Musariri, Blessing – The Bell Bookshop

When it’s your turn for midnight

Emma — Thu, 07 Nov 2024 00:00:00 +0000

When her mama drops a bombshell, Chianti's world shatters. In Zimbabwe, bloodlines matter, so when Chianti discovers her baba is not the man she thought he was, she flees. Seeking refuge in a secluded corner of Mutare with her feisty, stylish grandmother, Ambuya Precious, Chianti finds solace in a sisterhood forged by the bonds of war. This close-knit community of women and ex-combatants are living their best lives: singing, dancing, drinking and running a successful fashion-upcycling business. But at the heart of their carefully-built world is a secret no-one can give voice to which threatens to engulf them. As Chianti pieces together the puzzle of her family's past, she wrestles with how sorrow seeps down the generations, and how hope survives all, obliging us to step up and live life to the full.

All That It Ever Meant

Emma — Thu, 06 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0000

All That It Ever Meant

All that it ever meant

Emma — Thu, 02 Nov 2023 00:00:00 +0000

When Mati and her two siblings travel from London to Zimbabwe with their father, they are forced to confront the knotty family dynamics caused by the loss of their mother. Along for the trip is Meticais, a fabulously attired gender-neutral spirit - or ghost? Or imaginary friend? - who only Mati can see and talk to. Guided by Meticais's enigmatic advice and wisdom, Mati must come to terms with her grief and with the difficulty of a life lived between two cultures, while her family learn to forge their way in a world without their monumental mother. This is distinctive, stylish, powerful writing by a vital new voice.