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rakoerose's review
4.0
An interesting glimpse into a recent past that I think a lot of people don’t know about. I certainly did not know much before experiencing this novel.
From where did he get all that power, to re-create what had already been created?
I think this book worked to capture a true picture of reality for those living in South Africa at the time of the apartheid and the shifts afterwards. We don’t see high-and-mighty individuals, we see “normal” people dealing with the struggles among their community which has been affected. Pain and harsh reality contrasted to quiet joys within their families. We see anger and despair and acceptance.
I noticed and actually liked that some of the characters here were capable of hypocrisy and the complex inner choices that were made. It really depicted how life is not black-and-white and there is sometimes no clear cut way to navigate situations. We end up where we end up and try to find as much joy in it as we can.
Overall, seeing Niki and Popi grow and flourish was very fun to read. The writing is very descriptive and I could picture both the madonna illustrations and the real world settings Mda utilized. It won’t be for everyone, either due to its style or its intensity, but The Madonna of Excelsior is no doubt a great contribution to African literature.
From where did he get all that power, to re-create what had already been created?
I think this book worked to capture a true picture of reality for those living in South Africa at the time of the apartheid and the shifts afterwards. We don’t see high-and-mighty individuals, we see “normal” people dealing with the struggles among their community which has been affected. Pain and harsh reality contrasted to quiet joys within their families. We see anger and despair and acceptance.
I noticed and actually liked that some of the characters here were capable of hypocrisy and the complex inner choices that were made. It really depicted how life is not black-and-white and there is sometimes no clear cut way to navigate situations. We end up where we end up and try to find as much joy in it as we can.
Overall, seeing Niki and Popi grow and flourish was very fun to read. The writing is very descriptive and I could picture both the madonna illustrations and the real world settings Mda utilized. It won’t be for everyone, either due to its style or its intensity, but The Madonna of Excelsior is no doubt a great contribution to African literature.
alexlaurelhoffman's review
4.0
Really glad that this book was set for my English seminar. Mda writes beautifully and his imagery really sticks in your mind. He tells the story of the "scandal" of Excelsior in 1971 but threads this into a bigger picture of Apartheid and post-Apartheid South Africa. Mda confronts a lot of the hard truths about expedience, corruption and racism involved in the creation of the "new South Africa" and does this, for the most part, really well. However, I think that he does too much almost textbook style explaining and some of the things that characters say towards the end are way too blatant to be realistic. People don't say exactly what they think and they don't often think what an outsider, a voyeur, may want them to think. This sort of clean-cut dialogue detracted from an otherwise poetic and beautiful book.
simoneclark's review
4.0
Hm, that was a pleasant surprise!! I had to read a book set in Lesotho for a challenge. I saw the cover of this one and fell in love. I didn't expect to like this book for some reason. But I really liked it a lot!!
nicnels's review
challenging
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
kattra's review
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
3.0
morybaby's review
reflective
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
suannelaqueur's review
4.0
I've never read any books set in South Africa and I truly enjoyed this one. I loved how the opening of each chapter was a description of a painting, and then the painting dissolved into the storyline.
the_naptime_reader's review against another edition
2.0
I keep waffling between 2 and 3 stars on this one. So 2.5 it is.
A friend of mine who got her doctorate in African literature recommended 4 books to me. This is the 3rd one I’ve read. The first two were excellent. This one was alright.
Once again I found myself learning a part of true African history that I was taught nothing about in school, so I was thankful for the broadening of my knowledge.
I found the character of Popi specifically to be very compelling.
The breakdown for me was everything related to the paintings and the trinity that started each chapter. I found all those parts confusing and unnecessary.
A friend of mine who got her doctorate in African literature recommended 4 books to me. This is the 3rd one I’ve read. The first two were excellent. This one was alright.
Once again I found myself learning a part of true African history that I was taught nothing about in school, so I was thankful for the broadening of my knowledge.
I found the character of Popi specifically to be very compelling.
The breakdown for me was everything related to the paintings and the trinity that started each chapter. I found all those parts confusing and unnecessary.