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alphonceokoyo's review
funny
lighthearted
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? No
2.5
clare_tan_wenhui's review against another edition
4.0
"I'm looking for a different road, the road to happiness, to walk down in my bare feet in the heat of the sun, even if the tarmac burns my feet. I'll go far, far away, to where all the road meet, where you find all the people who've gone on ahead, and look different now, to how they did on earth. I have to keep the road fixed carefully in my head, I don't want to find when I'm older that it's vanished and I'm stuck with lots of bad people who don't love me and want to hurt me.
I'll walk down this road the way crabs walk on the sand on the Cote Sauvage: you think they're going left, then they turn back, they stop for no reason, they go round in circles, they set off fast to the right, then come back to the left again. But what I like about the crabs is, they always know where they want to go, and sooner or later they get there, even though they've lots of different feet that all want different things and quarrel along the way. When I'm on the road to happiness, then I'll know I've finally grown up, that I'm twenty at last."
pg 308-309
A hilarious and heartwarming coming-of-age novel set in Africa. The depiction is rather realistic with dashes of sarcasm here and there (due to how young children are unable to grasp the absurdity of the corrupt and complicated adult nature). What I appreciate about the book is that it never veers overboard into the orientalism-fetish to pander to modern audiences.
I'll walk down this road the way crabs walk on the sand on the Cote Sauvage: you think they're going left, then they turn back, they stop for no reason, they go round in circles, they set off fast to the right, then come back to the left again. But what I like about the crabs is, they always know where they want to go, and sooner or later they get there, even though they've lots of different feet that all want different things and quarrel along the way. When I'm on the road to happiness, then I'll know I've finally grown up, that I'm twenty at last."
pg 308-309
A hilarious and heartwarming coming-of-age novel set in Africa. The depiction is rather realistic with dashes of sarcasm here and there (due to how young children are unable to grasp the absurdity of the corrupt and complicated adult nature). What I appreciate about the book is that it never veers overboard into the orientalism-fetish to pander to modern audiences.
mrswythe89's review against another edition
3.0
Charming random rambly book told from the POV of 10-year-old Michel, living in the Congo in the 1970s. Found it quite funny and cute. Lots of political asides. I'm trying to decide if I would've liked a stronger overarching narrative thread, but I'm not sure I would, really -- the leisurely pace worked quite well for what the book was trying to do.
jenmat1197's review
4.0
This is the story of a 10 year old boy named Michel who lives in Pointe Noir, Congo. The book takes place in the 1970s. His mother sells peanuts in the market and his dad works at a hotel at the reservations desk. His dad is not his biological father, but what he calls a "foster father". Michel's foster father also has another wife and seven other children (which apparently is not uncommon there). Everyone gets along well. Michel's mom would like to have more children. She had two baby girls that both died at birth before Michel came along. She and Michel's foster dad visit "witch doctors" who tell his mom that it is Michel's fault she cannot have children - that he needs to find a key to unlock her belly so she can have more.
When Michel is not seaching for the key, he spends time with a little girl named Caroline that he is completely in love with and says he will marry some day. His best friend is Caroline's brother and they spend hours watching planes fly over their city and guessing where they go. Michel is a fine student - middle of the road - and wishes he could get better so he could go on to a fancier school when he gets older.
It is a day in the life tale of a little boy - spending time with his friends and family in the heart of the Democratic Congo and him learning about the immediate world around him as well as the outside world (his father loves to listen to American radio which reports on the politics of the world). He keeps looking forward to being twenty years old - feeling THAT is when he will be old enough to do whatever he wants. Hence....the name of the book.
This was a pretty good read. Knowing from the beginning it would be basically a "stream of consciousness" of a 10 year old boy, you knew it wouldn't contain a lot of depth. It is fun to see his understand of the world from his point of view. He and Caroline (also his age) get married and divorced (in little kid imaginary play) and he is devestated when she leaves him for another boy. He is doded on by his brothers and sisters from his foster father's other wife, and worries about his mother's need to have another child. He understands very little and even his parents - whom are not well educated - believe in the working of the spirit world and witch doctors when it comes to many things. It made the story interesting.
I encourage you to try this book. It is not well known, but the book that came up over and over when I searched for "books from the Congo". So give it a try. I borrowed it easily from our ebook library.
When Michel is not seaching for the key, he spends time with a little girl named Caroline that he is completely in love with and says he will marry some day. His best friend is Caroline's brother and they spend hours watching planes fly over their city and guessing where they go. Michel is a fine student - middle of the road - and wishes he could get better so he could go on to a fancier school when he gets older.
It is a day in the life tale of a little boy - spending time with his friends and family in the heart of the Democratic Congo and him learning about the immediate world around him as well as the outside world (his father loves to listen to American radio which reports on the politics of the world). He keeps looking forward to being twenty years old - feeling THAT is when he will be old enough to do whatever he wants. Hence....the name of the book.
This was a pretty good read. Knowing from the beginning it would be basically a "stream of consciousness" of a 10 year old boy, you knew it wouldn't contain a lot of depth. It is fun to see his understand of the world from his point of view. He and Caroline (also his age) get married and divorced (in little kid imaginary play) and he is devestated when she leaves him for another boy. He is doded on by his brothers and sisters from his foster father's other wife, and worries about his mother's need to have another child. He understands very little and even his parents - whom are not well educated - believe in the working of the spirit world and witch doctors when it comes to many things. It made the story interesting.
I encourage you to try this book. It is not well known, but the book that came up over and over when I searched for "books from the Congo". So give it a try. I borrowed it easily from our ebook library.
imaima's review
informative
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
2.0
catherinebergeron34's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
3.5
floratristan's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
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
Très belle histoire de la vie quotidienne du point de vue d'un garcon, Michel, qui grandit au Congo pendant les années 70. Avec un "backdrop" de politique internationale à travers la radio, Michel a des pensées infantiles mais profondes qui font sourire
tizoka's review against another edition
funny
informative
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
3.75