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erinreadstheworld 's review for:
A Girl is a Body of Water
by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi
A Girl is a Body of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi is set in Uganda in the 1970s. A country under a dictatorship and on the brink of war. The country's history is sprinkled through the book but it's not the focus of the story.
Instead, it's a classic coming of age story. We meet Kirabo in her twelfth year and follow as she grows into womanhood. Kirabo has been raised by her grandparents in the rural village of Nattetta, while her father works in the city and her mother remains a mystery. Told that her mother abandoned her at birth, Kirabo's yearning and search for her mother endures through the book.
I found A Girl Is A Body of Water to be a fascinating read. There are so many characters and interweaving stories that it reads like a page-turning saga. There's village witches, many aunts, her best friend, school mates, her first love, the village drunk, and more. There's also so many themes and issues explored: feminism in a patriarchal society, how race and class affect ideas around feminism, friendship and family bonds, the struggle between wanting to marry well and getting an education, rural living vs city life, Ugandan cultures and folklore, and the impact of secrets as they're kept and revealed.
The book started really powerfully, showcasing the importance of verbal storytelling. I thought that storytelling would play more of a role throughout the book then what it actually did which as a little disappointing. There were a few instances where the jumps in time weren't clear immediately. And there was one part where it felt like the book was longer than necessary. Although it picqued my interest again soon after.
Makumbi doesn't write for Western readers, she writes for Ugandans. I spent a lot of time on Wikipedia learning about events, wars, people and cultural parts of Uganda. I liked that it was on me to learn more to enhance my understanding of the book, rather than it being the job of the book to teach me.
I only just learnt that in the UK and Australia, the book is published under the title The First Woman (which would explain why it was so hard to find a copy). I prefer A Girl is a Body of Water, as it ties in beautifully to one of the myths explored in the book.
If you want a book with strong female characters and a smattering of history, you'll enjoy this one.
Instead, it's a classic coming of age story. We meet Kirabo in her twelfth year and follow as she grows into womanhood. Kirabo has been raised by her grandparents in the rural village of Nattetta, while her father works in the city and her mother remains a mystery. Told that her mother abandoned her at birth, Kirabo's yearning and search for her mother endures through the book.
I found A Girl Is A Body of Water to be a fascinating read. There are so many characters and interweaving stories that it reads like a page-turning saga. There's village witches, many aunts, her best friend, school mates, her first love, the village drunk, and more. There's also so many themes and issues explored: feminism in a patriarchal society, how race and class affect ideas around feminism, friendship and family bonds, the struggle between wanting to marry well and getting an education, rural living vs city life, Ugandan cultures and folklore, and the impact of secrets as they're kept and revealed.
The book started really powerfully, showcasing the importance of verbal storytelling. I thought that storytelling would play more of a role throughout the book then what it actually did which as a little disappointing. There were a few instances where the jumps in time weren't clear immediately. And there was one part where it felt like the book was longer than necessary. Although it picqued my interest again soon after.
Makumbi doesn't write for Western readers, she writes for Ugandans. I spent a lot of time on Wikipedia learning about events, wars, people and cultural parts of Uganda. I liked that it was on me to learn more to enhance my understanding of the book, rather than it being the job of the book to teach me.
I only just learnt that in the UK and Australia, the book is published under the title The First Woman (which would explain why it was so hard to find a copy). I prefer A Girl is a Body of Water, as it ties in beautifully to one of the myths explored in the book.
If you want a book with strong female characters and a smattering of history, you'll enjoy this one.