How far can a man go to win the love of a woman? That is the question at the heart of this novella by Ng’ang’a Mbugua. Presented as a stream of consciousness, the narrative recalls the life and travails of Sonko Wakadosi, a man who is as much a victim of social circumstances as his own follies, both of which conspire to trap him in a vicious and tragic drama.
Yet, this is also a story about the consequences of the unchecked conflict between man and wild animals at a time when climate change and environmental degradation have man locked in a losing battle with the forces of nature.
Written in a light, humourous and satirical style, the book won the Wahome Mutahi Literary Prize in 2010 and in 2011 was runner up in the Jomo Kenyatta Prize for Literature, Kenya’s biggest award for fiction. The first edition was published in 2009 and reprinted in 2012. The book has been selected as a study text for a Masters class at the University of Nairobi and undergraduate class at Daystar University, Nairobi.
Rehema Zuberi –
This is one of those books you pick up and could read in a single sitting. I felt it was best suited for a younger audience although it tackled some big issues like love, poverty, longing, politics, human-wildlife conflict, life after death, etc. It had a sense of hilarity especially when it came to the characters’ names which were tailored to make sense to Swahili speakers/readers and particularly Kenyans. I loved that it reminded me of a recent trip where I encountered elephants.