Fionnáin reviewed A grain of wheat by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o (African writers series -- 36)
The tumour of imperialism
4 stars
A tale of people livong in a time of massive transition as Kenya gains 'Uhuru', independence from the British Empire. Ngugi wa Thiong'o wrote this book only a short time after Kenyan independence, which is amazing because it carries so much sympathy and distance that it could have been written today. Added to this, the characters and storytelling is also very modern and seems more like an ethereal novel of the early 2000s. The complexity of violence both in imperialism and in its removal is bittersweet, touching and enriching.
The characters and dialogue is brilliantly sharp, and the motivations and actions both realistic and dreamlike, but what is most striking is the empathy that Ngugi wa Thiong'o manifests for all parties, even those who commit atrocious deeds. This empathy is something that many struggle with even 100 years on from bitter periods of imperial rule. The only flaw in the …
A tale of people livong in a time of massive transition as Kenya gains 'Uhuru', independence from the British Empire. Ngugi wa Thiong'o wrote this book only a short time after Kenyan independence, which is amazing because it carries so much sympathy and distance that it could have been written today. Added to this, the characters and storytelling is also very modern and seems more like an ethereal novel of the early 2000s. The complexity of violence both in imperialism and in its removal is bittersweet, touching and enriching.
The characters and dialogue is brilliantly sharp, and the motivations and actions both realistic and dreamlike, but what is most striking is the empathy that Ngugi wa Thiong'o manifests for all parties, even those who commit atrocious deeds. This empathy is something that many struggle with even 100 years on from bitter periods of imperial rule. The only flaw in the book is in the occasional sections where it bluntly outlines the history of the day, sections that feel more like a bad editorial decision to explain the events to a western audience. Otherwise this is touchingly flawless.
