Book 48: Review of "Afterlives" by Abdulrazak Gurnah

Despite the wonderful Indian Ocean setting, which mixes elements of Africa, the Middle East and India, this book was ultimately pretty tedious with a lack of direction and a slow pace that undermined the very interesting themes of German colonialism and its impact on Tanzania in the early 20th century. The resolution of two characters' intertwined lives in the brutality of war is just too quick and lacks the mystery that is implied earlier. I enjoyed the novel "Paradise" by this author which I recommend more than this one.
Have you read it? Or other books by this author?

[@mdk1319]

What is / are the Deep meaning of the AFTER LIVES according to colonialism ?

[@karimart7439]

Hi, first thank you for this vieo. I have a question what is the position of African women in the novel compared to western women?

[@mariaza4802]

After I reread this masterpiece, I noticed that there is a really important theme that is the importance of family and existence and also identity. How could you explain this importance?

[@litwithcharles7780]

I think those issues are prevalent mainly because the characters all revolve around family settings (or lack thereof), and that family is considered a sort of proxy for identity.

[@mariaza4802]

@@litwithcharles7780 I don’t get it

[@mariaza4802]

I mean the theme of loss of family

[@litwithcharles7780]

@@mariaza4802 I'm not sure I understand your question. You originally wrote "I noticed that there is a really important theme that is the importance of family" but then you wrote "I don't get it". So my question to you is "What is it you understood vs. what is it you didn't understand?"

[@mariaza4802]

I want to know the relationship between the theme of loss of family with characters

[@mariaza4802]

What are the impacts of German colonization through the characters Ilyas and Hamza?

[@litwithcharles7780]

That's a great question! I think Ilyas represented the underlying, insidious long-term impact of colonization, in that he disappeared and was largely invisible from the story. But that underlying impact had long-lasting effects as seen in the final act of the book, which I think was really rushed, as compared to the rest of the book's pace. I think Hamza, on the other hand, represented the real direct impact day-to-day of colonization, as seen through the cruelty and brutality that he experienced.

[@ronhauge4969]

ok

[@litwithcharles7780]

Let me know if you end up reading it!