Harare Review of Books

200 pages.

Expected publication date: Sept 12, 2023 (Dundurn Press)

Fiction.

(Reviewed 11/5/23)

Wow—this book crept up on me! It drew me in, and did not let go until it was done.

This is the story of B, a writer who, at the beginning of the book, is driving south on commission to report on possible labour strikes on an oil rig. We don’t get a lot of detail about the country he lives in, but we start to suspect that something may not quite be right with the company that runs the oil rig. As soon as he arrives, B realises he is not welcome: the staff are hostile, and no one will speak to him. Back at home, things are also growing increasingly strange. Events escalate on the rig, and we are thrust, with B and the characters around him, into a surreal nightmare.

I put the book down an hour ago, and am feeling quite haunted by B’s experiences. Some of this is because of how relatable I found it: forced disappearances, enforced silence, and living under state rules that change unpredictably is quite familiar to me. Never really knowing if what is happening to B is real or part of a mental breakdown is a excellent plot device. In the end, it doesn’t matter; things resolve themselves into something understandable, and B is my hero.

I very nearly put the book down when I started reading because the writing felt quite amateurish; I am very glad I didn’t. A little like when you read Flowers for Algernon, the writing style changes as B’s experiences change. The surrealism/magical realism is exceedingly well-done, adding to the dream-like feel, along with ghosts, spirit possession, drug-like visions and hallucinations, and exorcism, all beautifully executed.

This has been a fantastic read. Thank you to Dundurn Press and to NetGalley for this ARC.