The Wizard of the Crow is a rather strange book, I must say. It's definitely a fairy tale where reality and dreams meet. But it's also quite literary and the level of psychological depth it displays is great.

I wouldn't necessarily agree with the comparison to [a:Dostoievski|14650994|Dostoievski|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] and [a:Márquez, Gabriel Garcí­a|7690680|Márquez, Gabriel Garcí­a|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] made on the cover of the book, but I can see where it comes from. There are definitely hints to the style and grandeur of these authors, but I'm not putting [a:Wa Thiong'o Ngugi|5304914|Wa Thiong'o Ngugi|https://s.gr-assets.com/assets/nophoto/user/u_50x66-632230dc9882b4352d753eedf9396530.png] on the same shelf yet.

Only three stars since it took quite a while before I got interested in the story, but once on its way, it did captivate me and provided me with really nice insights in the typical African post-colonial dictatorships. If only I knew more about Kenya and the region; I think I would have enjoyed [b:Wizard of the Crow|57485|Wizard of the Crow|Ngũgĩ wa Thiong’o|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1421903577s/57485.jpg|848502] more. ( )

2018 Read Harder #9 - Read a book of colonial or postcolonial literature

Watching ANC supporters vandalize a portrait of Jacob Zuma on the BBC this evening, there is something tragic about Wizard of the Crow: how can the novel be so historic and so prescient? Zuma's supporters may find my conclusion disrespectful. ( )

This is quite a book, it's huge, funny and involving. Although set in a fictional African country I guess it's a fantastic version of Kenya. The storyline is outrageous and nonsensical, but never feels particularly mplausible. There is satire, farce, romance and intrigue. ( )

This sprawling satirical story is set in the fictitious African country Aburiria, which I understand resembles author [[Ngugi wa 'Thiong'o]]'s home country Kenya when it was under a dictatorship. The "Ruler" is an awful, totally self-centered man who is convinced the people love him even when they show how much he is detested. There are obvious similarities to self-obsessed dictators like Mobutu and Idi Amin. All his yes-men are busy trying to outmaneuver the others for his affection, and each secretly dreams of becoming the ruler himself. When the Ruler endorses an absurd project to build a tower to Heaven to show he's better than biblical predecessors, his sycophants can hardly contain themselves in their efforts to support it, and to secretly benefit from the inflow of money. Lengthy queues begin to form at appropriate government offices, filled with those planning to give a bribe in exchange for future rewards from the project. A huge funding loan is sought from a western bank, which then wants to scrutinize government operations.

Aligned against the Ruler and his parasites is job-seeking Kamiti, who can physically smell corruption (which often torments him in this endlessly corrupt country), and lovely Nyawira, a rebel group's leader who smells like flowers to Kamiti. Kamiti has herbal healing skills, and through various humorous twists becomes recognized as the miracle-working "Wizard of the Crow", whose assistance is sought by sycophants and rebels alike. His clever, intuitive solutions, with the assistance of a mirror, to the problems brought to him, comprise many of the highlights of the book.

The satirical dissection of post-colonial Africa is merciless. One sycophant, for example, is suffering so from "white-ache", the desire to be a British white man, that he can no longer say anything more than "If". His cure from the Wizard of the Crow may lie in finding out what it's like to be a member of a former power outstripped by history. Can Kamiti and Nyawira lead the rebels to toppling the absurd, corrupt regime of the Ruler, even while darting into the heart of it, and colliding with that regime in various dangerous roles? Can Kamiti turn his perceived wizarding skills to the rebellion's advantage? Can Kamiti and Nyawira find a sustainable life together in this crazy country?

I've mentioned before that the book made me think of a diverse group of works - [Tom Jones], as a rambling adventure story without the bawdiness, [Catch-22] in its satire of war and government, [Dr. Strangelove] for the same. It apparently was first serialized, so it has that episodic story quality of various [Dickens] novels, too. The New York Times reviewer said "it recalls a long yarn told by firelight." It was written in a Kenyan language that derives from an oral tradition, and then translated by the author. This all makes for a different kind of read than I previously have encountered, one that made me laugh and cheer on the exploits of Kamiti and Nyawira. At the same time, the novel casts a fierce satirical eye on a horribly corrupt government. I understand that this despotic rule, while taken to absurd lengths, unfortunately has strong roots in reality ( )