Kias_Hammy reviewed Afterlives by Abdulrazak Gurnah
Review of 'Afterlives' on 'Goodreads'
4 stars
The characters in this book were lovely and complex and the telling was honest, warm and so well-written. The setting, "Deutsch East Africa" was interesting in itself, as Germany is not as well featured in the spread of colonialism, and there are some sections of straightforward non-fiction that gave context and depth.
It is a little epic, with cruelty and kindness, loss and growth. There are atrocities big and small, but conversely, a mixing of cultures that is almost neutral. What I loved was that while never excusing German colonialism, the story is not really about its victims or cruelty but about capable brave native people experiencing the events and injustices of their time and mitigating them with their friendships, education, family, culture and normal human concerns. It manages to be honest about hardship, but not pitying as the characters get on with things, and it is such a book …
The characters in this book were lovely and complex and the telling was honest, warm and so well-written. The setting, "Deutsch East Africa" was interesting in itself, as Germany is not as well featured in the spread of colonialism, and there are some sections of straightforward non-fiction that gave context and depth.
It is a little epic, with cruelty and kindness, loss and growth. There are atrocities big and small, but conversely, a mixing of cultures that is almost neutral. What I loved was that while never excusing German colonialism, the story is not really about its victims or cruelty but about capable brave native people experiencing the events and injustices of their time and mitigating them with their friendships, education, family, culture and normal human concerns. It manages to be honest about hardship, but not pitying as the characters get on with things, and it is such a book that could be read several times and analyzed to shreds.
The missing Elias, whose disappearance is always in the background, is the most tragic character and his story does not unravel until the end, though it makes the novel heavier and paints a firm stroke of tragedy. Love seems never to far away though, and the character of Khalifa, so ordinary, made me want to jump into the book and hug him.
The ending seemed- abrupt. I might have wanted another ten chapters. I certainly hope to read other books by this author, as he is quite gifted.
