After reading 'The First Woman,' by Dr. Jennifer Makumbi, one of Uganda's foremost award-winning authors, I looked around the room to see if anyone could hear my chest heaving up and down.
Jennifer is a writer of such mastery, with her lyrical prose, her intricate dialogue and her believable chracters with avid description and setting.
.png)
'The First Woman,' narrates the compelling story of protagonist Kirabo, searching for her mother. Kirabo, quite out of the ordinary, is a feminist, who burdenend by traditional practises and the mysoginstic gaze, is able to navigate her own desires, intellect and sense of belonging, with such resilience, humor and at times, naivete.
What a captivating journey through everday stress, family poltics, jealousy between women, jealousy between men, unrequited love, superstititon and the unforgettable physical and social landscape of Uganda.
In reading 'The First Woman,' a reader is reminded of teenage lust and short lived romances, of yearning for academic success and career goal. One is reminded of the heart, which proves itself as both the strongest and weakst muscle at the same time, leaving us helpless.
Jennifer's ability to share the unspoken tensions amongst siblings, to share the forbidden secrets amongst parents, with such honesty, humor and necessity is a breath of fresh air.
As readers, this book deserves its own mobility, across countries, translated into numerous languages and deserves to remain at the forefront of world literature for deacdes to come.
'The First Woman,' won the Jhalak Prize in 2021 and is available in many online stores.
Review by Beverley N Nsengiyunva
No comments:
Post a Comment