This trilogy delves into the complexities of growing up in Zimbabwe under and after colonial rule. It follows the journeys of young women striving to find their identity and voice in a world shaped by patriarchal and racial hierarchies. The series offers a profound exploration of the internal and external struggles for emancipation, education, and self-determination. Readers are presented with a deeply personal perspective on the psychological and social impacts of oppression and the yearning for freedom.
"Nervous Conditions brings to the politics of decolonization theory the energy of women's rights. By now a classic in African literature and Black women's literature internationally, Nervous Conditions is a must for anyone wanting to understand voice, memory, and coming of age for young Black women in Africa." -- back cover.
The second novel from the Booker Prize shortlisted author of This Mournable Body and Nervous Conditions continues Tambu's story.
A sequel to Nervous Conditions, this is a powerful and engaging story about one young woman's quest to redefine the personal and political forces that threaten to engulf her. As its title suggests, this is also a book about denial and unfulfilled expectations and about the theft of the self that remains one of colonialism's most pernicious legacies. The novel disrupts any comfortable sense of closure to the dilemmas of colonial modernity explored in Nervous Conditions and as such is a fitting sequel.
SHORTLISTED FOR THE BOOKER PRIZE 2020 'Magnificent' Guardian 'A Masterpiece' New York Times