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Book Review and Reflection: The Book of Not by Tsitsi Dangarembga
Published: 2006Genre: Fiction, Coming of AgeCountry: ZimbabweBuy the book here Introduction The Book of Not is the powerful sequel to Nervous Conditions. It follows Tambudzai’s (Tambu’s) story even more intimately. This novel broke my heart. As Tambu moves from colonial Rhodesia through the liberation war (Chimurenga) and into independent Zimbabwe, her internal struggles take centre stage. Her attempts to rise, to fit in, to be seen (mostly to herself) all become a quiet but relentless internal war. Book Summary Tambu has been through the wringer. So much happens to her in this novel. The book picks up right after Nervous Conditions, following her into high school at the elite Young Ladies’…
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Book Review and Reflection of The Book of Memory by Petina Gappah
Published: 2015 Country: Zimbabwe Genre: Fiction Buy the book Here. Introduction The Book of Memory is one of those books you finish and keep wondering if it’s a true story, not just fiction. So many nuances and crevices sound too real to be made up. That is a testament to the author’s brilliant prose. Book Summary Memory has been sentenced to death for killing a white man. As she languishes behind bars, her lawyer asks her to write down everything she can remember about what happened. She decides to write her life story, both for her lawyer, who is trying to reduce her sentence to life imprisonment instead of death, and…
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Book Review and Reflection: My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite
Buy Book Here Introduction In preparation for Oyinkan Braithwaite’s follow-up book, Cursed Daughters (due for release in September 2025), to My Sister, the Serial Killer, I have decided to re-read My Sister, the Serial Killer and write a review about it this time. I’m glad I did, because it not only gave me a chance to reflect on it again, but also really looking forward to the new book as I was left wanting more of the story. Cursed Daughters seems to promise the “more” I’ve been seeking. Book Summary My Sister, the Serial Killer is Oyinkan Braithwaite’s debut novel, and it is as gripping as it is humorous. It follows…
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Book Review and Reflection of Living, Loving and Lying Awake at Night by Sindiwe Magona
Published: 2003Genre: Short Story Collection / Literary Fiction Buy the book HERE Introduction Motherhood is a multitude of existence. When one becomes a mother, they cease to exist for themselves. The first chapter of Living, Loving and Lying Awake at Night reflects this. Mothers are charged with bringing life into the world, cultivating it, pruning it, watering it, and caring for it. Most mothers would do anything for their children’s well-being and survival. Sometimes, it means leaving them (physically) to be their mother, as one of the protagonists in this book emphasised. Book Summary and Reflections Living, Loving, and Lying Awake at Night is a collection of short stories in two…
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Book Review and Reflection of We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo
Genre: Coming of Age, FictionDate of Publication: 2013Get a copy HERE Introduction Another literary gem from Zimbabwe. Firstly, I adore the cover of the hard copy I received. We Need New Names by NoViolet Bulawayo is striking from the very start. Chilling themes are revealed early on and continue to unfold throughout the book. The writing is excellent. NoViolet takes readers into a vivid world that feels almost tangible, with its incredible nuances threaded throughout. One may miss hidden meanings if they aren’t looking closely. For instance, in Chapter One, Darling, the protagonist, says: “We just walk nicely like Budapest is now our country too, like we built it even, eating…
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Book Review and Reflection of If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English by Noor Naga
Published: 2022Accolades: [As listed on Amazon] Genre: Fiction (This becomes confusing towards the end, but research confirms it is fiction.)Buy the book HERE Country: Egypt Introduction If an Egyptian Cannot Speak English is framed around two individuals from vastly different backgrounds meeting and forming a relationship. What a book! The first thing that struck me, and I loved it very early on, was how it was written. The story is narrated by the boy from Shobrakheit and the American girl. It is lyrical and poetic. Book Summary and reflections The book is divided into three parts. Every section in Part One begins with a question, such as, “Question: If you’re waiting for…
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Book Review and Reflection of African Love Stories: An Anthology
African love stories is authored by various African women from various African countries. Edited by: Ama Ata Aidoo Published: 2006 Get the book HERE African Love Stories: Introduction In my usual way, I went into this book blindly. I read the title, and I was sold. I love love and was extremely excited to read about African love stories. But Ama Ata Aidoo makes it very clear in the introduction that these are not conventional (the Western love stories we are used to) love stories. These stories are about love nevertheless—in the various ways it is experienced. Relationships that sometimes had a romantic connection, and others with other aims, like survival.…
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Book Review and Reflection of Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter by Nozipo Maraire
Book Review and Reflection of Zenzele Date of Publication: 1996Genre: FictionBuy the book HERE Introduction Zenzele: A Letter for My Daughter, in my opinion, should be ranked as an African literary classic and should be part of the curricula in schools in Africa and around the world. This is the book I wish I had read before moving to England, and it’s the book I wish everyone would read before moving to the West. For this reason, I decided on an extensive Book Review and Reflection of Zenzele as reflected below. The first thing that came to my mind while reading is Maraire’s beautiful storytelling talent—so lyrical, so gripping. The book…
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Book Review and Reflection of Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Published: 2025Genre: Fiction[Buy the Book Here] Book Review & Reflection Introduction What is Dream Count by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie about? The title Dream Count doesn’t give much away—I found myself trying to guess what the book might be about, but it remained a mystery until the very end when the meaning of “dream count” is finally mentioned. At first, I thought Chimamanda was narrating her own story—especially as the opening pages explore a writer struggling to write. It felt intimate, reflective, and personal, almost like creative non-fiction. But as I read on, I was drawn into a rich narrative that traces the intertwined lives of four women. The diversity among these…
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Zikora by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Author: Chimamanda Ngozi AdichieYear of Publication: 2020Available Formats: Kindle | Audible 👉 [BUY BOOK HERE] Review & Summary Zikora is a poignant short story by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie that explores motherhood, love, abandonment, and family dynamics. Set in Washington, D.C., the story follows Zikora, a Nigerian woman practising law in DC and was now in labour with her first child, as she reflects on her past, her ice queen of a mother’s cold presence, and the absence of the man she loved—the father of her child—who abandoned her when she became pregnant despite their deep connection. As she gives birth, Zikora re-examines her mother’s rigid ways, finding unexpected grace and understanding.…