Review: The Sabi by Diane Brown #Africa #Memoir

The Blurb

She does not know how, but has a sabi from her earliest memory that she was different. What she does know is that 'difference' had currency in the past, and it certainly still has currency today. The Sabi will have an effect on you - have no doubt about that. In her debut novel, Diane Brown takes a scenic and open-eyed walk down memory lane to the 1960's when apartheid was in full swing to the early 1990's when South Africa was beginning to sense freedom. She ventures further back in time to help solve the puzzle of the current time, how did South Africa become so angry and so violent? Writing from the heart to relate the events of her childhood and adolescence, the author takes you on a journey that will make you cry and laugh along with her as she tried to make sense of her life, the people around her and the system into which she was born. She is no doubt left extremely vulnerable and exposed in relating this account of her life. This honesty is anchored in an easy writing style which is deeply reflective, with an acute sense of contextual reasoning. She reflects on the news of the day in a 'free' country, tainted with the heavy stench of death, violence and abuse and notes that all too familiar script. She finally realises... Her story must be told.

Themes covered in this book: Race, Colorism, Violence, South Africa, Apartheid, Acceptance, Prejudice, Coming-of-age, Love, Liberation

My Review

I don’t usually read memoirs, but was compelled after encountering it on one of my favorite blogs (Mary Okeke Reviews). The story was incredibly sad and yet amazingly inspiring at the same time. Life for some people can be so difficult and seeing how they make it through can give an inordinate amount of hope.

Life in South Africa during apartheid could never be described as easy unless a person was white. For the ‘colored’ it was easier than for the blacks. I learned a bit a bit of South African History through this story and even more about their race relations and how people tended to see each other.

I’ll be honest, there were many aspects of the book that riled my anger because life for so many was unfair for so long. I could feel the truth in her experience and those of others.

Ms. Brown’s writing was smooth and engaging. It left me with a few questions, Such as ‘How in the world had she ended up so well adjusted after living the life she’d lived’.

A wonderful read for those who are curious about how South Africa got into their state of racial division and how it was maintained for so long. All with a mix of Ms. Brown’s personalized experiences thrown in to spice up the story.

I give this book five out five chocolate bars (white, milk, and dark).

I purchased this book from Amazon.

Ghanaian Literature Week: Tuesday’s Child by Mary Ashun #GhanaLit

The Ghanaian Literature Week is back! Kinna of Kinna Reads  will be hosting the 3rd rendition. The purpose of this week is to discover or rediscover works by Ghanaian writers. This year’s event is scheduled for Monday, November 11th – Sunday, November 17th so head over to Kinna's blog to see what's going on.

I first learned about Tuesday’s Child by Mary Ashun from Reading Pleasure who reviewed the book. Thanks, Celestine for hooking me up to this book and the Ghanaian Literature Week.

Blurb

Mary Ashun's Tuesday's Child is the story of a girl born in the small West African country of Ghana. She has big dreams, a large boisterous, extended family and a tendency towards asking questions that children, especially girls aren't supposed to ask. Boarding school days, interminable church services and a famine that leaves her thin enough to be an '80's model are all narrated with such candid humor that it's hard to believe there were any scars. Now older, wiser, with a family of her own and living in North America, she embarks on a journey back to Ghana. The mission: to make peace. Who with? The answer might surprise you and this is why this is balanced African storytelling at its best!

My Review 

Tuesday’s Child is a memoir about her life in Ghana and the UK. I found it to be engaging and real. Throughout the book I chuckled at the antics of the girl Ms. Ashun once was. Don’t get me started on how funny I found the grandmother who sounded like a wonderful, fearless,  woman. Reading about her made me wish I could have known her.

Ms. Ashun’s writing is clear, direct and entertaining. Although I tend to be a reader of fiction, this memoir caught and kept my attention and heart.  She shows us what Ghana was in her experience and I love her honesty.

There were a few scenes which made me angry such as the one that included the toilet and another with the male teachers. A couple of her memories  made me tear up, such as the airport scene, because I could so easily relate. Mary was an intelligent, innovative, funny child. How could she be any different from her grandmother when “the child of a lion is a lion.” I love that line.

My only complaint is that I wanted to read more about Ms. Ashun’s life, she skipped from college to being an adult. I would have liked to read more about those years.

I give Tuesday’s Child five out of five bars of Ghana's Golden Tree chocolate bars.

I purchased this book from Amazon.com

Happy reading.