THE FIRST BEEP: Majuu Was Never Waiting by Florence Mukiria
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Florence Mukiria's debut novel is an inspiring story about Butwaa, a young Kenyan boy with a remarkable talent for football. Written in rich and engaging language, the novel highlights the importance of friendship, kindness, and perseverance. By presenting the world through Butwaa's eyes, Mukiria skillfully blends humour, warmth, and moments of surprise as his understanding of life gradually expands. This engaging perspective makes the book both enjoyable and accessible, resulting in a compelling and easy read.

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Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi

 

Ghana Must Go by Taiye Selasi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I enjoyed reading the book. I found some conversations in the book quite thought provoking. The conversation between Ling's father and Olu about African men was one of them.

Given the number of characters, I wish the writer had let us in on their different life trajectories following the dad leaving. I also felt some details were left out like how Fola coped after being abandoned and how the father also started over in Ghana...

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The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

A great read. This was my first experience reading a book where the narrator is death... The book evoked many feelings. Though the setting is actually in Nazi Germany and therefore many events happen around that time, friendships, human kindness and death stand out.

The book thief is an amazing character who despite what was happening around her sought solace in the next steal. "No, thought Liesel as she walked. It's my heart that is tired. A thirteen-year-old heart shouldn't feel like this." A story of loss after loss and coping.
The word shaker certainly made me experience a roller-coaster of emotions... Loved the book definitely

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo

Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My best read in 2020 so far. Black, British, women. (Those are the three words I would use to sum up the book) These 12 women whose lives are laid bare as we explore their lives' triumphs, failures, thoughts and deeply entrenched values and the different societal expectations and how they navigate their individual lives.
Each life given its individual experience in it's own setting, each woman's struggles unveiled. A wonderful read that one savours as though eating a tasty meal after along time. Of course issues of racism, religion,culture and feminism will surface as expected in the the three words : Black, British, Women

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The book gives an insight of colonialism and slavery in Ghana and America, across 250 years while giving the reader such a rich history. (Obviously well researched)
A very interesting book with poignant characters... I felt like the ending was forced. I kept referring back to the family tree every time I got to a new chapter. An incredible book that depicts a rich African culture. It also brought out issues of racism in the immigrant generations.
How each generation comes about is created through heartbreaks, betrayal and most times love so strong between two people that overcomes societal expectations.
A great read!

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao by Junot Díaz
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

The story of a Dominican family that believes in the family curse... Oscar a nerdy ghetto kid trying to find love .... The book was disappointing. The Spanish terms required a lot of reference...

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah

Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Trevor Noah's Born a Crime was a quick easy to read book owing to the humour and vivid character descriptions. Patricia Noah, Trevor's mum is depicted as strong, religious and intelligent. He helps the readers understand apartheid and the woes of growing up during and after apartheid. Trevor's childhood was not an easy one. He manages to show how crime in ghettos is perceived and how domestic violence was and is rampant in most African cultures. I kept waiting for his mother's story and how she eventually broke free of the abusive step dad...

An honest funny childhood memoir.. All along I had thought Naipaul's Miguel Street was top on my list of memoirs but this one is number one for now...

As usual, I share my favorite quotes;“Growing up in a home of abuse, you struggle with the notion that you can love a person you hate, or hate a person you love. It's a strange feeling. You want to live in a world where someone is good or bad, where you either love or hate them, but that's not how people are.”
“We tell people to follow their dreams, but you can only dream of what you can imagine, and, depending on where you come from, your imagination can be quite limited.”

“Language, even more than color, defines who you are to people.”

“The way my mother always explained it, the traditional man wants a woman to be subservient, but he never falls in love with subservient women. He’s attracted to independent women. “He’s like an exotic bird collector,” she said. “He only wants a woman who is free because his dream is to put her in a cage.”

“The hood made me realise that crime succeeds because crime does the one thing the government doesn’t do: crime cares. Crime is grassroots. Crime looks for the young kids who need support and a lifting hand. Crime offers internship programmes and part-time jobs and opportunities for advancement. Crime gets involved in the community. Crime doesn’t discriminate.”

“Growing up in a home of abuse, you struggle with the notion that you can love a person you hate, or hate a person you love. It's a strange feeling. You want to live in a world where someone is good or bad, where you either love or hate them, but that's not how people are.”