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florenceassetto's review against another edition
emotional
inspiring
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
i REALLY liked this book and i most definitely did it a disservice by taking so long to read it over! getting into it was hard at first, i will admit, but once i was into it i just LOVED it so very much and i would recommend this book so many times over!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death, Gun violence, Murder, and Police brutality
Minor: Colonisation
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
I read Anthills of the Savannah for a buddy read organised by @bernie.lombardi. Thanks Bernie. It is set in the fictional African country of Kangan and looks at the actions of the President who has assumed power via a military coup. The story unfolds mostly from the perspectives of Chris, head of the information ministry, Ikem, editor of a key newspaper, and Beatrice, a senior government official who is also Chris’s girlfriend. Chris and Ikem have known Sam, the President, since childhood and were educated together in England.
Some parts of this story were depressingly familiar - unelected head of state ignoring the valid concerns of poorer residents of the country, distrusting even those in their inner circle, and asserting their authority and power through intimidation and brutality. However, there was also positivity and hope - characters who stood up for democracy and freedom, who tried to guide the President, who were committed to working for the best interests of their country and willing to risk themselves for the safety of others and the greater good. The naming ceremony for Elewa and Ikem’s daughter, and the name chosen for her definitely ended the novel on a hopeful note.
The post-colonial journey for many African countries has not been as smooth or easy as may have been hoped and envisioned. This novel explores many themes that I expected - power, corruption, the irrationality of a despot - as well as some that I didn’t such as women’s role in society (lots of great girl power here) and the importance of storytelling. It took a little while to settle in to the story possibly due to the shifting point of view. However, once the pieces started coming together and the the tension started ramping up I was hooked. I wanted to find out what happened and struggled to keep to the buddy read schedule. I enjoyed the reading experience and think the book did a good job of highlighting some important issues. I would like to have seen and heard more of Sam directly, to get more of a feel for why he made the decisions he did. I’d also note that the book is 35 years old and is told through a different lens than a more contemporary book might be.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Police brutality and Gun violence
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