Sunday, July 8, 2012

Reading Harare North...

I digress from my usual book recordings. I recently finished reading Harare North by Brian Chikwava, the Zimbabwean writer. Prior to reading this novel, I had read few reviews that described the work as complex, owing to the writer's use of language. Another writer friend of mine mentioned one time that the language distracted him. And this kept me at bay for sometime. When I picked up the book to read, I was not sure what I would find; how it would read, but I am glad that I did.

I found Harare North a simple and intriguing tale and reminiscent of Amos Tutuola's Palm Wine Drinkard and Ken Saro Wiwa's Soza Boy in terms of the language. Harare North is a sad tale of a Zimbabwean immigrant's life in a foreign country, culture shock and human endurance. The book is funny and the language, lyrical.

It was a good read.



  

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