REVIEW: NERVOUS CONDITIONS

Author: Tsitsi Dangarembga

Genre: African Fiction

My Rating: 3.5 Stars

Year Of Publication: 1988

Number Of Pages: 204

Followed by: The Book of Not

SUMMARY
This stunning first novel, set in colonial Rhodesia during the 1960s, centers on the coming of age of a teenage girl, Tambu, and her relationship with her British-educated cousin Nyasha. Tambu, who yearns to be free of the constraints of her rural village, especially the circumscribed lives of the women, thinks her dreams have come true when her wealthy uncle offers to sponsor her education. But she soon learns that the education she receives at his mission school comes with a price. At the school she meets the worldly and rebellious Nyasha, who is chafing under her father's authority. Raised in England, Nyasha is so much a stranger among her own people that she can no longer speak her native language. Tambu can only watch as her cousin, caught between two cultures, pays the full cost of alienation. ( Sourced from Goodreads )

MY VERDICT
First and foremost, this book was such an eye-opener. It spoke about Feminism so subtly that I didn't notice until I had read a substantial amount of the book.
It isn't your typical coming-of-age story with a boy meets girl, girl and boy fall in love kinda plot etc
It's more than that; it opened my eyes to see that being an African teenager- especially a poor one- isn't a walk in the park. Many underprivileged teenagers have to struggle to get a decent education.
I'm grateful to Miss Dangaremgba for writing this very realistic African story.
My best character had to be Tambu, we have a lot in common.
I look forward to reading the Sequel : The Book Of Not, I'm itching to find out Nyasha's fate.
I guess I gave it 3.5 Stars, because I felt the end was rather abrupt, it needed something more.
You can obtain the book Here and also at the CSS bookshop, CMS, Lagos.

P.S: Check my favourite quotes page for new quotes xx

Comments

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