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samsam123's review
4.0
First, let's just give love to this amazing cover! This book is divided into three sections: prologue, departing, and returning. The story contained in the prologue is one of my favourite and is told from a child's perspective and is filled with anxiety and anticipation. The second section, contains six stories of Ugandans in Manchester. The third section, returning, are stories about Ugandans returning from Manchester to Uganda.
These stories are vivid in description and character. She fully immerses you in the lives of the characters. Her third person narration often feels like a first person narrative. The second section of the book contains the most stories and is stronger than the last half. But read all of them. These stories of migration are not clichéd stories about longing for home. You get well rounded characters and multiple experiences that are riddled with the contradictions and complexities of life.
My favourite stories: Christmas is Coming, Our Allies, Something Inside, Memoirs of Namasso, She is Our Stupid, and Let's Telk This Story Properly.
These stories are vivid in description and character. She fully immerses you in the lives of the characters. Her third person narration often feels like a first person narrative. The second section of the book contains the most stories and is stronger than the last half. But read all of them. These stories of migration are not clichéd stories about longing for home. You get well rounded characters and multiple experiences that are riddled with the contradictions and complexities of life.
My favourite stories: Christmas is Coming, Our Allies, Something Inside, Memoirs of Namasso, She is Our Stupid, and Let's Telk This Story Properly.
raben_76325's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
anahammack's review
3.0
Some of these were really strong, especially in the first half, but many ran together, weren't as impactful or enjoyable for me. A mixed bag, but overall a unique perspective and glad to have read it.
megtristao's review
adventurous
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
This collection of short stories has two parts: the first ("Departing") focuses on the lives of Ugandan immigrants in the U.K., and the second half ("Returning") features Ugandans who have returned to Uganda. Normally I love a good immigrant story, but I found myself much more drawn to the second half of this book. The most memorable stories for me included "She is Our Stupid," "My Brother, Bwemage," "The Aftertaste of Success" and "Love Made in Manchester" (all from the second part). There was also one story in the first part from the perspective of a dog ("Memoirs of a Namaaso"), which I thought was quite fun.
*Also published as MANCHESTER HAPPENED.*
*Also published as MANCHESTER HAPPENED.*
balladofreadingqueer's review
4.0
I really enjoyed this collection of short stories. They take place in a variety of time periods including the 1950s, 1990s and post-Brexit. The stories address issues of belonging and/or not belonging to two places that are a part of the narrators identity. And yet neither England nor Uganda is presented completely as Home.
The narrators are often women and the stories address themes such as relationship woes, financial struggles, familial judgment, racism and xenophobia alongside community connection, familial support, and love.
Out of place in the collection was a story told from the point of view of a pariah dog unintentionally brought to England. I enjoyed the story and saw it’s parallels with the other stories in the collection. However, it felt like it belonged to another short story collection.
Overall I enjoyed it. My favourite stories were The Nod, Christmas is Coming, and Malik’s Door. Would recommend.
The narrators are often women and the stories address themes such as relationship woes, financial struggles, familial judgment, racism and xenophobia alongside community connection, familial support, and love.
Out of place in the collection was a story told from the point of view of a pariah dog unintentionally brought to England. I enjoyed the story and saw it’s parallels with the other stories in the collection. However, it felt like it belonged to another short story collection.
Overall I enjoyed it. My favourite stories were The Nod, Christmas is Coming, and Malik’s Door. Would recommend.
aakanni's review
4.0
A great collection of short stories, touching on the subject of home and finding one's place through the lives of Ugandans in Britain.... I especially enjoyed the story that the book is named after. The last story was the longest but was hardest to make sense of. Excited to read more of this author's work!
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