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theycallmelech's review against another edition
3.0
When I got past awing over the prose, I quickly got exhausted by Vera analysing every action to death, but also somehow skirting around the materiality of the story, only talking about the characters in meta-symbolic terms. And then, when I was just about to give up from sheer headache, the characters started narrating the story. So now I'm here, frustrated with how I feel about this book, because on one hand I enjoyed Vera's beautiful writing, but on the other, I wish she had weaved it into the story more seamlessly, rather than splitting the book into one half drowning poetry, one half fiction. The disconnect between the two parts only gave me little time to discern and comprehend the defining events of the novel, and gave me no time to care about the sisterhood between Thenjiwe and Nonceba.
dumisa's review against another edition
4.0
Beautifully written it reads like a poem set to music. The only downside is the sadness of the story. Heavy but also hopeful.
michellektong's review against another edition
it’s a very important and powerful story, the violence is extremely graphic and I had a hard time getting through it because of the visual detail. I would like to try again in the future in written form but I need to pause on this.
deedireads's review against another edition
dark
emotional
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
All my reviews live at https://deedispeaking.com/reads/
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Stone Virgins is a technically challenging and emotionally difficult read, but there’s no denying that it’s also an incredible work of fiction. While I struggled with it, I was also so impressed.
For you if: You are comfortable with prose that’s lush, but sometimes hard to follow, if it’s worth it.
FULL REVIEW:
I’d never read Yvonne Vera before — my experience with African literature is pretty lacking overall, truth be told — so when my good friend Bernie Lombardi announced he was hosting a buddy read of The Stone Virgins, I eagerly joined. And while I wasn’t quite in the right head space to fully enjoy this one, there’s no denying it’s a masterful work.
Vera’s author bio puts it best when it says her books are “known for their poetic prose, difficult subject-matter, and their strong women characters, and are firmly rooted in Zimbabwe's difficult past.” This is no exception. Winner of the Macmillan Prize for African Adult Fiction in 2000, it focuses on two sisters — only one of whom survives — who live in a village near Bulawayo before and after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain.
The prose here is lush and gorgeous, and her ability to whiplash between beauty and extreme violence (be warned; there are stomach-churning scenes here) is incredible. There’s something reminiscent of Toni Morrison in the reading experience. But it’s also a challenging read that demands slow attention (and that’s where I struggled, as I was traveling for work, pulled in many directions, and super busy). The book has almost no dialogue; the narration moves fluidly forward and backward in time. One review that I read said it felt like reading someone’s dream, and I wholly agree.
Even though this was a bit of the wrong book at the wrong time for me, I’m really glad I read it — and even more glad to have had Bernie’s group chat full of such smart, careful readers to discuss it with. I’m in awe of Vera’s talent, and it’s easy to see why this one received so much acclaim.
TL;DR REVIEW:
The Stone Virgins is a technically challenging and emotionally difficult read, but there’s no denying that it’s also an incredible work of fiction. While I struggled with it, I was also so impressed.
For you if: You are comfortable with prose that’s lush, but sometimes hard to follow, if it’s worth it.
FULL REVIEW:
I’d never read Yvonne Vera before — my experience with African literature is pretty lacking overall, truth be told — so when my good friend Bernie Lombardi announced he was hosting a buddy read of The Stone Virgins, I eagerly joined. And while I wasn’t quite in the right head space to fully enjoy this one, there’s no denying it’s a masterful work.
Vera’s author bio puts it best when it says her books are “known for their poetic prose, difficult subject-matter, and their strong women characters, and are firmly rooted in Zimbabwe's difficult past.” This is no exception. Winner of the Macmillan Prize for African Adult Fiction in 2000, it focuses on two sisters — only one of whom survives — who live in a village near Bulawayo before and after Zimbabwe’s independence from Britain.
The prose here is lush and gorgeous, and her ability to whiplash between beauty and extreme violence (be warned; there are stomach-churning scenes here) is incredible. There’s something reminiscent of Toni Morrison in the reading experience. But it’s also a challenging read that demands slow attention (and that’s where I struggled, as I was traveling for work, pulled in many directions, and super busy). The book has almost no dialogue; the narration moves fluidly forward and backward in time. One review that I read said it felt like reading someone’s dream, and I wholly agree.
Even though this was a bit of the wrong book at the wrong time for me, I’m really glad I read it — and even more glad to have had Bernie’s group chat full of such smart, careful readers to discuss it with. I’m in awe of Vera’s talent, and it’s easy to see why this one received so much acclaim.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Sexual violence, Murder, and War
eunicek82's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
sad
slow-paced
5.0
This book is an incredibly intimate look at the effects of war. The writing is both brutal and beautiful and the story is ultimately redemptive.
serendipitysbooks's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
slow-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? No
4.25
The Stone Virgins is a slim book that demands the reader’s attention. It’s a slow, challenging, yet very worthwhile read set against the backdrop of Zimbabwe’s civil war following independence. Vera’s writing was stunning, lush and poetic. One moment she was giving the reader very panoramic and cinematic descriptions of a place; the next she was narrowing in and drilling down on some horrific violence and trauma. In some ways I found the book slippery and elusive, with switches in time and of perspective not being well-signalled. It was a story that focused on tone, atmosphere and emotion. The feelings are often clearer than the details and physical reality, which rings true given the chaos and trauma of many of the events depicted. However, the message of the book was anything but slippery - the horrific impact of war, particularly on women. The novel centres on two sisters, Thenjiwe and Nonceba, but also highlights how the fighting impacted soldiers who committed atrocities, the land and rural communities. The perspective of Sibaso was well done, explaining and providing context, but never excusing his actions. At times this was a very brutal read, so I was relieved that the ending offered a glimmer of hope that survivors like Nonceba and, by extension, the country as a whole, can recover from the trauma.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Rape, Violence, and War
bernie_lombardi's review against another edition
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
laura_reads_'s review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
medium-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
4.0