Great African Reads discussion

This thread is for discussion of The Hairdresser of Harare by Tendai Huchu

I've started with this book, and I'll try picking up Nervous Conditions afterwards. Among the three chosen from Zimbabwe, this semeed to be the quickest read, and I'm hoping to get more of a feel of everyday, contemporary Harare.

Amiya wrote: "I've started with this book, and I'll try picking up Nervous Conditions afterwards. Among the three chosen from Zimbabwe, this semeed to be the quickest read, and I'm hoping to get more of a feel o..."
I read it earlier in the year and loved it :)

I may read this after "Nervous Conditions" if I can schedule it.

I really enjoyed reading this and completed it in two long sittings, which is something I haven't done in a while. It was an easy read for sure.

Loved getting to visualize Harare in the background - crazy kombis, freezit sellers, the employment situation, ministers & their army of 'war vets', hyperinflation at its peak around 2008-09 ("can't carry money around in a wallet anymore"), and of course, the theme/reveal of the book. The occasional political references, particularly to Grace Mugabe, were interesting given the current twist in Zimbabwe's political situation. Was nice picking up some Shona words that were scattered through the book. :) Saying anything more about the crux of the story may be a spoiler at this stage - probably best to wait for everyone (who plans) to finish reading the book.

Didn't love the writing much - some bits were really well written, especially some of Vimbai's reflections, but on the whole the narration felt stilted, rushed or just plain. My edition was really poorly edited, which often annoyed me (Jacana Media, 2010).

Now I'll try going back to July/August's Tunisian read, The Colonizer and the Colonized (quite the opposite of an easy read!), and then on to Nervous Conditions.

I really enjoyed this book, even if I figured out the twist early on. I had know idea Zimbabwe's economic situation was as bad as the book portrayed. Even pickpockets are deterred by the constantly devaluation of the currency. Sad to learn of the intolerance there (view spoiler)[toward the LGBT community (hide spoiler)].