Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi *****

This book tells the story of two sisters who were both born on the coast of West Africa during the Transatlantic slave trade. Effia remains in Africa, while Esi is sold into slavery. Homegoing follows their lineage down to the 5th generation. Each chapter of the novel is focused on one of their descendants, with some sort of comparison to help you understand what life is like for the people who were sold into slavery and the ones who stayed behind.

In my opinion,

The Boy Who Spat in Sargrenti's Eye, 2014, Manu Herbstein ****

Manu Herbstein is a historical novelist whose novels are so well researched, Ama: A Story Of The Atlantic Slave Trade is a good example.
The Boy who Spat in Sargrenti's eye is the story of  the invasion of today's Ghanaian territory by the British army told through the eyes of a teenage boy Kofi Gyan, in the 1800s. Villages were ransacked, villagers were hanged, maimed or sent to exile. Tons of gold were stolen and auctioned at the invaders' heart desire.

An easy read, even a book I'd

Ghana Must Go, 2013, Taiye Selasi ***

I am glad I did not purchase this book when it was first published, with all the marketing hype and I am not even sure still why the title "Ghana Must Go". To make matters worse, firstly, I have not read any novel so far with so many short sentences, sometimes even without an action word, the verb, making my reading experience somewhat disengaged and I struggled through the first (not few) pages. Secondly, there is a lot of going to and fro in a confusing way. For instance, it goes without saying that the narrative of pieces of memory combined with actuality could be poetic, artistic and different, however, requires effort to comprehend.Thirdly, I dislike all of the characters, none of them has stamina.

Kweku immigrates to the U.S.A where he studies Medicine and becomes one of

Blogger Spotlight: Reading Pleasure ~ A blog of books and literature

Celestine Nudanu is the owner and creator of Reading Pleasure ~ A blog of books and literature. She is from Ghana where she lives and blogs from. She studied English with Theatre Arts for her undergraduate program and International Affairs for her graduate degree. She is a Senior Assistant Registrar, coordinating Administrative Systems with the University of Professional Studies, Legon, Accra-Ghana. She is also author of HAIKU RHAPSODIES (Verses from Ghana)

What inspired you to start a book blog?

I've always loved reading; from as far back as I can remember. In school I used to sit up late with my friends discussing books we had read. So the love for books and the discussions led me to believe that I could review the books I read on my blog, especially when I realised others were doing exactly that on their blogs. I believe that reviews on my blog would generate a healthy discussion among book lovers all over the blogosphere. 

Do you blog for a living?

Blogger Spotlight: African Book Addict!

Let me introduce you to Darkowaa the blogger behind African Book Addict!

Darkowaa was born in the U.S.A, she moved to Ghana when she was 10 years old where she spent her formative years and later moved back to the U.S.A for undergrad. She curently lives in Accra, Ghana where she blogs from. Some people refers to her as Ghanaian-American, however, she simply likes to be identified as Ghanaian.

She considers herself to be a forever student (welcome to the club). During her undergraduate years, she went to a liberal arts school in the US (Middlebury College) so she studied a bit of everything. However, she eventually focused on Sociology & Anthropology as her major, with pre-dental courses on the side. She is at the moment pursuing her second degree in dentistry - in Accra. 

What inspired you to start your blog?

Ama: A Story Of The Atlantic Slave Trade, 2000, Manu Herbstein ****

Ama is a historical fiction that narrates on the transatlantic slave trade, following the coming of age of a young girl from her village where she is kidnapped and raped, to Brazil.

Ama, her first name is Nandzi. She is captured when she is taking care of her brother alone in her village, sold into the Ashanti Empire, fell in love  with the king and re-sold again. Turned into a sexual companion to one of the old Dutch, against her will, though it kept her away from the dungeon. One situation led to another, she found herself sailing in the ship The Love of Liberty on her way to be sold again in Barbados for the 3rd or 4th time.

In The Love of Liberty, she witnesses the reckless death of her colleagues, how

Beyond the Horizon, 1995, Amma Darko ****

Beyond the Horizon, in my opinion, is a disturbing read though a necessary one. I think it should be titled The downfall of Mara, because she kept on falling from the very beginning of the story to the end as she is seen as a victim of her circumstances. She tells her devastating story. Married off to Akobi who  physically and sexually abuses her from day one, the abuse and exploitation continues as they move to Germany.

A provocative and a sad read, indeed. I wonder why Amma Darko portrays Mara as helpless and worthless, I also wonder why Mara follows Akobi to Germany if he is not treating her any better in Ghana, why should he be different in Germany? Perhaps, Amma wants to shed light on the role of women and the result of their social construction in rural Ghana? Trying to show the damages traditionalized male chauvinism does to women. For instance Mara thinks her marriage is

The Prophet of Zongo Street, 2005, Mohammed Naseehu Ali ***

I discovered Mohammed Naseehu Ali through his published story "The Manhood Test" in the  anthology "Gods and Soldiers" edited by Rob Spillman. Whose book I have since added to my TBR.

There are ten collection of short stories included in "The prophet of Zongo Street" most of the stories are mainly about people who live on this street, some few were set in the USA. However, let me talk about the ones that kept me on the edge of my seat;

Rachmaninov, yes you read well, the Russian composer and pianist. Well, that is the music in the background when an aspiring Ghanaian artist  and his date were under the effect of an overdose and everything else was in discordant; sex, hallucination, drug and

Sundowners, 2003, Lesley Lokko ***

Sundowners is mainly the story of Rianne, Gaby, Nathalie and Charmaine and the boys they met while at boarding school in England. The story is set around the 80s and early mid 90s. Rianne is a white South-African, whose family is rich with exuberant lifestyle, they use their societal status (rich white privilege in apartheid SA) to take advantage of the less privileged, mostly blacks. She ended up falling in love with Riitho Modise, a black South-African, whose father is a political prisoner.

The story continued with Charmaine, who, not sure what to do with her life ran away with her "boyfriend" to

The Clothes of Nakedness, 1998, Benjamin Kwakye **

This novel came up on my radar as part of my reading challenge since it won the literary award Commonwealth Writers' Prize for Best First Book in Africa 1999. Apart from that, I had previously fell in love with an interview the writer gave to one of my fellow blogger, which encouraged me to want to read his works, which as well moved me to get in touch with him. His books were in my TBR list for a longtime before I at last purchased one "The Clothes of Nakedness", I am glad I did not buy all of them. I can be an impulsive book buyer sometimes!

Mystique Mysterious, a stranger finds a job for Bukhari on the condition that he would  receive fifteen to twenty percent of his monthly salary. Bukhari, finding out last minute did not object. Not only that, this stranger also persuaded him to be unfaithful to his wife, persuaded him to stay out late and drink, persuaded him to squander his money and pay little or no attention to his wife and son. I wonder why Bukhari should give in to such persuasiveness. It goes with out saying that it is the beginning of his downfall. Though, the whole incident is so surreal to me.

In my opinion, this novel leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps, it's just me. I read a lot and have suddenly started expecting more from writers. Which does not mean that I need a novel to be read along with a dictionary. I simply take two things into consideration; storyline and narrative. It might seem simple, however, it is not a task many writers seem to accomplish. How strong is your storyline and how well can you put it into writing engagingly? I think that is what make up an interesting read and as a matter of fact, also make a distinguished writer.

Back to my review of The Clothes of Nakedness, the book was well written, however the storyline was flimsy. The writer created characters that accepted without question whatever that is thrown onto them however implausible it may seem. I know it is fiction, nevertheless, I believe there should be a certain amount of realism in the story being told.

Cloth Girl, 2006, Marilyn Heward Mills ***

Cloth Girl is a novel set in Gold Coast today's Ghana, during the end of the British colony. Innocent fourteen-year-old Matilda, caught the eye of Robert Bannerman. A prestigious black lawyer from an important family, who knew that the only way he could have Matilda is making her his wife. Since he was already married, he made her his second wife by their tradition. Poor Matilda had no idea what was happening to her neither had she control over her life and somewhat lived in a state of confusion. Nevertheless, her family members were so excited to be associated with the Bannermans. They couldn't care less.

On the other side of the colony Audrey, a British lady was on the verge of madness as she discovered that the Gold Coast was not a place for her. However, she could not take her courage in both hands and leave without her husband. Fortunately, her meeting with Matilda changed the course of her destiny. In their meeting each other, Matilda also came to discover the actual meaning of love, as well as realising that she, in fact, does not feel anything for her husband. Though at that time she had already borne him five children (there around). Will she deny her fate and surrender to real love?

Cloth Girl was not a novel that swept me off my feet, I just have this feeling that something was lacking, I cannot pinpoint what exactly it was. Perhaps, the novel should have been shorter, perhaps the author should have just concentrated on the life of Matilda and her surroundings and not Audrey who was more often than not, inebriated. Perhaps... perhaps. It was an acceptable but not outstanding read, anyway. According to my fellow blogger Nana Fredua-Agyeman, he said  

"This is a book I would highly recommend to all those who love to read and all those who enjoyed Buchi Emecheta's The Joys of Motherhood".

Please click here to read his review on this novel. The Joys of Motherhood by Buchi Emecheta is my favourite novel and in my opinion far enjoyable than Cloth Girl. Have you read both novels? What is your opinion?

Cry a Whisper, 1993, Lucy Safo ***

Akwesi Agyeman a wealthy farmer and trader is captured and sold into slavery when he is going about his business in the nearby villages, after his mother dissuaded him from taking in  a second wife. His trip from the coast of West Africa to a stopover in Liverpool is horrendous, as they were easily slaughtered and thrown into the sea at the slightest stirring of rebellion. Moreover, he is transferred to Kingston (today's Jamaica) on his arrival, where he is involved with a white woman, whose loathsome father is the owner of Richmond Groove where he is forced into hard labour.

After many years of slavery Akwesi Agyeman finally finds himself sailing back to his village in the West African coast. He discovered that a lot has taken place since his kidnapping. Furthermore, to make matters worse he learnt that his enslavement is in fact carefully planned by someone in his household.

"Cry a Whisper" is an interesting historical fiction on the transatlantic slave trade in spite of all the horrific act carried out upon the people of Africa. Lucy Safo did a good job with her debut novel.

I was taken aback as most of the  events unfold unpredictably, to the degree of not understanding some of the interrelationship. All in all, I highly recommend, especially if you would like to have an insight into the transatlantic slave trade.

This novel is the winner of 1994 Commonwealth Writers' Pize: First Book Africa and; therefore, part of my reading challenge.

Grief Child, 1991, Lawrence Darmani ***

Adu, a happy preteen boy lived with his family in Susa, a village located in the South of Ghana. His father was a kind and humble farmer while his mother was a hardworking housewife who sometimes helped her husband on the farm. They were very well cherished by all the villagers. However, in a matter of two months, Adu's life drastically had a turn of a hundred and eighty degrees as he tragically lost his whole family members. Following that, he was forced to moved in with his only aunt, who was uncaring and pitiless. He suffered so much in the hands of his aunt to the degree of wanting to put an end to his life. Fortunately, he failed as he remembered what a Christian friend once told him.

"God is able to change even the worst situation to something better. Your father wants you to live, he wants you to live for him. His life is ended but yours is not"

So, even though,

"The pain in his body was at present as real as his hatred for his aunt. But he wanted to live".

"Grief Child" is an inspirational story of a young boy incontinent with grief. Whose faith in Christianity helped him in overcoming obstacles after losing all of his family members. A well written novel that won the Commonwealth Writers Prize for best first book Africa in 1992. As most of you already know, count it part of my reading challenge. Please click here for more info. All the same, it was not a novel that I particularly enjoyed. A YA Christian fiction that I would recommend mostly to young people who are going through difficulties and are bereft of hope.

True Murder, 2009, Yaba Badoe ****

Ajuba a preteen Ghanaian girl was registered, perhaps abandoned in a boarding school in a faraway rural England. Far from all that was familiar to her. Her mother, mentally unstable suffered from recurrent hallucinations. While her father who couldn't put up with the continuous crisis in his marriage, gave up.

In the boarding school, Ajuba met Polly Venus with whom she became best of friends. They spent holidays and weekends together in Polly's house, like the one you can picture on the book cover. During Ajuba's stay with the Venus, she found out that they weren't as glamourous as one might think from the outside. After all, they were weirdly similar to her own family. From experience she knew it was only a matter of time before they split up. And they tragically did. Luckily, her relationship with Polly did not alter in course of their misfortune, instead new bond of friendship was formed.

"True Murder" was exquisitely and mysteriously written with credible characters. Like a diary, Ajuba narrated her emotional agitation of experiencing her parents separation and the tragic break up of her best friend's family. In addition, it is a novel somewhat difficult to classify, as in whether or not it is an African literature due to its multifaceted nature.

However, I was left slightly disappointed since I was expecting a similar storyline to "The Rival"  in African Love Stories by same author. Moreover, some adults might find it a bit YA fiction; nonetheless, they should not be discouraged because if they have read and enjoyed Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Powder Necklace by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond, Imagine This by Sade Adeniran they might as well like True Murder. Therefore, I recommend.

Powder Necklace, 2010, by Nana Ekua Brew-Hammond ****

I really liked this novel. I love the cover too. I know you can't judge a book by its cover. This one looks like a postcard. the yellow flower and the sun with two girls holding hands, their heads up and proudly walking forward.

This book tells the story of an adolescent girl Lila, whose parents (from Ghana) were divorced. She was born in London and lived with her single mother, while her father lived in New York with his wife.

On a bright blue day after an incident her mother considered awful enough to take a break from her, Lila was abruptly sent to a boarding school in Ghana.

Most chapters of the book were based on narrations from her life in the boarding school and the huge changes she emotionally suffered as an adolescent.

This is a story of a teenage girl who had to suffer the consequences of her divorced parents living apart in different continents. The effects and the consequences of their decisions on her life in the middle of her struggles to find herself and discover who she really was, often left her miserable most of the time.

This is a book mainly for young adults and high school students however, it is a book any adult could enjoy and learn from. It also reminds me of Purple Hibiscus, 2003, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie ***,  another story of a teenage girl struggling to discover herself in the middle of circumstances that seem to be out of her control.

I have to admit that Nana Ekua did a very good job on this book which was so well worked on. I know writing a novel requires a great deal of hard work but Nana Ekua beautifully wrote this book as if it was an easy thing to do. The story and the writings went together it was all unforced. This is her first novel and I heard she is working on a second one.

Some interesting quotes from Powder Necklace;

Write everything you're feeling right now, then read it again a week from now. You'll be surprised how different you feel then.

No story is every really "true". It's all filtered through perspective .

Another talented African writer has been born. As I earlier said, this is a book I highly recommend mostly to adolescents and young adults.

Changes, A Love Story, 1991, by Ama Ata Aidoo *****

I finished reading this book yesterday, I loved it. It is one of  my favourite books. This is Ama Ata's first book I have read so far and I am really impressed. I am looking forward to reading more. With this novel she won the 1992 CommonWealth Writer's Prize for best book (Africa), she sure deserved it. Aidoo's storyline are like that of Emecheta's (at least this novel) they tell story of women (always in a cultural clash) trying to live according to their heart desires despite their cultural circumstances.

This novel tells the story of a very learned Ghanaian woman called Esi, with a highly demanding job, married to a man out of gratefulness and now considers him time-consuming and at last decided to divorce him after an event she described as "marital rape" took place. Marital rape in a quotation mark because in her culture it is indescribable "Sex is something a husband claims from his wife as his right. Any time. And at his convenience. Besides, any "sane" person, especially sane women, would consider any other women lucky or talented or both, who can make her husband lose his head like that" but still she felt uncomfortable about the whole situation.

She madly fell in love with a married man who decided to make her his second wife, she later discovered that his way of loving is quite inadequate for her, but still she has to find out what type of loving was she ever going to consider adequate.

Esi finds her self in the middle of a cultural clash. None of her people could sympathise with her because she had feelings and desires to live a life that is so incomprehensible to them. Sometimes they (her people) asked themselves what was the whole reason of sending her to school. This is what she was told in one of her conversation with her grandmother; "Not many women are this lucky..... And who told you that feeling grateful to a man is not enough reason to marry him? My lady, the world would die of surprise if every woman openly confessed the true reason why she married a certain man...." And Esi was trying to tell them that love is the sole reason why anyone should get married, she was rebuked "Love is not safe...., love is dangerous.... the last man any woman should think of marrying is the man she loves." I think life is just too hard and too short to spend it with someone you do not love.

Below are some quotes from the book that sent me in a state of reflection;

".....being foolish is a sickness that so many educated people seem to suffer permanently from. Only Allah knows why..." With this quote I clearly felt the tension between Western and African world views.

"....And besides, he knew too well that our passions do not always meet at the same junction with the points of the law."

"...the joy of having children is also sometimes having to forgive them when, after they had done wrong, they come back to say sorry"

 I never knew I could read a novel so fast until I picked up this one. This novel is just so interesting. The writings are like that of a movie script, and I investigated and found out that Aidoo is a play writer as well. This book is just so good to turn into a movie.This a 5 stars book. I highly recommend it.