2009 Reading #95: Wizard of the Crow
Oct. 15th, 2009 06:01 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snurriBooks 1-10.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
Books 31-40.
Books 41-50.
Books 51-60.
Books 61-70.
Books 71-80.
Books 81-90.
91. The Non-Adventures of Wonderella: Everybody Ever Forever by Justin Pierce.
92. Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin.
93. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach.
94. Strip Jack by Ian Rankin.
95. Wizard of the Crow by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. Over-the-top (in the best way) allegorical epic about an African dictatorship based on Daniel arap Moi's presidency in Kenya--Ngũgĩ was imprisoned by Moi and then forced into exile for his political writings. You might expect a man who went through that (and more) to write a bleak and angry book, but that's not what Wizard of the Crow turns out to be. It follows the fortunes of the Ruler of the Free Republic of Abruria and his ministers, as well as the much less influential (at first) man and woman who share the identity of the Wizard himself/herself/itself. There is magic, or at least the unexplained, at work throughout this book; this is reflected in the magical thinking engaged in by Abruria's leaders, whose intrigues are driven in equal parts by paranoia and superstition. Ngũgĩ handles a large cast skillfully, often building suspense by starting after things have changed and only explaining how after moving the narrative forward for some distance. Darkly funny, on the edge of satirical, but with a surprisingly hopeful feel.
Books 11-20.
Books 21-30.
Books 31-40.
Books 41-50.
Books 51-60.
Books 61-70.
Books 71-80.
Books 81-90.
91. The Non-Adventures of Wonderella: Everybody Ever Forever by Justin Pierce.
92. Hide and Seek by Ian Rankin.
93. Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers by Mary Roach.
94. Strip Jack by Ian Rankin.
95. Wizard of the Crow by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. Over-the-top (in the best way) allegorical epic about an African dictatorship based on Daniel arap Moi's presidency in Kenya--Ngũgĩ was imprisoned by Moi and then forced into exile for his political writings. You might expect a man who went through that (and more) to write a bleak and angry book, but that's not what Wizard of the Crow turns out to be. It follows the fortunes of the Ruler of the Free Republic of Abruria and his ministers, as well as the much less influential (at first) man and woman who share the identity of the Wizard himself/herself/itself. There is magic, or at least the unexplained, at work throughout this book; this is reflected in the magical thinking engaged in by Abruria's leaders, whose intrigues are driven in equal parts by paranoia and superstition. Ngũgĩ handles a large cast skillfully, often building suspense by starting after things have changed and only explaining how after moving the narrative forward for some distance. Darkly funny, on the edge of satirical, but with a surprisingly hopeful feel.
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Date: 2009-10-16 01:33 am (UTC)(no subject)
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Date: 2009-10-16 04:18 pm (UTC)