Hello Ishyapluma readers, it's been a while without a book review. I am very excited to be back with UWASE Dominique Alonga 's latest publication “TRACING THE CRACKS”.
This book was on my 2021 reading list but I didn’t have a copy of it yet. This Monday, on my birthday I was gifted a copy by my sister. How amazing!... it was signed by the author and that was icing on the cake. I truly felt happy because I have been following Nicky (Dominique) for a long time and she inspires me in many different ways. She is bold, smart and very opinionated. However, what made me appreciate her is the fact that she is so unapologetic about being herself. In fact, Dominique Alonga is a young Rwandan author and publisher, she is the founder and CEO of Imagine We Rwanda, a publishing company with the aim of promoting the reading and creative writing culture in Rwanda. Okaay enough with the author, let's now get straight to the book review. Down below is a list of things I loved about the book: 1.Firstly, the book’s cover is fascinating. The way the colors are blended is so artistic and there are cracks which kinda look like a river of blood( it's art everyone sees what they want to see). Indeed, this makes the cover in perfect keeping with the title and the content of the book. 2.The book reads fast, not only because it is short but also because you can't put it down once you begin. 3.The book is narrated by a nameless character and that adds a mysterious touch to the story, you keep wondering “Why on earth did the author chose to do not give a name to the leading character??” As I kept thinking about it, I realized that the fact that this protagonist does not have a name, makes the book more relatable. This person might be Nicky herself, me or you. Anyone reading the book is open to think that it is not any particular person’s story but theirs. 4. The story is totally Rwandan. Undeniably, we are very influenced by the western culture: we watch their movies, we read their books and listen to their music. We want to be like them! Therefore, it is easier for an African author to get caught in the trap of writing stories which sounds more western than African, which is not the case for TRACING THE CRACKS. 5.Yes, the story is Rwandan but also modern. I don’t know why!! But we have a mindset that if it a Rwandan story it has to be traditional with the king palace and stuff. These are amazing stories about Rwanda but the modern generation also has to tell their stories. The author did an amazing job in writing about a modern Rwanda without denying its roots. 6. The leading character is somehow hilarious; she tells her story in way you never get tired of either her or other characters in the book. This makes the book more enjoyable to read. So, what is the book about? TRACING THE CRACKS is a historical fiction story narrated by a nameless character, a girl in her mid-20s and it navigates around trauma, family, love and healing. The 1994 genocide against the Tutsi has affected Rwanda in ways we could never imagine. The survivors were left with unimaginable wounds and they heal each and every day. Children who were born from them didn’t see the genocide with their eyes but they have heard it with their ears, they carry the genes that were once hunted, frightened and almost killed or killed. They watch their elders struggling with painful memories and in one way or another these children inherit trauma, a different kind of trauma: an intergenerational trauma. This is mainly what the book is about, the unnamed character tells a story of how broken she was due to growing seeing her mum struggle with healing her wounds. She thought that this issue was unique to their family because other people seemed happy and lively. Surprisingly, when she gets to know them deeper she discovers that they are also struggling, everyone is trying to trace the cracks in their story, a story that is shared by many. There is also a love story going on. The book highlights how heartbreaking it can be to see such a beautiful love story being threatened by history. In summary TRACING THE CRACKS is an amazingly written fictional story on intergeneration trauma. The author tackles the struggles that the generation raised after 1994 genocide encounters. She also open up on how it feels to grow in a country that is trying to rebuild its infrastructures and to heal the hearts of its people. One thing that this book made me realize is that the after genocide generation did not only inherit the traumas but also the strength, strength of their elders who have seen hell with their own eyes but still choose to believe in heaven. people who chose to hope, to love and to celebrate life one day at a time. I highly recommend TRACING THE CRACKS to any Rwandan who is somewhere in his/her twenties or early thirties.
14 Comments
Anne
6/17/2021 14:01:43
we were missing your writings and I am really glad that you came back with this book review. keep it up. I'm your number one fan.
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Ishyapluma
6/18/2021 07:31:02
Thank you so much for your support. N°uno fan.
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Jen
6/17/2021 14:20:25
Thanks for the job well done Denyse.
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Ishyapluma
6/18/2021 07:32:08
U're very welcome Jen
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Deo
6/17/2021 14:36:59
Thank you Denyse,
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Ishyapluma
6/18/2021 07:35:17
Thank u so much Deo.
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A
6/17/2021 15:26:56
I wld lk to hear more abt the love story going on😜😜😜😜😜😜😜😍😍😍😍😍😍😍😍
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Ishyapluma
6/18/2021 07:36:12
Go grab a copy😜
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Kantarama Blandine
6/17/2021 22:59:00
I have to read that book
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Ishyapluma
6/18/2021 07:37:19
You surely have to, Blandi.
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Lyne
6/17/2021 23:36:09
Such a harmonic way to prompt us into wanting to read it
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Ishyapluma
6/18/2021 07:38:59
You will thank me later😃
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GAMI
6/18/2021 19:18:16
I have to read this book. Thanks for the review
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Who's behind the blogHello I am Denyse INEZA
My blog's name "ishyapluma" is made of two words ishya and pluma. Ishya from my mother tongue(kinyarwanda)means prosperity and pluma is a Spanish word for pen. Being very introverted, I started blogging because I was so inside my head and I needed a way to get out of it. later on it became a way of reaching out to my audience. I now write to influence, to inspire and to give hope for a prosperous future to me as well as to everyone reading this blog. I write to heal. Welcome to Ishyapluma! Contact: +250784266072 Archives
June 2021
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