Petals of Blood in Around the World

Jun 25, 2014 Andrew rated it really liked it · review of another edition

The dedication at the start of this book reads 'To The Soviet Writers Union for giving me the use of their house in Yalta in order to finish the writing of this novel' and the writer Ngugi was imprisoned for a year in the 70's for his writing so you know as you start the book that this is not going to be an ordinary murder mystery. In fact that is the starting premise as four individuals are arrested in the mid 70's for the murder by arson of three high ranking wealthy industrialists/capitalists The dedication at the start of this book reads 'To The Soviet Writers Union for giving me the use of their house in Yalta in order to finish the writing of this novel' and the writer Ngugi was imprisoned for a year in the 70's for his writing so you know as you start the book that this is not going to be an ordinary murder mystery. In fact that is the starting premise as four individuals are arrested in the mid 70's for the murder by arson of three high ranking wealthy industrialists/capitalists. The four are and odd bunch; Godfrey Munira the son of a wealthy Nairobi landowner who comes 12 years earlier to the rural village of Ilmarog from where people are escaping to teach in the empty primary school, Abdullah a disabled bar owner who we learn has been a freedom fighter in the Mau mau uprising, Karega a young idealist who becomes the assistant teacher but has a sad past with Munira's favourite sister who committed suicide, and Wanja a barmaid/ prostitute who has been the victim of sexual exploitation by one of the three murdered men. As we learn their stories we travel with them through the difficulties and changes in the village, we join them in a mission to Nairobi to beg for aid during a drought, we see the intricacies and jealousies of their relationships and watch as capitalism and a new road change the village forever and see the exploitation of the worker. The book tells us how Kenya a land that for hundreds of years was a proud nation of tribes and princes who traded with the Mediterranean powers was exploited by the colonial countries including Britain who simply took their land by the force of the gun yet after independence was won how the people are betrayed by the government and capitalism. It is definitely not a light read but it is enlightening and only reinforces the importance of the written word as a voice of protest particularly when writers sacrifice their liberty. I would recommend it if you are interested in a historical snapshot of an African country but not if you are looking for a bit of escapism. ...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Beth rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 1001-books, 6-books-6-countries-6-continents, around-the-world-group, great-african-reads-group

review to follow.

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May 10, 2011 Julia rated it it was ok

Shelves: africa, abandoned

I just didn't get into this book at all - the topic was interesting, but the telling and the message seem rather outdated. I'll go read some more recent book by the author......No sense in torturing myself with a book I'm reluctant to open every time I'd be free to do so. ...more

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