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temweka's review against another edition
5.0
The stories were captivating, imaginative, everything I want from fantastical tales.
The only thing that hurt me was that there was no closure (a characteristic of many short stories), it left me wanting more every time. Even the quote at the end mocked my desperation for more.
"That's all there is, there isn't any more" -Ethel Barrymore
The only thing that hurt me was that there was no closure (a characteristic of many short stories), it left me wanting more every time. Even the quote at the end mocked my desperation for more.
"That's all there is, there isn't any more" -Ethel Barrymore
laviskrg's review against another edition
3.0
This is not a bad book, certainly better than most novels I have given 3 stars to. However, every single story felt like the beginning to an amazing longer story or novel. Every one, without exception. This was, no doubt, the intent, but every time I felt I was getting to understand what was going on, the story would end. Not my cup of tea but definitely a writer I will be keeping an eye out for. I think, ultimately, that I am giving this 3 and not 4 stars because it feels like too much of a planned, intentional construction.
independent_wombat's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kani_m's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.75
i feel as though there’s a deeper meaning to the short stories in the book but i’m not quite sure what they are
jw2869's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
4.0
This is a series of short stories set in South Africa that fall in the speculative fiction genre. They tell the stories of ordinary people who are seen as outsiders or intruders and are put in extraordinary or fantastical situations. The stories bring the people we'd like to dismiss, demean, or ignore to center stage. A common thread across the stories are people who go through impossible odds to reclaim themselves and their sense of belonging. The more I sit with this and read interviews the author has done (like this one https://journals.openedition.org/ces/...) the more I like this collection. Though it had an uneven start I was invested in the stories by the midpoint. I especially liked the untitled I, ii, and iii, Ghost Strain N, On the Run and the High Heel Killer. That intro conversation about Afrofuturism not being for Africans shook the table and I'm excited to talk about it with others.
shonatiger's review
3.0
Earlier stories were quite bewildering, but collection got much stronger as it progressed :)
vuvuvena_reads's review against another edition
4.0
I actually rate this book a positive 3.5 stars. I loved each and every story and how it flirted with the supernatural and a utopian or dystopian future. A full review will be up on my blog www.vuvuvenareads.com.
dg_reads's review against another edition
4.0
INTRUDERS: SHORT STORIES by Mohale Mashigo was my #ReadTheWorld2021 pick for February. In exploring lists of fiction for southern Africa, this one popped out at me as it was listed as a fantasy collection which is a genre I’ve been really enjoying of late. I’ll admit that the cover also very much caught my eyes!
INTRUDERS is a collection that includes a lot of variety in the realm of fantasy and a bit of sci-fi as well. The collection features a lot of different people and creatures of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of perspectives. There are twin hunters who seek down killer creatures, sort of reminiscent of the Supernatural series. There is a geneticist working on a way to take men out of the equation in giving birth to a new child. There is also a series of interconnecting stories which I always find as a pleasant surprise when reading a collection.
The book begins with an introduction where Mashigo talks about the idea of Afrofuturism as it relates to her stories. She explains that Afrofuturism is meant to address the experiences of the diaspora of those living outside of Africa. She says that she feels a bit of Afrofuturism in the shadows as she’s writing, but feels that the term doesn’t really apply to Africans living in Africa, but leaves it to others to coin the appropriate term. I found this a very interesting essay to begin the collection, especially as Afrofuturism has begun to appear more on reading challenge lists.
As with any story collection, there were some stories that I connected with more than others and some that I really wished could be blown up into a much longer work, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. I would definitely pick up more from Mohale Mashigo the future.
INTRUDERS is a collection that includes a lot of variety in the realm of fantasy and a bit of sci-fi as well. The collection features a lot of different people and creatures of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of perspectives. There are twin hunters who seek down killer creatures, sort of reminiscent of the Supernatural series. There is a geneticist working on a way to take men out of the equation in giving birth to a new child. There is also a series of interconnecting stories which I always find as a pleasant surprise when reading a collection.
The book begins with an introduction where Mashigo talks about the idea of Afrofuturism as it relates to her stories. She explains that Afrofuturism is meant to address the experiences of the diaspora of those living outside of Africa. She says that she feels a bit of Afrofuturism in the shadows as she’s writing, but feels that the term doesn’t really apply to Africans living in Africa, but leaves it to others to coin the appropriate term. I found this a very interesting essay to begin the collection, especially as Afrofuturism has begun to appear more on reading challenge lists.
As with any story collection, there were some stories that I connected with more than others and some that I really wished could be blown up into a much longer work, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. I would definitely pick up more from Mohale Mashigo the future.