than others.
Some of my favorites were “The Guest” which is about a young woman who invites over her lover to meet her family
“A Neighbor’s Pot” which is a fantastical story where a girl trips on a pot shard and ends up in a demonic realm
And “Attitudes” which is about a woman traveling on a bus of people who just don’t like her vibe (and she has some tummy issues!)

Overall, I recommend to get a glimpse into other cultures (the authors are mostly Kenyan or Tanzanian) and to see the ways that stories are told (More of a fable vibe, character heavy, etc)

A Tiny Upward Shove by Melissa Chadburn

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challenging dark emotional mysterious medium-paced