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Digging Stars
Blending drama and satire while examining the complexities of colonialism, racism, and what it means to be American, Digging Stars probes the emotional universes of love, friendship, family, and nationhood.
With admission to The Program, an elite interdisciplinary graduate cohort at the forefront of astronomy and technology, Rosa’s dreams are finally within reach. Her research into the cosmos follows in the footsteps of her astronomer father’s revolutionary work in Bantu geometries and Indigenous astronomies. A bona fide genius, he transformed the scientific landscape by fusing the best of Western and Indigenous scientific thought. Yet since his death during her childhood, Rosa has been plagued by anxiety attacks she dubs “The Terrors”—and by unresolved questions about her father’s life. Who is his mysterious friend Mr. C? Who was her father, really?
Ambitious, hungry for success, and determined to soar, Rosa joins the ranks of America’s smartest. Her cohort of talented Fellows includes Shaniqua, her roommate, who is analyzing melanin molecules and their capacity to conduct electricity; Richard, an expert in quantum mechanics; Mausi, studying Indigenous American scientific thought; and Péralte, Rosa’s estranged stepbrother whose obsessive videogaming has inspired him to become a programmer. Her classmates challenge Rosa’s understanding of identity, personhood, the ethics of technology, and, most painfully, her adulation of her father, whose legacy is more complicated than it appears.
Digging Stars is a paean to the cosmos and a celebration of the democratic spirit of knowledge. Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s characters explode the rigid matrices of the academy to prove that science, art, technology, and history are all planets orbiting the same sun.
With admission to The Program, an elite interdisciplinary graduate cohort at the forefront of astronomy and technology, Rosa’s dreams are finally within reach. Her research into the cosmos follows in the footsteps of her astronomer father’s revolutionary work in Bantu geometries and Indigenous astronomies. A bona fide genius, he transformed the scientific landscape by fusing the best of Western and Indigenous scientific thought. Yet since his death during her childhood, Rosa has been plagued by anxiety attacks she dubs “The Terrors”—and by unresolved questions about her father’s life. Who is his mysterious friend Mr. C? Who was her father, really?
Ambitious, hungry for success, and determined to soar, Rosa joins the ranks of America’s smartest. Her cohort of talented Fellows includes Shaniqua, her roommate, who is analyzing melanin molecules and their capacity to conduct electricity; Richard, an expert in quantum mechanics; Mausi, studying Indigenous American scientific thought; and Péralte, Rosa’s estranged stepbrother whose obsessive videogaming has inspired him to become a programmer. Her classmates challenge Rosa’s understanding of identity, personhood, the ethics of technology, and, most painfully, her adulation of her father, whose legacy is more complicated than it appears.
Digging Stars is a paean to the cosmos and a celebration of the democratic spirit of knowledge. Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s characters explode the rigid matrices of the academy to prove that science, art, technology, and history are all planets orbiting the same sun.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published September 12, 2023
18 people are currently reading
3368 people want to read
About the author
Novuyo Rosa Tshuma
9 books118 followersNovuyo Rosa Tshuma (born 28 January 1988) is a Zimbabwean writer. She is best known for her 2013 debut collection titled Shadows, a novella and short story book.
Tshuma was born and grew up in Bulawayo, a major city in Zimbabwe. She completed her high-school education at Girls' College, Bulawayo; where she studied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and French for her A Levels. She is an alumna of the University of Witwatersrand, where she studied Economics and Finance. In 2009, her short story You in Paradise won the Intwasa Short Story Competition (now Yvonne Vera Award) for short fiction before she shot to recognition in 2013 following the release of her collection Shadows, which was published by Kwela Books. Shadows was nominated at the 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature and also won the Herman Charles Bosman Prize. In 2014, Tshuma was enlisted as part of Africa39, a collaborative project by Hay Festival and Rainbow Book Club, which recognises top writers from Africa under the age of 40. A one-time Magtag Fellow at the MFA Creative Writing Programme at the University of Iowa, Tshuma is presently pursuing her PhD at the University of Houston's Literature & Creative Writing Programme
Tshuma was born and grew up in Bulawayo, a major city in Zimbabwe. She completed her high-school education at Girls' College, Bulawayo; where she studied Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and French for her A Levels. She is an alumna of the University of Witwatersrand, where she studied Economics and Finance. In 2009, her short story You in Paradise won the Intwasa Short Story Competition (now Yvonne Vera Award) for short fiction before she shot to recognition in 2013 following the release of her collection Shadows, which was published by Kwela Books. Shadows was nominated at the 2014 Etisalat Prize for Literature and also won the Herman Charles Bosman Prize. In 2014, Tshuma was enlisted as part of Africa39, a collaborative project by Hay Festival and Rainbow Book Club, which recognises top writers from Africa under the age of 40. A one-time Magtag Fellow at the MFA Creative Writing Programme at the University of Iowa, Tshuma is presently pursuing her PhD at the University of Houston's Literature & Creative Writing Programme
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 52 reviews
July 8, 2025
This novel is such a pleasure to read!
The story, in brief:
The young, Zimbabwe-born narrator, Athandwa, has idealized both her astronomer-father and the US ever since she spent two weeks staying with him in NY when she was 11 years old. Now, 13 years later, her father has died, and Athandwa has been invited to join an elite and eclectic cohort of grad students--mostly scientists -- in the US Midwest, at an institute funded by a charismatic if probably sleazy tech-bro zillionaire who'd once walked in space with her father as space tourists. But if Athandwa's eyes need opening, the one place where they are seriously and honestly glued is to the telescope her father gave her.
As a novel:
The author amazingly creates a rich galaxy (in-joke intended) of fully drawn characters without resorting to cliches or repetition. They constantly surprise me.
Athandwa, for instance, is socially awkward, ambitious, gabby, smart, naive, and very candidly hungry and chubby, all at once. Another member of the cohort, Rick, mixes his clueless white privilege with a Midwestern gawkiness and genuine love of science. If it's hard to believe that Athandwa doesn't realize she and a third student, Peralte, have the hots for each other, it's lovely to watch her mixed feelings of admiration, connection, and jealousy toward him, tracing back to that two-week stay in NY, when Peralte and his mother were living with Athandwa's father.
The plot twists, too, surprised me.
And beyond that:
I love how this novel showed me so many different ways of viewing the world--with and without a telescope. The diverse cohort of grad students study the same planets and stars via different names and cultural origin stories. (At one point, Athandwa, her Black-Choctaw roommate Shaniqua, and Peralte --whose mother is Haitian--start to design a video game that will build an Earth-like planet using the varieties of human mythology.)
Mixed in with the stars are all-too-everyday stories of racism, corruption, and brutality, from the US South to Zimbabwe to Haiti. Here, the novel risks cliche, but the students' honesty saves it.
One of my favorite lines (albeit in the midst of a terrifying story of being stopped for driving while Black) comes when one character describes a small Southern town "with a Confederate flag draped across every porch."
Athandwa asks: "What's a Confederate fla--"
Now that is the most wonderful eye-opener of all.
The story, in brief:
The young, Zimbabwe-born narrator, Athandwa, has idealized both her astronomer-father and the US ever since she spent two weeks staying with him in NY when she was 11 years old. Now, 13 years later, her father has died, and Athandwa has been invited to join an elite and eclectic cohort of grad students--mostly scientists -- in the US Midwest, at an institute funded by a charismatic if probably sleazy tech-bro zillionaire who'd once walked in space with her father as space tourists. But if Athandwa's eyes need opening, the one place where they are seriously and honestly glued is to the telescope her father gave her.
As a novel:
The author amazingly creates a rich galaxy (in-joke intended) of fully drawn characters without resorting to cliches or repetition. They constantly surprise me.
Athandwa, for instance, is socially awkward, ambitious, gabby, smart, naive, and very candidly hungry and chubby, all at once. Another member of the cohort, Rick, mixes his clueless white privilege with a Midwestern gawkiness and genuine love of science. If it's hard to believe that Athandwa doesn't realize she and a third student, Peralte, have the hots for each other, it's lovely to watch her mixed feelings of admiration, connection, and jealousy toward him, tracing back to that two-week stay in NY, when Peralte and his mother were living with Athandwa's father.
The plot twists, too, surprised me.
And beyond that:
I love how this novel showed me so many different ways of viewing the world--with and without a telescope. The diverse cohort of grad students study the same planets and stars via different names and cultural origin stories. (At one point, Athandwa, her Black-Choctaw roommate Shaniqua, and Peralte --whose mother is Haitian--start to design a video game that will build an Earth-like planet using the varieties of human mythology.)
Mixed in with the stars are all-too-everyday stories of racism, corruption, and brutality, from the US South to Zimbabwe to Haiti. Here, the novel risks cliche, but the students' honesty saves it.
One of my favorite lines (albeit in the midst of a terrifying story of being stopped for driving while Black) comes when one character describes a small Southern town "with a Confederate flag draped across every porch."
Athandwa asks: "What's a Confederate fla--"
Now that is the most wonderful eye-opener of all.
July 28, 2023
The narrative of this book is unique. There's not a standard plot, and it instead resembles real life, which I enjoyed. I think my biggest critique of this book is that I wanted more detailed. At the end, I had so many more questions about The Program, Thomas Long, the details of everyone's projects within The Program, Peralte, and Athandwa, herself. I really enjoyed reading about the different cultures' scientific study. The ending of this book was perfectly written; the character development in the last 20 pages was very satisfying. I would be interested in reading a sequel!
Thank you to Novuyo Rosa Tshuma and NetGalley for the ARC!
Thank you to Novuyo Rosa Tshuma and NetGalley for the ARC!
July 21, 2023
I felt like I was reading a memoir, the characters were so very real. The writing was beautiful and hooked me immediately. This story is going to stay with me a long time.
September 10, 2023
Pulling off a sophomore book is a difficult thing, and this is why: your readers will likely not be pleased if you take a different direction from your debut. And this is probably why I’m both disappointed and intrigued. I loved Tshuma’s first novel, and recommended it to everyone everywhere—because it was the first time I had read a novel based wholly around the 1980s democide in Zimbabwe’s Matabeleland province, and so beautifully done, too. In Digging Stars, Tshuma tries her hand at something I hesitantly define as Afro- or Africanfuturism—difficult, because the book is actually set in the recent past, as far as I can tell, and because Afro genres are notoriously hard to pin down.
I enjoyed some aspects of Digging Stars. It dares to imagine a Ndebele man who’s been to Space, who dreams of stars and new worlds and Bantu geometries—to the exclusion, unfortunately, of the woman and daughter who love him. Rosa chases her father through time and space, even after his death, until she must confront who he really was, and who she has been as a result. All of this is lovely, and new to Zimbabwean literature, which is excellent. However, I could not like Rosa for most of the book, could not even find her compelling, and found that none of the other characters could really fill up the rest of the novel.
So, then, this is a tale of the two strands making up the DNA of this novel: the dreaming up of new worlds, which is truly enchanting; and then the story of daughterhood and dislocation, which is far less persuasive. I finally connected with Rosa at the very end of the book (when you read it you’ll know why), which is when we get real insight into her interiority. This is unfortunate, as this is primarily a character-driven novel.
On a more cheery note: Bulawayo readers will enjoy, as we always do, reminders of our hometown (now truly famous in literature). And Zimbabweans will find that many of Rosa’s experiences will resonate with them.
Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and to Edelweiss for access to this DRC.
I enjoyed some aspects of Digging Stars. It dares to imagine a Ndebele man who’s been to Space, who dreams of stars and new worlds and Bantu geometries—to the exclusion, unfortunately, of the woman and daughter who love him. Rosa chases her father through time and space, even after his death, until she must confront who he really was, and who she has been as a result. All of this is lovely, and new to Zimbabwean literature, which is excellent. However, I could not like Rosa for most of the book, could not even find her compelling, and found that none of the other characters could really fill up the rest of the novel.
So, then, this is a tale of the two strands making up the DNA of this novel: the dreaming up of new worlds, which is truly enchanting; and then the story of daughterhood and dislocation, which is far less persuasive. I finally connected with Rosa at the very end of the book (when you read it you’ll know why), which is when we get real insight into her interiority. This is unfortunate, as this is primarily a character-driven novel.
On a more cheery note: Bulawayo readers will enjoy, as we always do, reminders of our hometown (now truly famous in literature). And Zimbabweans will find that many of Rosa’s experiences will resonate with them.
Thank you to W. W. Norton & Company and to Edelweiss for access to this DRC.
July 6, 2023
"Digging Stars" checks off everything I want in a work of fiction! Compelling characters! A story that holds my interest from page one! Intellectual elements including lots of science and history! Drama! Love!
The author, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma deftly weaves words into an intricate narrative that instantly captures your mind and your heart. We first meet Athandwa when she is a child of eleven and we follow her into her early twenties. We join her in her journey from Zimbabwe to America, as she grows and learns and desires and struggles, and finally faces reality and the truth of the illusions she has clung to thus far in her life. The supporting cast is diverse and I choose not to reveal more than the bare minimum of details because the personalities and events deserve to be discovered like valuable hidden treasure by you, the reader!!
We learn about the horrors and slings and arrows humans can inflict upon one another and also the hopes of the current generation to surmount our past mistakes. I was so sorry to turn the last page and close this book. I wish it could have been longer. I am hoping for a sequel! I look forward to reading more by Tshuma and I thank Book Browse for introducing me to a writer I might never have discovered on my own.
The author, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma deftly weaves words into an intricate narrative that instantly captures your mind and your heart. We first meet Athandwa when she is a child of eleven and we follow her into her early twenties. We join her in her journey from Zimbabwe to America, as she grows and learns and desires and struggles, and finally faces reality and the truth of the illusions she has clung to thus far in her life. The supporting cast is diverse and I choose not to reveal more than the bare minimum of details because the personalities and events deserve to be discovered like valuable hidden treasure by you, the reader!!
We learn about the horrors and slings and arrows humans can inflict upon one another and also the hopes of the current generation to surmount our past mistakes. I was so sorry to turn the last page and close this book. I wish it could have been longer. I am hoping for a sequel! I look forward to reading more by Tshuma and I thank Book Browse for introducing me to a writer I might never have discovered on my own.
Read
June 28, 2024‘Digging Stars’ is Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s second novel, following her critically acclaimed debut ‘House of Stone’. The story begins with preteen Athandwa from Bulawayo (Zimbabwe) visiting her father Frank in New York (United States). Her parents were separate by Frank’s pursuit of the American dream. In Athandwa’s eyes, Frank lives an idealistic life, engrossed in his astronomical research and a flourishing career. Athandwa’s journey is about her pursuit of getting closer to her father whilst exploring the vast universe in the stars.
Tshuma is undoubtedly a gifted writer but this narrative was too abstract, in a way that left the story feeling hollow. There are aspects which I find fascinating such as the exploration of Bantu geometry, isiLimela, and indigenous knowledge systems. But there is something missing in the construction of the story. Tshuma explores themes such as Blackness is differing social contexts, grief, migration, and political intrigue which while certainly intriguing, fell short of keeping me engaged as a reader. A part of me feels ‘Digging Stars’ reads better as a Young Adult novel, probably better appreciated by a reader in that age group. I would recommend Digging Stars for readers interested in astronomy and space exploration, with shades of afrofuturism in its daring to imagine.
Thank you to the author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma for facilitating a donation of copies of ‘Digging Stars’ to Harare Book Club for our June 2024 book discussion.
Tshuma is undoubtedly a gifted writer but this narrative was too abstract, in a way that left the story feeling hollow. There are aspects which I find fascinating such as the exploration of Bantu geometry, isiLimela, and indigenous knowledge systems. But there is something missing in the construction of the story. Tshuma explores themes such as Blackness is differing social contexts, grief, migration, and political intrigue which while certainly intriguing, fell short of keeping me engaged as a reader. A part of me feels ‘Digging Stars’ reads better as a Young Adult novel, probably better appreciated by a reader in that age group. I would recommend Digging Stars for readers interested in astronomy and space exploration, with shades of afrofuturism in its daring to imagine.
Thank you to the author Novuyo Rosa Tshuma for facilitating a donation of copies of ‘Digging Stars’ to Harare Book Club for our June 2024 book discussion.
March 20, 2025
i've been losing my mind grappling with whether or not i enjoyed this book. i think i did??? it was absolutely beautifully written. and there is a lot of really interesting topics explored here. i just think the plot, especially in the second half, was a bit??????? confusing, maybe? underdeveloped? the whole deal with the program and thomas long and Mr. C and whatever the other company was, like. i wish we spent more time figuring out what all that was and less time with athandwa and peralte's weird relationship. also i loooove a good story that crushes the myth of the American dream and good god i wish this story could've destroyed it completely but I'll take what i was given. i thought the conversation about being black in America vs being black in Zimbabwe was sooooo huge
February 5, 2024
I'm torn on this one - the author can clearly write beautiful sentences, definitely 4 stars for that. I just never could really like the petulant main character - and maybe that's not fair, we all have our flaws - but she never seemed to really develop despite the passage of time and I got to the end wondering if anything moved forward at all. I really wanted to like it more, as a story about a woman in science world, but it didn't seem to really go deeper when I wanted it to, so 3 stars for the story itself. I just kind of felt empty-handed at the end, despite enjoying the sentences themselves.
May 17, 2025
CW: death of a parent, grief, police brutality, racism, car accident, slurs, mental illness, (mentions of) colonialism, religious bigotry/religious healing (rather than medical care)
I received this book for free via Goodreads giveaway (like two years ago whoops). This has in no way impacted my final review.
A very interesting character study of a unique woman coming to terms with what it means to be an immigrant, to be a scientist, and to be the daughter of a father she only knew as a young child.
More meandering than my usual taste, but it definitely held my interest to the end!
Not actually a spoiler, but not necessarily relevant to the rest of the review -->
I received this book for free via Goodreads giveaway (like two years ago whoops). This has in no way impacted my final review.
A very interesting character study of a unique woman coming to terms with what it means to be an immigrant, to be a scientist, and to be the daughter of a father she only knew as a young child.
More meandering than my usual taste, but it definitely held my interest to the end!
Not actually a spoiler, but not necessarily relevant to the rest of the review -->
July 26, 2025
This was supposed to be 5 stars, the premise and the start were so intriguing. I know a well written child of divorce when I see one, but I don't recall when the second half of any book got me so genuinely angry so I wrote all of this:). Every self sabotaging action of the main character made perfect sense for her specific circumstances and felt so real (given it was part autobiographical), but then it all just fell out the window with the unrealistic dialogues, disregarding the side characters, completely revolting and unnecessary relationship with Peralte and kind of deus ex machina salvation in a form of a mental institution?? If it was longer I believe it could have been so much better and the pacing would be more believeable, in the end things that were so obvious were explained in detail while other aspects were discarded and never mentioned again. The ending was sudden and not really well rounded .
Thought it was worth finishing it (after many months) because the first half was so raw and depicted the forever unsaid parts of anger, jelaousy, delusion and grief so well. It was honest and not performative, full of potential.
Thought it was worth finishing it (after many months) because the first half was so raw and depicted the forever unsaid parts of anger, jelaousy, delusion and grief so well. It was honest and not performative, full of potential.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 11, 2023
A beautiful story about growing up, being an immigrant, and loving the stars told in a way that feels more like a memoir than a novel (which is a compliment, not a slight). The characters all felt very real and their feelings/experiences felt more authentic due to the story being told this way. I wish there'd been a bit more about stars/the science aspect but I figured out early on that it would be more about life on Earth rather than her love of space, I accepted it and went along for the ride.
November 19, 2023
I really enjoyed this. It has some similar elements as Babel (talented students share indigenous/non-western knowledge at the behest of an empire; tension ensues) while still being a coming-of-age story at heart. Rosa struggles to balance her own identity, the fantasy of her father and America, and the corporate resources she’ll need to pursue her intellectual dreams. There’s a lot in here but it all works well.
June 15, 2025
Western astronomy vs. Indigenous astronomy. We know more about the former. Colonizers made sure of that. Yet, as one characters says, “There was a time when the skies belonged to all humankind.”
November 26, 2023
I was excited for this one, but unfortunately, I found it to be a mess. The synopsis is very compelling (what is Indigenous astrology, I was looking forward to learning about it). However, the pace of this novel refused any kind of deep interrogation of any of its themes. Shifting from childhood trauma to a kind of boarding school drama to a left-field portrait of mental illness, this book had too much on its mind. I wish Tshuma had pulled back a bit, or perhaps I would have liked the novel if it was longer. Great ideas cannot save this messy novel.
November 28, 2023
DNF, well, I skimmed the second half to make sure i wasn’t missing anything. Beautiful prose, but no storyline. It’s a teaser on indigenous astronomy and other types of non-Western knowledge (which I was interested in!) and a very vague, undeveloped “mystery” about the narrator’s family of origin (which I was not interested in). More allegory than novel, there were many tiny accounts of micro and macro aggressions on the basis of race and national origin, none of which were fleshed out and none of which made me feel anything. 2 stars for prose, but barely.
May 11, 2024
I loved Novuyo Rosa Tshuma’s debut “House of Stone,” a masterfully written historical novel about young lovers caught up in the Zimbabwean civil war and the effects of its aftermath on future generations. Sadly, “Digging for Stars” did not live up to my expectations for a follow-up. The premise struck me as unnecessarily far-fetched, the characters were annoying, and somewhere along the way I lost the thread of what the point was. I finished it but it was a slog. Three stars because Tshuma’s prose continues to be outstanding. I will be checking out work #3!
December 17, 2024
Novuyo Tshuma is a prolific writer. I am awed by the way she uses language to express the beauty of the infinite cosmos. I am impressed by how she eloquently explores complex topics without losing a grip of what the story is really about. Grief, science, and colonialism are the topics that hold the story together.
January 6, 2024
This is very good, and would be an excellent book club read. I binge-read the first 3/4 or so, totally enthralled, then ended up putting it down for a bit when I finally accepted that an uncomfortable romantic/sexual relationship between two characters was inevitable. Ugh.
Otherwise, I really liked this! Very funny, and I loved the writing style being both straightforward (especially in Part 1, when the main character is a child) and artsy/literary with all the themes and threads. REALLY enjoyed the many space references; lots of beautiful moments of awe and wonder, from the main character lovingly scketching the moon to a killer dream sequence of the main character exploring Jupiter with her deceased father. The depiction of an adult reflecting on/missing/trying to understand a parent who died when they were young was very well done. The dialog is written very well, and the (albeit brief) portrayal of a grad student seminar was great.
I also learned a lot about Zimbabwe, and the exploration of being Black in the US vs. being "Black" in Zimbabwe was very interesting. All the many intellectual threads in this novel (e.g., colonialism in academia, oppression in industry using astronomy/physics research for military and commercial gain) didn't neatly come together here, but I don't think they needed to neatly come together -- this novel was a beautiful, sometimes intellectually challenging swirling of all these heady topics, often told in a straightforward and funny way. Thoughtful, layered representation of cross-cultural understandings/experiences of depression and cognitive concerns, too.
It was a bit strange that, while the character was supposedly really interested in her research, and while her (and other characters') research was purportedly a big deal, there's almost no scenes dedicated to the main character's formal projects? Also, there's a big secret that was both predictable and ended up just getting dumped. Relatedly, the end is paced well, so didn't feel sudden, but it also just sort of abandoned a lot of secondary characters and plot threads. Bummer there.
Otherwise, I really liked this! Very funny, and I loved the writing style being both straightforward (especially in Part 1, when the main character is a child) and artsy/literary with all the themes and threads. REALLY enjoyed the many space references; lots of beautiful moments of awe and wonder, from the main character lovingly scketching the moon to a killer dream sequence of the main character exploring Jupiter with her deceased father. The depiction of an adult reflecting on/missing/trying to understand a parent who died when they were young was very well done. The dialog is written very well, and the (albeit brief) portrayal of a grad student seminar was great.
I also learned a lot about Zimbabwe, and the exploration of being Black in the US vs. being "Black" in Zimbabwe was very interesting. All the many intellectual threads in this novel (e.g., colonialism in academia, oppression in industry using astronomy/physics research for military and commercial gain) didn't neatly come together here, but I don't think they needed to neatly come together -- this novel was a beautiful, sometimes intellectually challenging swirling of all these heady topics, often told in a straightforward and funny way. Thoughtful, layered representation of cross-cultural understandings/experiences of depression and cognitive concerns, too.
It was a bit strange that, while the character was supposedly really interested in her research, and while her (and other characters') research was purportedly a big deal, there's almost no scenes dedicated to the main character's formal projects? Also, there's a big secret that was both predictable and ended up just getting dumped. Relatedly, the end is paced well, so didn't feel sudden, but it also just sort of abandoned a lot of secondary characters and plot threads. Bummer there.
April 2, 2024
When I was in elementary school, I remember learning about Mount Everest and Edumund Hillary, the first man to climb it.
I remember thinking it was miraculous that one man could climb a mountain by himself, until my teacher informed me that no, he had the help of sherpas. My mind caught on that word; I was amazed with the idea of a community that lived in the Himalayas. And I knew, intrinsically, that they had reached the peak long before Hillary and the British knew Everest even existed.
To my young mind, it was logical - these people lived in the shadow of that peak for centuries. Of course someone had touched it, and they had done so long before it was christened 'Everest' by Europe. I was never taught its original name as a child, but I had enough sense to know that 'Everest' was not a Nepalese or Tibetan name. Denying that the locals had climbed it was just arrogance or racism. It was assuming an entire group of people were too simple or helpless to strive for something impossible.
I remember, later, answering 'sherpas' on a test and getting it wrong. My teacher dismissed my concerns, and at the time I lacked the means to articulate the injustice I felt or the unease that stayed with me after I left that class.
This book - in its reflections on Bantu geometries and indigenous african astronomies, in its protagonist's journey from an impoverished childhood in inflation-afflicted Zimbabwe to America at the peak of its tech boom, and in the reveal of its own Jeff Bezos-esque villain - surfaces so many considerations about the ethics of succeeding in the post-colonial world.
I really like when a book explores ambitious themes, and I'm particularly fond of Digging Stars because it was able to beautifully articulate the horrific realization that I had as a child:
There is a stark difference between the history that honors humanity and the history that is peddled by the Euro-Centric narrative. To be truly knowledgeable, you must learn this double-think, to seek out the comprehensive history and parrot the taught one. And that if you wish to succeed in today's world, you must show everyone how strongly you buy into the latter.
I remember thinking it was miraculous that one man could climb a mountain by himself, until my teacher informed me that no, he had the help of sherpas. My mind caught on that word; I was amazed with the idea of a community that lived in the Himalayas. And I knew, intrinsically, that they had reached the peak long before Hillary and the British knew Everest even existed.
To my young mind, it was logical - these people lived in the shadow of that peak for centuries. Of course someone had touched it, and they had done so long before it was christened 'Everest' by Europe. I was never taught its original name as a child, but I had enough sense to know that 'Everest' was not a Nepalese or Tibetan name. Denying that the locals had climbed it was just arrogance or racism. It was assuming an entire group of people were too simple or helpless to strive for something impossible.
I remember, later, answering 'sherpas' on a test and getting it wrong. My teacher dismissed my concerns, and at the time I lacked the means to articulate the injustice I felt or the unease that stayed with me after I left that class.
This book - in its reflections on Bantu geometries and indigenous african astronomies, in its protagonist's journey from an impoverished childhood in inflation-afflicted Zimbabwe to America at the peak of its tech boom, and in the reveal of its own Jeff Bezos-esque villain - surfaces so many considerations about the ethics of succeeding in the post-colonial world.
I really like when a book explores ambitious themes, and I'm particularly fond of Digging Stars because it was able to beautifully articulate the horrific realization that I had as a child:
There is a stark difference between the history that honors humanity and the history that is peddled by the Euro-Centric narrative. To be truly knowledgeable, you must learn this double-think, to seek out the comprehensive history and parrot the taught one. And that if you wish to succeed in today's world, you must show everyone how strongly you buy into the latter.
August 13, 2023
I enjoyed reading this science novel about a father-daughter relationship. It was very smart and heartfelt. The author is witty and has excellent command of the English language. I found myself rereading passages where Athandwa contemplates the stars as a way to get closer to her astronomer father. They were breath taking. I also found myself researching the astronomy in the book. The planets and the moon are referred to with their indigenous names and called “she” rather than “it,” which made them feel like characters in the novel.
The book also explores history and conquest. I didn’t know the reserves in the settler colonies in Africa were based on the North American reservations. Native history is interlaced throughout the story, which I thought was beautiful and very brave. The author asks thought -provoking questions about the history and future of astronomy. I loved how Native characters in the novel engage with science.
This also read like a campus novel and reminded me of Donna Tart’s The Secret History—it’s set in an elite science graduate program. Two of the students in the class are white, one from a small town in the Midwest and the other from San Franscisco, and the other students are Hopi, Afro-Choctaw, Haitian-American, Indian (the country) and African. They are all studying science. Fans of Richard Powers’ books will enjoy this, it’s a smart and thought-provoking novel with a compelling cast of characters grappling with science and history. I look forward to reading more by this author.
The book also explores history and conquest. I didn’t know the reserves in the settler colonies in Africa were based on the North American reservations. Native history is interlaced throughout the story, which I thought was beautiful and very brave. The author asks thought -provoking questions about the history and future of astronomy. I loved how Native characters in the novel engage with science.
This also read like a campus novel and reminded me of Donna Tart’s The Secret History—it’s set in an elite science graduate program. Two of the students in the class are white, one from a small town in the Midwest and the other from San Franscisco, and the other students are Hopi, Afro-Choctaw, Haitian-American, Indian (the country) and African. They are all studying science. Fans of Richard Powers’ books will enjoy this, it’s a smart and thought-provoking novel with a compelling cast of characters grappling with science and history. I look forward to reading more by this author.
November 24, 2023
Unfortunately, this title disappeared from my bookshelf before I'd actually finished it. However, I was more than 75% finished, so feel like I can give an overall review of the book.
I thought the story was creative and original. I loved the rhetoric. Her descriptive passages all included lunar, or scientific, or star-related vocabulary which made them unique and appropriate. These portions also came across very lyrical.
I loved the narrator's voice. Her tone is mellifluous and lulling, but not to the point of making you sleepy. Just enough to pull you into the narrative and make you feel like she was telling you, and you alone, the story.
I like the main character, but her relationships were all very surface-level - I just kept wanting more, so the other characters weren't that interesting. I really awnted to like Peralte!
I appreciated the weaving together of the history, the racism - overt and subverted, the descriptions of places I previously knew nothing about. But, again, it was all little nuggets and no deep-dives. I rarely think a book is too short, but that might be the case in this one.
I'm slightly curious to find out the mysteries behind the Program and Mr. C, and vaguely curious about her relationship with Peralte... but not enough to run out and get the book. Eventually, I probably will, but for now. I'm glad I enjoyed what I read and don't feel at all like I'm missing out by not finishing the story... and that probably says a lot.
Thank you to NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.
I thought the story was creative and original. I loved the rhetoric. Her descriptive passages all included lunar, or scientific, or star-related vocabulary which made them unique and appropriate. These portions also came across very lyrical.
I loved the narrator's voice. Her tone is mellifluous and lulling, but not to the point of making you sleepy. Just enough to pull you into the narrative and make you feel like she was telling you, and you alone, the story.
I like the main character, but her relationships were all very surface-level - I just kept wanting more, so the other characters weren't that interesting. I really awnted to like Peralte!
I appreciated the weaving together of the history, the racism - overt and subverted, the descriptions of places I previously knew nothing about. But, again, it was all little nuggets and no deep-dives. I rarely think a book is too short, but that might be the case in this one.
I'm slightly curious to find out the mysteries behind the Program and Mr. C, and vaguely curious about her relationship with Peralte... but not enough to run out and get the book. Eventually, I probably will, but for now. I'm glad I enjoyed what I read and don't feel at all like I'm missing out by not finishing the story... and that probably says a lot.
Thank you to NetGalley and High Bridge Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest opinions.
July 8, 2024
I found the irony of the character's bias and personal dramas in contrast to their scientific quests interesting. The narrator called Rosa by those who won't learn how to see her real name is thought to be a little naive by her two best friends. They say she doesn't understand what it means to be black in America and seem to think she is lucky to be African which indicates their own preconceived ideas of what it's like to live in an African country. 'Rosa' tells them, 'it's not like that' but they don't hear her. Meanwhile 'Rosa' holds on to a deep-seated idealized version of her Father that colours everything about her life .... her relationships and her work .... even her solitary inner life and nighttime dreams. The three of them are immersed in the science/tech savvy world of The Program which can sharply contrast but then be enhanced by more indigenous (Bantu) knowledge.
So the three young adults/students figure their ways through friendships and family while trying to figure out their career ambitions .... like a lot of books .... but this one is unique because of the author. And that's very apparent by the title which refers to the name given to the stars making up Orion's belt. The author gives us (white westerners) a different frame of reference that makes the milky way even more beautiful.
So the three young adults/students figure their ways through friendships and family while trying to figure out their career ambitions .... like a lot of books .... but this one is unique because of the author. And that's very apparent by the title which refers to the name given to the stars making up Orion's belt. The author gives us (white westerners) a different frame of reference that makes the milky way even more beautiful.
October 24, 2025
A beautifully written book exploring some fascinating and important themes such the intersection between science and indigenous knowledge. The conversations about being Black in America versus being Black in Zimbabwe were particularly thought-provoking.
That said, I struggled with the story itself. The main character often felt grouchy and static, and despite the passage of time, she never really seemed to grow or change. I wanted to like her more, but I ended up feeling disconnected. The plot, especially in the second half, also felt a bit underdeveloped. The whole storyline with the program, Thomas Long, Mr. C, and the father’s work for the military was intriguing but never fully explained. I wished the book had spent more time unraveling those threads and less time on some of the less compelling relationships.
Still, I loved how the book tackled the myth of the American dream and offered such rich insights into identity and belonging. the story could have gone deeper and tied everything together more cohesively. In the end, I felt a bit empty-handed and wanting more from the plot and characters.
That said, I struggled with the story itself. The main character often felt grouchy and static, and despite the passage of time, she never really seemed to grow or change. I wanted to like her more, but I ended up feeling disconnected. The plot, especially in the second half, also felt a bit underdeveloped. The whole storyline with the program, Thomas Long, Mr. C, and the father’s work for the military was intriguing but never fully explained. I wished the book had spent more time unraveling those threads and less time on some of the less compelling relationships.
Still, I loved how the book tackled the myth of the American dream and offered such rich insights into identity and belonging. the story could have gone deeper and tied everything together more cohesively. In the end, I felt a bit empty-handed and wanting more from the plot and characters.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 28, 2023
I really enjoyed this story about a young woman who comes to realize hard truths about the parent she's idolized her whole life. It's one of those stories where you can see the reality of the situation before she can, because you know how hard it is for someone to see and admit certain truths to themselves. Because we all do it. And it's heartbreaking. But it's essential for us to see those realities, even if they break our own hearts, because we can live fuller, braver lives that way.
I wasn't convinced of the protagonist's romance and felt the book might have been stronger without it. I also found myself wishing for a few more interactions with the rest of the students in The Program, because they are rendered so wryly. Despite being secondary characters, they felt very real to me and I laughed out loud at some of their interactions. I desperately wanted to see more because they were so excellent. Otherwise, I found this a moving and poignant story.
[Disclosure: the author is a colleague.]
I wasn't convinced of the protagonist's romance and felt the book might have been stronger without it. I also found myself wishing for a few more interactions with the rest of the students in The Program, because they are rendered so wryly. Despite being secondary characters, they felt very real to me and I laughed out loud at some of their interactions. I desperately wanted to see more because they were so excellent. Otherwise, I found this a moving and poignant story.
[Disclosure: the author is a colleague.]
January 23, 2024
*I received an audio review copy via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
3.75
This is a short novel that tackles a lot of really interesting themes and is told almost memoir style. We first meet Athandwa as a child and we learn about her father who has moved to the U.S. leaving her and her mother in Zimbabwe. Then we jump forward to her in her twenties. Her father has died and she has been admitted to The Program. I know this is a literary work and intended to tackle themes not worldbuilding but I found myself constantly wanting to know more about The Program and the projects the students are working on, and the world that exists here.
Thematically, I liked the discussion on colonialism (both on earth and in space), being Black in America vs Zimbabwe, the symbiotic relationship between militarism and capitalism, and so much more.
I think I would have gotten more out of it if it had been a book club book, but I did enjoy this and am interested in checking out other works by this author. In the meantime, I’ll be nominating this for my next book club.
3.75
This is a short novel that tackles a lot of really interesting themes and is told almost memoir style. We first meet Athandwa as a child and we learn about her father who has moved to the U.S. leaving her and her mother in Zimbabwe. Then we jump forward to her in her twenties. Her father has died and she has been admitted to The Program. I know this is a literary work and intended to tackle themes not worldbuilding but I found myself constantly wanting to know more about The Program and the projects the students are working on, and the world that exists here.
Thematically, I liked the discussion on colonialism (both on earth and in space), being Black in America vs Zimbabwe, the symbiotic relationship between militarism and capitalism, and so much more.
I think I would have gotten more out of it if it had been a book club book, but I did enjoy this and am interested in checking out other works by this author. In the meantime, I’ll be nominating this for my next book club.
July 22, 2023
Ok. Here it goes. I think Tshuma is a good author. I do. I would have rated this book 4 stars on her ability to write compelling characters who engage the reader. Love or hate the characters, they seam so real and relatable. They show genuine emotions and act on them. However, I rate her a 2 for the scientific theme, with an overall score of a three. I have nothing against science, but in this case I felt it got in the way of a good story. The background should enhance the story, not overwhelm it.
It got to the point I had to put it down at times just to recharge my reading stamina. Really good books don’t do that for me. I can read for hours on end. I even feel bad saying that because I do think the author has talent.
With that said, thanks to the author and publisher for this giveaway. I look forward to her next book.
It got to the point I had to put it down at times just to recharge my reading stamina. Really good books don’t do that for me. I can read for hours on end. I even feel bad saying that because I do think the author has talent.
With that said, thanks to the author and publisher for this giveaway. I look forward to her next book.
September 10, 2023
Digging Stars follows the story of Athwanda as she follows in her father’s footsteps and enters The Program, moving from Zimbabwe to the United States to study the cosmos. Upon arriving in the US and meeting her classmates, many of her perceptions of the US and her father are challenged.
I thought Athwanda was a well-developed character, especially with her development towards the end of the book. However, I felt the rest of the characters fell flat and I wished there was a little more development for them, especially with Péralte and his relationship with Athwanda, which felt strained at times, but the conflict never felt fully resolved.
Overall, the book was good. I think it could have been a little longer to add in some of the pieces I felt were missing, but I enjoyed the writing and premise.
Thank you NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC.
I thought Athwanda was a well-developed character, especially with her development towards the end of the book. However, I felt the rest of the characters fell flat and I wished there was a little more development for them, especially with Péralte and his relationship with Athwanda, which felt strained at times, but the conflict never felt fully resolved.
Overall, the book was good. I think it could have been a little longer to add in some of the pieces I felt were missing, but I enjoyed the writing and premise.
Thank you NetGalley and W. W. Norton & Company for the ARC.
May 27, 2025
In "Digging Stars", Tshuma explores new ideas in a genre called Afro or Africanfuturism. The story follows a man who dreams of space and leaves his family behind. His daughter, Rosa, sets out to find him and learns important things about herself. While some parts of the book are captivating, the characters may not grab your attention completely.
Despite this, Tshuma's detailed descriptions of Bulawayo and relatable experiences for Zimbabweans add depth to the story. As the plot unfolds, Rosa's character develops, revealing her inner struggles and growth. Overall, "Digging Stars" mixes science fiction with themes of family and identity, offering a fresh and engaging perspective on Zimbabwean literature. Though it has its flaws, the book will leave you thinking long after you've finished reading.
Despite this, Tshuma's detailed descriptions of Bulawayo and relatable experiences for Zimbabweans add depth to the story. As the plot unfolds, Rosa's character develops, revealing her inner struggles and growth. Overall, "Digging Stars" mixes science fiction with themes of family and identity, offering a fresh and engaging perspective on Zimbabwean literature. Though it has its flaws, the book will leave you thinking long after you've finished reading.
September 19, 2023
Digging Stars follows Athwanda, a girl from Zimbabwe who was abandoned by her father, which left a traumatic impression on her. Tshuma writes beautifully, which kept me engaged in the story. The pacing was slow, and the book was separated into three parts. The first part follows Athwanda on a visit to America to see her father. The remaining parts of the book follow what happens to her after a tragic event, which motivates her to excel in school, get accepted into The Program, and follow in her father’s footsteps. I felt there was a lack of character development, and I just didn’t find the story all that compelling. However, the writing itself is beautiful, and I would probably read anything as eloquently written as Tshuma wrote this novel.
September 18, 2023
This is a moving story that's as much about the personal experience of immigration as it is a biting commentary on colonialism and space exploration. Half the book is from the main character's POV at 12 years old, and the second half at 24, and Tshuma does an amazing job with those two voices' similarities and differences. The science involved in the story is not hard to understand, and serves both literal and figurative purposes—who owns science, who owns the moon? The story covers brutal family drama as well as the nuances of the relationships between African, African-American, and Indigenous people in the U.S., and for me it all felt uncomfortable in the best way.
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