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shosh00's review against another edition
dark
funny
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
dominika_benmichael's review against another edition
2.0
This book does not live up to the "One Hundred Years of Solitude" comparison. The story does feature 3 generations of Mugezi's family, but the perspective is solely his. This leads to awkward narrative tweaks like Mugezi "remembering" his mother's and father's adolescences, which fall far short of the sweeping depth of a novel like "One Hundred Years of Solitude".
There's also a fundamental shallowness in that Mugezi is a frustratingly "good" character, cleverer and more hard-working than anyone else. All transgressions against him are completely unfounded, wrought from pure malice on the part of the transgressors. It does not make for an engaging story.
Finally, the writing itself is annoying, there's excessive exposition, gratuitous vulgarity, and some very strange word choice that makes it a chore to read at many parts.
There's also a fundamental shallowness in that Mugezi is a frustratingly "good" character, cleverer and more hard-working than anyone else. All transgressions against him are completely unfounded, wrought from pure malice on the part of the transgressors. It does not make for an engaging story.
Finally, the writing itself is annoying, there's excessive exposition, gratuitous vulgarity, and some very strange word choice that makes it a chore to read at many parts.
kszr's review against another edition
3.0
The story of a family that survived (or didn't) the upheavals in Uganda's history. Despots were everywhere, found in all places - the government, the Catholic Church, the Muslim religion, the witch doctors, the family, and more. How to find your own voice and survive.
The story is well written, semi-autobiographical, but a bit hard to be drawn in.
For a more detailed review, check out my blog site: https://wordpress.com/view/thesource4books.com
The story is well written, semi-autobiographical, but a bit hard to be drawn in.
For a more detailed review, check out my blog site: https://wordpress.com/view/thesource4books.com
jckmd's review against another edition
emotional
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and War
Moderate: Racism and Xenophobia
aprille_storychick's review against another edition
3.0
Book #23 of 2008. Traces the chaotic life of Mugezi, a guy growing up in Uganda, from the end of colonialism through the reign of Idi Amin and rebel government after rebel government, into the era of AIDS. I was struck by the ways in which the various elements of Ugandan society needed to transform themselves, and how often, in order to survive the latest crisis. Powerful, if a bit dry and dull in spots.
elisteixner's review against another edition
1.0
I would like to start off by saying that my feelings about this book are rather mixed.
It is the story of Mugezi, born in Uganda and growing up in and around Kampala during its most turbulent times. We accompany Mugezi through war, disease and dictatorship. On the whole, it's an interesting topic, but unfortunately, I found that the characterization and the style took away from the story rather than add to it.
It's a 500 page book that could easily have said the same in half the time. Simply put, the book is overwritten. It feels as if the author discovered writing, got to work and never reviewed or reworked a single sentence. The pages burst with similes, obscure metaphors, and prophetic dreams. Sometimes I felt as if Isegawa was building sentences without care to how they fit into the work- he was simply so enchanted by the idea of longer, more complicated, stranger, that he didn't pause to think about how the story should progress. It's not a bad book, by all means. But it would benefit from some pruning and simplification. It's a hard book to get into, because whenever you slip into the story, some strange or downright grotesque turn of phrase breaks your focus. An interesting read- but only for 100 pages.
Speaking of the strange and downright grotesque, another thing Isegawa loves, something that stands in complete juxtaposition to his usual prose, is crudity. Especially later on, every time you think you've learned to live with the overcomplicated prose, his frequent usage of "fuck", "cunt" or other crude language throw you off. I can (sometimes) enjoy crude language in writing, especially when it is used fittingly, as it is here- these are men in a war, speaking as soldiers do- but Isegawa overuses them.
My last point of criticism is the rampant misogyny, especially later on. I understand that he is trying to be 'gritty' and 'realistic' and that in those times of unrest, violence and rape were far too common. These are topics that can be approached with more tact. The way all women Mugezi interacts with are described leaves me feeling sorry for every woman who was in contact with him. The way that every woman down to his aunt were described in terms of fuckability made it hard to like the protagonist. I did not read it expecting a feminist book- but I can do without half-page descriptions of how tight or loose a sexual partners vagina is. The further the book progresses, the less the women are given character, and most end as simply a mirror or crutch for Mugezi.
To end on a positive note, the topic really is interesting, and as a native Ugandan who lived through these times, Isegawa of course knows his stuff. The characters are interesting and the prose does have its moments. If this book had only been about 300 pages shorter, I think I could have given it a much higher rating.
It is the story of Mugezi, born in Uganda and growing up in and around Kampala during its most turbulent times. We accompany Mugezi through war, disease and dictatorship. On the whole, it's an interesting topic, but unfortunately, I found that the characterization and the style took away from the story rather than add to it.
It's a 500 page book that could easily have said the same in half the time. Simply put, the book is overwritten. It feels as if the author discovered writing, got to work and never reviewed or reworked a single sentence. The pages burst with similes, obscure metaphors, and prophetic dreams. Sometimes I felt as if Isegawa was building sentences without care to how they fit into the work- he was simply so enchanted by the idea of longer, more complicated, stranger, that he didn't pause to think about how the story should progress. It's not a bad book, by all means. But it would benefit from some pruning and simplification. It's a hard book to get into, because whenever you slip into the story, some strange or downright grotesque turn of phrase breaks your focus. An interesting read- but only for 100 pages.
Speaking of the strange and downright grotesque, another thing Isegawa loves, something that stands in complete juxtaposition to his usual prose, is crudity. Especially later on, every time you think you've learned to live with the overcomplicated prose, his frequent usage of "fuck", "cunt" or other crude language throw you off. I can (sometimes) enjoy crude language in writing, especially when it is used fittingly, as it is here- these are men in a war, speaking as soldiers do- but Isegawa overuses them.
My last point of criticism is the rampant misogyny, especially later on. I understand that he is trying to be 'gritty' and 'realistic' and that in those times of unrest, violence and rape were far too common. These are topics that can be approached with more tact. The way all women Mugezi interacts with are described leaves me feeling sorry for every woman who was in contact with him. The way that every woman down to his aunt were described in terms of fuckability made it hard to like the protagonist. I did not read it expecting a feminist book- but I can do without half-page descriptions of how tight or loose a sexual partners vagina is. The further the book progresses, the less the women are given character, and most end as simply a mirror or crutch for Mugezi.
To end on a positive note, the topic really is interesting, and as a native Ugandan who lived through these times, Isegawa of course knows his stuff. The characters are interesting and the prose does have its moments. If this book had only been about 300 pages shorter, I think I could have given it a much higher rating.
chaoticmissadventures's review against another edition
3.0
I really, really enjoyed this book, but it took me weeks to get through it. Not sure why but it dragged a bit for me. Completely my fault and not the books fault, as the writing is great, the characters are relatable, and the story line is interesting, and of a time and place that I don't normally read, but is very interesting, and an area that should have more written about it.
lucyreading's review
dark
emotional
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
megami's review
4.0
The coming of age story of a man who grew up through the greatest horrors of Ugandan history. At times depressing, but ultimately hopeful, a spectacular debut novel from a talented writer. You are sure to be carried along by Mugezi's story