A book review: A Family Potrait

tcndangana

February 2

"There was no corpse to grieve over, no gravel to travel to, not even a shrine to decorate as there were no records and they refused to believe the youth was dead."

Trigger warnings: rape, emotional and sexual abuse

Themes: harassment, emotional abuse, violence, abuse of power, stigma and discrimination, politics,

Cover rating : 3/5

Overall rating : 4/5

Summary

The book is a collection of seven fictional short stories which were inspired by real experiences that some women from Zimbabwean communities. Some of the stories are about how women were abused when they had made mistakes that could be corrected when people had an open conversations. The woman in Goats was beaten up by Mubaiwa because her goats had eaten in her field. In Before Dawn, Ruth is shamed because she cannot have children and is heavily beaten because of her husband's political alliances. Most of the survivors were victims of abuse in the hands of their spouses, members of communities and people they treated as family.

The authors managed to highlight the struggles that women go through and how although people might survive these experiences not everyone can be able to heal. Some people live with the traumas and do have the courage to talk about the experiences.

Favourite Quote

Can you believe it, murume abva zera, a fully grown man saying, When you go to the river for a bath, just drown her and say it was a mistake." Even losing a piece of soap to the river has pained me. And this choreographed "mistake" of losing Mazvita would just kill me.

Will I be reading another book by the author? Yes

Do I recommend this book?– Yes please