“Look at their happiness,” he said, unsmiling. “Like a mindless herd of beasts approaching water. We are like that, small-minded creatures misled by our ignorance. What is their excitement for? Do you know?” These were the words of Uncle Aziz, whom I could not stand because of his self-righteous pretence. Nevertheless, his words made me ponder about my happiness and that of others. Why are we so happy?
It is my first time reading a book by Adulrazak Gurnah, the 2021 Nobel Prize winner. His novel Paradise was listed for the 1994 Book Prize set in East Africa before World War I.
The story centres on a young, beautiful man from Zanzibar who leaves home at the age of 12 to become a slave for his supposed uncle, Aziz. However, Aziz is not his real uncle and takes advantage of the poor. While away, the young man meets Khalil, who becomes his friend and brother. Khalil reminds him that Aziz is not really his uncle but only holds him captive because his parents could not pay the money they owed him. Khalil understands this well because the same thing happened to him and his sister.
Gurnah’s writing is poetic. His use of language is impressive. However, I found the story to be slow-paced. It was not until halfway through the book that I could connect with the characters which is why I kept reading.
I once told a friend that I was giving up on the book, but he convinced me to finish it because I would be surprised by what I could learn from it. And he was right. The book delves into topics on colonialism, power, race, family, culture, and identity. Gurnah also explores the concepts of God and religion and their varied meanings for different people from different parts of the world. I also appreciated how he showed the similarities between East African countries and our cultures.
More book reviews: here and here.
Here are some of my favourite quotes:
Or do you think I do not know the pain of love that goes wrong? Do you think I feel nothing?
“What has love to do with age?”
“Beauty lies deep in the person, in the soul,” said Khalil. “Not just on the surface.”
“He doesn’t mind taking risks and he’s afraid of nothing. Nothing! There’s no foolishness in him because he sees the world as it is. And it is a cruel bad place.”
I recommend paradise to anyone interested in learning more about East Africa, colonialism, and our rich culture. Be patient with the story, though, as it takes some time to pick up.
Happy reading. Until next time,
Jane 🙂
