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Harmattan
Harmattan (from an Arabic word meaning destructive wind ) tells the story of Haoua, a young girl growing up in a remote village in the Republic of Niger. Spirited independent and intelligent, Haoua has benefitted from a stable home life and a loving and attentive mother. She enjoys working and playing with her siblings and friends. Haoua worships her elder brother, Abdelkrim, a serving soldier who sends money home to support the family. But, on his last home visit, Abdelkrim quarrels with their father accusing him of gambling away the money he sends and being the cause of their mother s worsening health. It also emerges that their father plans to take a second wife. Despite this Haoua finds contentment in her schoolwork, her dreams of becoming a teacher and in writing assiduously to the family in Ireland who act as her aid sponsors. But for Haoua, there are new storm clouds on the horizon. As civil strife mounts in Niger, Haoua begins to fear for Abdelkrim s safety. Haoua's mother's illness is much more serious and further advanced than anyone had recognised and her father s plans are turning out to be far more threatening than she could have ever imagined. Approaching her twelfth birthday, Haoua is alone and vulnerable for the very first time in her life.
512 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2011
10 people are currently reading
387 people want to read
About the author
Gavin Weston
7 books4 followersGavin Weston was born in Belfast in 1962. He is a multi-media artist, writer, lecturer and inventor and lives on the Ards Peninsula with his two children, a fostered child and various animals. He studied Fine Art at Saint Martin's School of Art and Design and Goldsmiths' College, London, and subsequently worked and taught in West Africa.
In 1995 he completed an MA at the University of Ulster, where he has also worked as a visiting lecturer. He was an Associate Lecturer at Belfast Metropolitan College for many years and a regular contributor to The Sunday Times from 1994 to 2002. He is a former prize-winner of the Claremorris Open and Iontas, a recipient of The Tyrone Guthrie Award and was nominated for The Becks Futures Award in 2002.
In 1995 he completed an MA at the University of Ulster, where he has also worked as a visiting lecturer. He was an Associate Lecturer at Belfast Metropolitan College for many years and a regular contributor to The Sunday Times from 1994 to 2002. He is a former prize-winner of the Claremorris Open and Iontas, a recipient of The Tyrone Guthrie Award and was nominated for The Becks Futures Award in 2002.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
March 26, 2018
An Irish male writer narrates in the first person the life of Haoua a 11-12 year old girl in a Niger village. The backdrop is the 1990s a time Niger's government undergoes many changes with corruption, coups and assassinations.
The early part of the book deals with the hard life of a villager (especially the women), the total domination of her father, Haoua's determination to do well at school and the good work being done by the local aid worker. The father is fundamentally lazy and spends what little money they have on gambling and the local whores.
Poor Haoua's life gets even harder when her mother is sent to the capital for treatment for AIDS. Her father becomes more morose, angrier and frustrated with the loss of the traditional culture and the interference of the educated people who bring change. At the age of 12 Haoua is married off and becomes the third wife of another shiftless, arrogant, dominating and brutal man.
There are some brutally sad scenes in the book. And then there are many pages of banality which could have been shortened. There is also an interesting use of letters from Haoua's sponsor family in Ireland where the lives of young girls could not be more different.
Overall it was an insightful and empathetic depiction of what life was for women in Niger.
The early part of the book deals with the hard life of a villager (especially the women), the total domination of her father, Haoua's determination to do well at school and the good work being done by the local aid worker. The father is fundamentally lazy and spends what little money they have on gambling and the local whores.
Poor Haoua's life gets even harder when her mother is sent to the capital for treatment for AIDS. Her father becomes more morose, angrier and frustrated with the loss of the traditional culture and the interference of the educated people who bring change. At the age of 12 Haoua is married off and becomes the third wife of another shiftless, arrogant, dominating and brutal man.
There are some brutally sad scenes in the book. And then there are many pages of banality which could have been shortened. There is also an interesting use of letters from Haoua's sponsor family in Ireland where the lives of young girls could not be more different.
Overall it was an insightful and empathetic depiction of what life was for women in Niger.
May 20, 2022
Welcome to my journey around the world through books, today we are visiting country number 74 Niger with the book Harmattan by Gavin Weston
This book is another tough read, emotionally, but it is also an easy read, as pages flow by. Nicely described as you can easily visualise life in the country, dust, heat, lack of running water, difficult transportation, currupton, etc
The opposite for the Niger family are the letters from a family in Ireland, sending gifts and you can easily see the difference in their lifestyles. You can really understand the differences with local tribal laws and modern western lifestyle which are often in conflict.
Also you learn about the difficulties for women, rape, underage forced marriage, pregnancy, prostitution, sexism, polygamy, hunger.
There are many detailed descriptions which were sometimes over the top, a little unnecessary, but the author has written about some of his personal experiences during his time in Niger.
The life for some people in Niger is very tough, girls married off at a young age.
The most interesting part was the detailed journey of Abdel, his friend Archie and Haoua returning from Niamey to their home town in the old Mercedes car.
Gavin Weston, the author, does a good job writing this novel from the point of view of a 12 year old girl.
This novel could be better written, a little shorter, but it covers something many people should know about and hopefully this will end in the near future. I love the cover and the name of the novel though. But it fails to hit the nail, fails on the emotional side of the writing.
Even though I have mentioned that it fails on the emotional side, the ending doesn’t, a little shocking and brutal, but this is the best part if you decide to stick with the book.
I am giving this book 3 stars.
This book is another tough read, emotionally, but it is also an easy read, as pages flow by. Nicely described as you can easily visualise life in the country, dust, heat, lack of running water, difficult transportation, currupton, etc
The opposite for the Niger family are the letters from a family in Ireland, sending gifts and you can easily see the difference in their lifestyles. You can really understand the differences with local tribal laws and modern western lifestyle which are often in conflict.
Also you learn about the difficulties for women, rape, underage forced marriage, pregnancy, prostitution, sexism, polygamy, hunger.
There are many detailed descriptions which were sometimes over the top, a little unnecessary, but the author has written about some of his personal experiences during his time in Niger.
The life for some people in Niger is very tough, girls married off at a young age.
The most interesting part was the detailed journey of Abdel, his friend Archie and Haoua returning from Niamey to their home town in the old Mercedes car.
Gavin Weston, the author, does a good job writing this novel from the point of view of a 12 year old girl.
This novel could be better written, a little shorter, but it covers something many people should know about and hopefully this will end in the near future. I love the cover and the name of the novel though. But it fails to hit the nail, fails on the emotional side of the writing.
Even though I have mentioned that it fails on the emotional side, the ending doesn’t, a little shocking and brutal, but this is the best part if you decide to stick with the book.
I am giving this book 3 stars.
November 30, 2012
Bu yorum daha önce www.tugceninkitapligi.com da yayınlanmıştır.
Harmattan, kitabın başında da açıklandığı gibi; Arapça kökenli bir kelime ve Sahra Çölü’nden Batı Afrika’ya doğru esen tozlu ve kuru rüzgarlara verilen isim. Nijer Cumhuriyeti’nde yaşayan 11 yaşındaki kahraman Haoua’nın hayatında esen zorlu ve sert rüzgarları ifade eden de bir analoji aslında kitabın adı.
Kitap oldukça derin bir konu etrafında dönüyor; bizlere çokta uzak olmayan, çocuk yaşta ve zorla evlendirilen kız çocukları.
Hikayeyi ağzından dinlediğimiz Haoua, akıllı ve oldukça cesur bir kız çocuğu. Nijer Cumhuriyeti’nin medeniyetten uzak köylerinden birinde yaşamına annesi, babası ve 2 kardeşi ile birlikte devam eden Haoua, ailenin dört çocuğundan birisi. Büyük ağabeyi Abdelkrim ise, askerde ve kazandığı parayı ailesine yardım için yolluyor.
Kuzey İrlanda’lı bir ailenin kendisini okutmak için sponsor olması sayesinde, son derece meraklı ve öğrenme heveslisi olan Haoua, okula gitme ve okuma yazma öğrenme şansı elde ediyor. Ama Haoua şansı devam edecek mi?
Hikaye, yazarın 8 yaşından itibaren İrlanda’lı bu aile ve kızları ile Haoua arasındaki mektuplarla böldüğü, üçüncü tekil kişi anlatımla, Nijer Cumhuriyeti’ndeki yaşamı tüm açıklığıyla gözler önüne seriyor. Ailesinde verilen yaşam savaşı, küçük bir çocuğun ağzından sunulan son derece basit ve saf bir anlatımla daha da etkili bir şekilde hissediliyor. Yaşına ve yaşamına göre oldukça olgun bir dil ve ifade sunan Haoua’nın bu anlatım tarzı, bu zor konuya ferahlatıcı bir açı getirmiş diyebilirim. Gelişmiş bir ülke ile Nijer Cumhuriyeti’ndeki bu köy arasında, inanılması güç farklara bu mektuplaşma ile dikkat çekiliyor ve yazar, gayet etkili bir biçimde farkındalığı arttırıyor.
Haoua’nın hayatı her zaman umduğu gibi gitmiyor, ağabeyine hayran ancak kendilerine gönderdiği parayı babalarının kumar oynayarak harcadığını öğrenen Abdelkrim, birgün ansızın ziyaretlerine geldiğinde, tepki gösteriyor, ayrıca köyde babalarının ikinci bir eş almak istediği yönünde dolaşan söylentilerden de rahatsız olur. Bu sırada da babaları Abdelkrim’e içki içmesinden dolayı sinirlenmiştir ve aynı zamanda Haoua’nın evde hasta olan annesine yardım etmek ve görevlerini yapmak yerine okulda birşeyler öğreniyor olmasından da memnun değildir.
Bu olaylar sonucunda; Haoua, giderek ağırlaşan annesine bakmak için okuldan uzaklaşmak zorunda kalır. İç savaş’ın kızışması ile, bir yandan ağabeyi için endişelenirken, bir yandan annesine AIDS teşhisi konması, babasının yeni eşinin kötü tavırlarına maruz kalır ama daha büyük bir fırtına yaklaşmaktadır. Haoua eğitimine devam edebilecek mi ve kendisini bekleyen zorlukların nasıl üstesinden gelecek bunu okuyarak görmeniz gerekecek…
Yazar, hikayenin mümkün olduğu kadar açık ve doğru şekilde anlatılması için özel bir çaba sarfetmiş. Kitabın giriş bölümünde yer alan, etkili ve üzücü başlangıç sonrasında, uzunca bir süre Haoua’nın hikayesini ve Nijer Cumhuriyeti’ndeki yaşamı oldukça detaylı bir anlatımla sunmuş. Yer yer biraz fazla detaylı olmuş gibi görünsede, bu sayede; Afrika’daki en sıcak ve dünyadaki en yoksul ülkelerden biri olan, Nijer’e hiç gitmemiş olmanıza rağmen, tozlu ve kuru havayı adeta soluyor, çekilen güçlükleri içinizde hissediyorsunuz.
Yazarın daha kitabın başında okuyucuyu içine alan bir anlatımı var. Bazı noktalarda yazar, fazla gazeteci gibi yaklaşmış ve veriler bu şekilde sunmuş bile olsa, Nijer’li küçük bir kız çocuğu ağzından ve bakış açısından, okuyucu hiçte rahatsız etmeden, hatta yazarın yaşını ve milliyetini düşündürmeyecek bir başarıyla, sunmuş hikayesini. UNICEF tarafından en yüksek çocuk evlilikleri ve zorla evlendirme oranına sahip ülke olan Nijer Cumhuriyeti’nin gerçeklerini, birde Haoua’nın gözünden görmenizi tavsiye ederim.
Ben şahsen farklı kültürlere hikayeleri okumayı ve neler yaşandığını görmeyi seviyorum, ne kadar acıklı hikayelerle karşılaşsam bile… Bu tip kitapları seviyorsanız bu kitabı mutlaka tavsiye ederim, ama bu tip kitapları sevmiyor da olsanız, normal okuma listenizin dışında da yer alıyor olsa, bir farkındalık yaratmak uğruna yazılmış, sizi hızla içine çeken, bu son derece canlı hikayeye şans vermenizi öneririm.
Harmattan, kitabın başında da açıklandığı gibi; Arapça kökenli bir kelime ve Sahra Çölü’nden Batı Afrika’ya doğru esen tozlu ve kuru rüzgarlara verilen isim. Nijer Cumhuriyeti’nde yaşayan 11 yaşındaki kahraman Haoua’nın hayatında esen zorlu ve sert rüzgarları ifade eden de bir analoji aslında kitabın adı.
Kitap oldukça derin bir konu etrafında dönüyor; bizlere çokta uzak olmayan, çocuk yaşta ve zorla evlendirilen kız çocukları.
Hikayeyi ağzından dinlediğimiz Haoua, akıllı ve oldukça cesur bir kız çocuğu. Nijer Cumhuriyeti’nin medeniyetten uzak köylerinden birinde yaşamına annesi, babası ve 2 kardeşi ile birlikte devam eden Haoua, ailenin dört çocuğundan birisi. Büyük ağabeyi Abdelkrim ise, askerde ve kazandığı parayı ailesine yardım için yolluyor.
Kuzey İrlanda’lı bir ailenin kendisini okutmak için sponsor olması sayesinde, son derece meraklı ve öğrenme heveslisi olan Haoua, okula gitme ve okuma yazma öğrenme şansı elde ediyor. Ama Haoua şansı devam edecek mi?
Hikaye, yazarın 8 yaşından itibaren İrlanda’lı bu aile ve kızları ile Haoua arasındaki mektuplarla böldüğü, üçüncü tekil kişi anlatımla, Nijer Cumhuriyeti’ndeki yaşamı tüm açıklığıyla gözler önüne seriyor. Ailesinde verilen yaşam savaşı, küçük bir çocuğun ağzından sunulan son derece basit ve saf bir anlatımla daha da etkili bir şekilde hissediliyor. Yaşına ve yaşamına göre oldukça olgun bir dil ve ifade sunan Haoua’nın bu anlatım tarzı, bu zor konuya ferahlatıcı bir açı getirmiş diyebilirim. Gelişmiş bir ülke ile Nijer Cumhuriyeti’ndeki bu köy arasında, inanılması güç farklara bu mektuplaşma ile dikkat çekiliyor ve yazar, gayet etkili bir biçimde farkındalığı arttırıyor.
Haoua’nın hayatı her zaman umduğu gibi gitmiyor, ağabeyine hayran ancak kendilerine gönderdiği parayı babalarının kumar oynayarak harcadığını öğrenen Abdelkrim, birgün ansızın ziyaretlerine geldiğinde, tepki gösteriyor, ayrıca köyde babalarının ikinci bir eş almak istediği yönünde dolaşan söylentilerden de rahatsız olur. Bu sırada da babaları Abdelkrim’e içki içmesinden dolayı sinirlenmiştir ve aynı zamanda Haoua’nın evde hasta olan annesine yardım etmek ve görevlerini yapmak yerine okulda birşeyler öğreniyor olmasından da memnun değildir.
Bu olaylar sonucunda; Haoua, giderek ağırlaşan annesine bakmak için okuldan uzaklaşmak zorunda kalır. İç savaş’ın kızışması ile, bir yandan ağabeyi için endişelenirken, bir yandan annesine AIDS teşhisi konması, babasının yeni eşinin kötü tavırlarına maruz kalır ama daha büyük bir fırtına yaklaşmaktadır. Haoua eğitimine devam edebilecek mi ve kendisini bekleyen zorlukların nasıl üstesinden gelecek bunu okuyarak görmeniz gerekecek…
Yazar, hikayenin mümkün olduğu kadar açık ve doğru şekilde anlatılması için özel bir çaba sarfetmiş. Kitabın giriş bölümünde yer alan, etkili ve üzücü başlangıç sonrasında, uzunca bir süre Haoua’nın hikayesini ve Nijer Cumhuriyeti’ndeki yaşamı oldukça detaylı bir anlatımla sunmuş. Yer yer biraz fazla detaylı olmuş gibi görünsede, bu sayede; Afrika’daki en sıcak ve dünyadaki en yoksul ülkelerden biri olan, Nijer’e hiç gitmemiş olmanıza rağmen, tozlu ve kuru havayı adeta soluyor, çekilen güçlükleri içinizde hissediyorsunuz.
Yazarın daha kitabın başında okuyucuyu içine alan bir anlatımı var. Bazı noktalarda yazar, fazla gazeteci gibi yaklaşmış ve veriler bu şekilde sunmuş bile olsa, Nijer’li küçük bir kız çocuğu ağzından ve bakış açısından, okuyucu hiçte rahatsız etmeden, hatta yazarın yaşını ve milliyetini düşündürmeyecek bir başarıyla, sunmuş hikayesini. UNICEF tarafından en yüksek çocuk evlilikleri ve zorla evlendirme oranına sahip ülke olan Nijer Cumhuriyeti’nin gerçeklerini, birde Haoua’nın gözünden görmenizi tavsiye ederim.
Ben şahsen farklı kültürlere hikayeleri okumayı ve neler yaşandığını görmeyi seviyorum, ne kadar acıklı hikayelerle karşılaşsam bile… Bu tip kitapları seviyorsanız bu kitabı mutlaka tavsiye ederim, ama bu tip kitapları sevmiyor da olsanız, normal okuma listenizin dışında da yer alıyor olsa, bir farkındalık yaratmak uğruna yazılmış, sizi hızla içine çeken, bu son derece canlı hikayeye şans vermenizi öneririm.
February 13, 2015
The first half of this book was a pleasant and easy read. Niger girlhood holding much description and cultural, tribal, life task information. Haoua tells us about her daily habits, her pen pals, her contacts within school and primarily of her family and Sushie, a support helper towards her further lessons.
But the second half quickly became difficult to read after her Mother's illness drives her into a distant village's hospital. Her brothers, her sister- no friend can eventually and quite quickly prevent her life taking a huge change just days after her 12th birthday.
It's an extremely sorrowful book. No reveal here, but there is no joy remaining by the end. And the abrupt ending gave an increased sense of hopelessness, quite beyond a point of that lack. It's 3.5 star but I can not round it upwards when the finale is this void.
I try to read at least one book out of ten that are not North American or European dominant location. Out of the numerous African, I think this one was probably one of the most dire I've ever read. Although it didn't contain any horrific genocide or tribal warfare tragedy- this tale was, perhaps, even worse. If that is possible. Yes, probably- because females are half the population. Fathers or males who sell or trade their daughters for brides at young, young ages! That aspect alone would cover tens of thousands of ultimately negated outcomes. Not just to literate capacity, but to any chance for potentials towards health or mental states of competence, not to speak of any level of contentment or happiness.
The pen pal letters gave sharp contrast to not only material expectation and use, but also girlhood self-identity inputs to the contrasting lives in Ireland and in Niger.
This is a book written clearly and with lovely description. Heat, sand, aroma- always there. But it is also an extremely sad book.
But the second half quickly became difficult to read after her Mother's illness drives her into a distant village's hospital. Her brothers, her sister- no friend can eventually and quite quickly prevent her life taking a huge change just days after her 12th birthday.
It's an extremely sorrowful book. No reveal here, but there is no joy remaining by the end. And the abrupt ending gave an increased sense of hopelessness, quite beyond a point of that lack. It's 3.5 star but I can not round it upwards when the finale is this void.
I try to read at least one book out of ten that are not North American or European dominant location. Out of the numerous African, I think this one was probably one of the most dire I've ever read. Although it didn't contain any horrific genocide or tribal warfare tragedy- this tale was, perhaps, even worse. If that is possible. Yes, probably- because females are half the population. Fathers or males who sell or trade their daughters for brides at young, young ages! That aspect alone would cover tens of thousands of ultimately negated outcomes. Not just to literate capacity, but to any chance for potentials towards health or mental states of competence, not to speak of any level of contentment or happiness.
The pen pal letters gave sharp contrast to not only material expectation and use, but also girlhood self-identity inputs to the contrasting lives in Ireland and in Niger.
This is a book written clearly and with lovely description. Heat, sand, aroma- always there. But it is also an extremely sad book.
November 28, 2013
This novel gave gave me my 100th country on my Round the World trip. I wanted an unusual country for the milestone and this was just the ticket. Set in Niger, it's about the struggles of a 12 yo girl living in a happy family at the outset, but in a male dominated society and with the storm clouds of personal upheaval and civil strife gathering. She is aid sponsored by a family with 12 yo twin girls in Northern Ireland and the girls exchange letters about themselves. This is a great device for comparing Western and African lives, especially what we take for granted.
Overall I enjoyed it. It rather tailed off towards the end when I thought the author was searching for a dramatic end to his tale and didn't quite find it.....so only 3 stars rather than 4, but still I would really recommend it - taught me a lot about a very large African country that I suspect most of us know bugger all about.
Overall I enjoyed it. It rather tailed off towards the end when I thought the author was searching for a dramatic end to his tale and didn't quite find it.....so only 3 stars rather than 4, but still I would really recommend it - taught me a lot about a very large African country that I suspect most of us know bugger all about.
February 4, 2024
I couldn't decide if I should give three stars or four, so I decided on three. This book is set not only in Niger but also in the area where we lived for 16 years. The story itself is told well, the author is always respectful of Niger, and he shows a reasonably good understanding of Songhai culture.
However, his placement of things and travel time between places was so bizarre. For example, he has the characters at the Grand Marché in Niamey. They are going directly to the National Hospital. And he has them trying to get across the bridge and they even go past the Grand Mosquée on the other side of town. The route they traveled makes no sense! Then he mentions several times that the Kennedy bridge (the only bridge in 1999) is blocked by students rioting. But suddenly they're at the University. ?? Then on their trip back to their village it talks about a downhill section where there are always robberies of vehicles and all sorts of burnt out vehicles litter the side of the road. I NEVER saw any such place. The trip from Niamey to the Bac takes an hour on a paved road and he has it taking about 10 hours on a rough dirt road. In another place she walks from her village to Gotheye and back again in a day. But later it takes all day to get to Gotheye on camels and then all day to get from Gotheye to the Bac in a vehicle. In reality, Gotheye to the Bac is about 10-15 minutes in a vehicle. 🤦🏼♀️ Twice he gives men's names to women. And women and girls never go to the cemetery, but other than that he did a remarkable job with cultural things.
Perhaps my biggest issue is that a book like this can oversimplify. Not all girls are married so young. Not all Nigerien husbands are abusive. In all the time I lived closely with people in Tera, I never knew of a girl having FGM done to her, though I wouldn't argue that it doesn't happen.... Just don't assume it happens to all girls.
However, his placement of things and travel time between places was so bizarre. For example, he has the characters at the Grand Marché in Niamey. They are going directly to the National Hospital. And he has them trying to get across the bridge and they even go past the Grand Mosquée on the other side of town. The route they traveled makes no sense! Then he mentions several times that the Kennedy bridge (the only bridge in 1999) is blocked by students rioting. But suddenly they're at the University. ?? Then on their trip back to their village it talks about a downhill section where there are always robberies of vehicles and all sorts of burnt out vehicles litter the side of the road. I NEVER saw any such place. The trip from Niamey to the Bac takes an hour on a paved road and he has it taking about 10 hours on a rough dirt road. In another place she walks from her village to Gotheye and back again in a day. But later it takes all day to get to Gotheye on camels and then all day to get from Gotheye to the Bac in a vehicle. In reality, Gotheye to the Bac is about 10-15 minutes in a vehicle. 🤦🏼♀️ Twice he gives men's names to women. And women and girls never go to the cemetery, but other than that he did a remarkable job with cultural things.
Perhaps my biggest issue is that a book like this can oversimplify. Not all girls are married so young. Not all Nigerien husbands are abusive. In all the time I lived closely with people in Tera, I never knew of a girl having FGM done to her, though I wouldn't argue that it doesn't happen.... Just don't assume it happens to all girls.
August 22, 2021
This book is OK, 2.5 stars rounded down. The plot and arc of the story are good without being anything special. The way the story is told leaves a lot to be desired though. The author seems to go out of his way to emphasise the banal, and commit minimal time and words to the events upon which the story hinges. The characters, with one refreshing exception, are very simple, and remain undeveloped throughout the novel.
The plot centres on Haoua, a young girl struggling in rural Niger, kept from the school she loves by household chores forced upon her by her lazy, philandering, gambling, alcoholic father. Haoua's loving mother suffers increasingly from AIDS and soon gets a one-way ticket to Niamey for treatment, and her father's behaviour deteriorates further. After she helps her brother bring their mother's body back to their home village, it is suddenly revealed that Haoua is betrothed to her vile cousin, and the remainder of the book takes place in Niamey where Haoua lives with him and his other unhappy wives.
I've already given away most of the character traits in the whole book, and the characters really are that simple. Dad = bad. Moussa = worse. Mum and Grandma = good. Nobody has any nuance, and nobody develops. Worse, there is huge space devoted to entrenching characters' traits that are already well established. The only interesting one is Abdelkrim - the golden child and adored older brother. Despite Abdel falling under the "good guy" category in the author's dichotomous moral universe, he has traded his religion for alcohol, and is wavering from his belief in cultural tradition.
The best part of the book was the small insight into life in rural Niger, a much neglected corner of the literary world. The glimpse is brief and superficial however, and might be better provided by a native Nigerien than an Irish expat writing in the voice of a 12 year old girl.
The plot centres on Haoua, a young girl struggling in rural Niger, kept from the school she loves by household chores forced upon her by her lazy, philandering, gambling, alcoholic father. Haoua's loving mother suffers increasingly from AIDS and soon gets a one-way ticket to Niamey for treatment, and her father's behaviour deteriorates further. After she helps her brother bring their mother's body back to their home village, it is suddenly revealed that Haoua is betrothed to her vile cousin, and the remainder of the book takes place in Niamey where Haoua lives with him and his other unhappy wives.
I've already given away most of the character traits in the whole book, and the characters really are that simple. Dad = bad. Moussa = worse. Mum and Grandma = good. Nobody has any nuance, and nobody develops. Worse, there is huge space devoted to entrenching characters' traits that are already well established. The only interesting one is Abdelkrim - the golden child and adored older brother. Despite Abdel falling under the "good guy" category in the author's dichotomous moral universe, he has traded his religion for alcohol, and is wavering from his belief in cultural tradition.
The best part of the book was the small insight into life in rural Niger, a much neglected corner of the literary world. The glimpse is brief and superficial however, and might be better provided by a native Nigerien than an Irish expat writing in the voice of a 12 year old girl.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2020
This book was written to enlighten rather than entertain and it does the job pretty well. In schools it would serve as an Empathy Day read as well as a PSHEE resource for discussions around forced marriage, child pregnancy, sexual and reproductive health.
Haoua is a 12-year-old girl, living in a village in Niger in this book. With a sick mother, a difficult father, a brother serving with the army and two siblings at home, we first meet Haoua as a schoolgirl. Her schooling and aid for her father's income comes
via an international aid program: a girl is sponsored for schooling and the parent benefits too. Her life is due to change dramatically on the death of her mother.
There are many issues dealt with in the book, from literacy and vaccination, French colonialism and its legacy, Western medicine versus traditional values and beliefs, but most importantly the plight of girls and women, their vulnerability to underage forced marriage, rape, domestic violence, pregnancy, prostitution, STDs and AIDS. The viability of international aid and sponsorship in Africa is also discussed against the background of Niger's fragile and volatile democracy.
I found the ending somewhat abrupt, as though the author had run out of steam, which was disappointing, but the book is interesting and informative, although horrifying and disturbing.
Details for the charity FORWARD (The Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development) are given at the back of the book.
Haoua is a 12-year-old girl, living in a village in Niger in this book. With a sick mother, a difficult father, a brother serving with the army and two siblings at home, we first meet Haoua as a schoolgirl. Her schooling and aid for her father's income comes
via an international aid program: a girl is sponsored for schooling and the parent benefits too. Her life is due to change dramatically on the death of her mother.
There are many issues dealt with in the book, from literacy and vaccination, French colonialism and its legacy, Western medicine versus traditional values and beliefs, but most importantly the plight of girls and women, their vulnerability to underage forced marriage, rape, domestic violence, pregnancy, prostitution, STDs and AIDS. The viability of international aid and sponsorship in Africa is also discussed against the background of Niger's fragile and volatile democracy.
I found the ending somewhat abrupt, as though the author had run out of steam, which was disappointing, but the book is interesting and informative, although horrifying and disturbing.
Details for the charity FORWARD (The Foundation for Women's Health, Research and Development) are given at the back of the book.
September 1, 2019
This is the story of Haoua - a 12 year old girl. She lives with her parents and siblings in a remote village in Niger. Her mother soons takes ill and has to be taken away to a hospital for treatment. Haoua's brother and neighbors inform her that their mother is HIV positive and the outcome is going to be grave. In the meantime, Haoua's father decides he wants to take a second wife. The second wife is terrible to Haoua and her siblings - treating them more like servants than children. Haoua's father is gone more than he is at home.
Haoua wants desparately to find her mother and visit her before she dies, so she enlists the help of one of her father's friends to get to her brother and then get to the hospital to see her mother. The travel to and from is treacherous, and when Haoua comes home, she finds out that her father has promised her to her father's friend to be married. At 12 years old, she becomes the wife of a terrible man and begins a completely different path she was hoping for.
This book was just okay. It isn't well written, and the story was a bit too long. The characters don't have a lot of depth. It is a very depressing story, that I am sure is true to reality, but still just really, really depressing.
Haoua wants desparately to find her mother and visit her before she dies, so she enlists the help of one of her father's friends to get to her brother and then get to the hospital to see her mother. The travel to and from is treacherous, and when Haoua comes home, she finds out that her father has promised her to her father's friend to be married. At 12 years old, she becomes the wife of a terrible man and begins a completely different path she was hoping for.
This book was just okay. It isn't well written, and the story was a bit too long. The characters don't have a lot of depth. It is a very depressing story, that I am sure is true to reality, but still just really, really depressing.
November 6, 2024
Nijer Cumhuriyetinde medeniyetin olmadığı bir köyde yaşayan küçük bir kız Haoua. Kuzey İrlandalı bir ailenin eğitimine sponsor olmasıyla onun da eğitim süreci başlıyor. Haoua ve İrlandalı aile mektuplaşıyor. Bu sırada Haoua'nın hayatını okuyoruz. Zavallı annesi, zalim babası ve kardeşleriyle hayatta kalmaya ve bir yandan eğitim görmeye çalışan küçük bir kız. Bu sırada bölgedeki sömürgeci anlayış kitapta hissediliyor. Mesela yerli halkın Fransızca konuşması gibi. Kitaptaki Archie'nin de söylediği gibi tozla kaplı bir ülke burası.
Haoua her ne kadar çok okumak istese de onun konumundaki diğer kızlarla aynı kaderi paylaşmaktan kaçamıyor.
Okuduğum en iyi ama en duygusal, iç acıtan kitaplardan biriydi. Kesinlikle okuyun.
Haoua her ne kadar çok okumak istese de onun konumundaki diğer kızlarla aynı kaderi paylaşmaktan kaçamıyor.
Okuduğum en iyi ama en duygusal, iç acıtan kitaplardan biriydi. Kesinlikle okuyun.
August 17, 2025
İnanılmaz akıcı, duygu yüklü, karakterlerle bağ kurabildiğim bir kitaptı. Nijer halkı hakkında daha fazla bilgi edinmemi sağladı ve okurken inanılmaz keyif aldım (tabii çok üzdü de beni kitap). Ama eleştireceğim nokta şu, bu roman beyaz bir Avrupalı kadın tarafından yazılmış ve kitapta da "beyaz kurtarıcı" hikayesini çok görüyoruz. O insanlara yardım götüren derneği övmek için yazılmış bir kitap olduğunu bile düşündüm ilk 100 sayfasında. Kitapta beyaz karakterlere fazla yer verilmiş, bunu abartı buldum. Nijer'deki bir kız çocuğunun hayatını Nijerli bir yazardan okumak isterdim. Bu yüzden 3 puan veriyorum. Yine de genel olarak güzel ve duygu yüklü bir okuma deneyimiydi benim için.
November 20, 2023
Around-the-world #174: Niger 🇳🇪.
An easy read, thanks to the author's decent writing. The story itself is very linear and leaves little to be surprised about, especially if you have read similar books before. Some parts are drawn out excessively, other major events are simply mentioned in passing at the end of a chapter, which feels unbalanced. The ending of the long epilogue felt unfinished.
That said, the book flows easily and captures attention if you read beyond its flaws. And at least I learnt a lot about life in Niger.
An easy read, thanks to the author's decent writing. The story itself is very linear and leaves little to be surprised about, especially if you have read similar books before. Some parts are drawn out excessively, other major events are simply mentioned in passing at the end of a chapter, which feels unbalanced. The ending of the long epilogue felt unfinished.
That said, the book flows easily and captures attention if you read beyond its flaws. And at least I learnt a lot about life in Niger.
August 12, 2025
Coğrafyalar, ülkeler, kültürler değişiyor lakin toplumdaki kadınlık algısı, normatif görev ve tanımlamalar, kadın varoluşunun kamusal alanda bir tür ikinci cinslik teşkil etmesi gerçeği bir türlü değişmiyor.
August 15, 2019
Heart wrenching true!
April 7, 2024
3.5. very very heartbreaking and devastatingly sad
November 29, 2025
A sad story.
March 15, 2014
I was drawn to this book by the cover. The image of a man with a headwrap crouching in the foreground, looking at a scene of camels and what appears to be a young woman standing under a leafless tree against a backdrop of searing orange and yellow light in the desert. Harmattan is a heartbreaking story. It is the story of Haoua Boureima a young girl growing up in the village of Wadata in Niger. In many ways it is a coming of age story. The descriptions of life in Haoua's remote village are vivid and endearing. It is easy to fall in love with this character. She is spirited, intelligent, with a fierce love for her family. Even though she is surrounded by poverty, her life before her twelfth birthday is almost idyllic. Her life is perfect, well almost. She lives in a household with an authoritarian father, who clashes frequently with her brother. Haoua's mother tries to keep the peace but can only do so for so long. Things start changing when the mother is taken ill. We follow the family's struggles as they try to get her treatment. The crushing poverty in Niger which is also representative of so many other places in Africa and around the world is evident. Getting access to the basics of life is an ever present struggle. Gavin Weston's descriptions of Niger really make the place come alive. The beauty of the desert is charming, but life there is punishing. Niger is a country at war with itself. There is civil strife and other forms of social unrest. There is preferential treatment of the anasaras, who presumably have more money than the common Nigerien. Some are aid workers, others are adventurous tourists. With each passing day, things get progressively worse. Haoua's life is changed forever as everything she holds dear is taken away from her. Her correspondence with her sponsor family the Boyds, who are paying for her education through an aid organisation shows the sharp contrast between life in a developed country and a poor third world country. The story comes to a shattering climax when Haoua is forced to make a grave decision in order to escape from a very abusive situation. This caught me off guard and it's hard to believe that this is the story of a girl of about 13 years of age. Haoua's tormentor gets retribution that is well deserved, but is there hope for her? The novel's ending left me feeling sad and a tad desperate. It ends with a letter to Haoua's sponsors much like it opened with one of these letters. There is a sense that the aid organizations can only do so much to save women and children stuck in desperate situations. The culture of abuse, the objectification, and subjugation of women has to change if the country is to move forward. Haoua's story is that of many girls in Africa, Asia, Latin America and possibly certain parts of the Carribean and North America(think Warren Jeffs). Girls(and boys) who are robbed of their childhood by domestic violence, early marriages, HIV/AIDS and all the other scourges that come from ignorance and the persistence of retrogressive cultures. Gavin Weston's book is a great accomplishment. It is a story that needs to be told and tell it he does, with great compassion. I did find sections of the book abit tedious(the word dry also comes to mind), sometimes he could be overly descriptive and I skimmed and skipped through some sections. That said, it is obvious he knows Niger. The text is interspersed with expressions in French and the local language, a refreshing twist. The inclusion of a glossary was very helpful, some books leave this out and it can be very frustrating. Overall a great read and one that comes highly recommended. This is a story you won't soon forget. 4 and a half stars!
October 5, 2012
The title,
Harmattan
refers to a dusty wind that blows in from the Sahara. Gavin Weston defines the term in a frontispiece by saying “Probably from the Arabic haram, a forbidden or accursed thing.” The novel, a miraculous creation, deals with a life that seems “accursed.” I couldn’t get the taste of grit out of my mouth and nose when reading this book.
There are many things miraculous about Gavin Weston’s creation. It is set in an African nation that only makes its way onto travel itineraries of the most adventurous foreigners, and yet Weston, a visual artist, helps the reader clearly see Niger and its life. The hottest country in Africa, straddling the Sahara and spreading along the great Niger river, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Harmattan familiarizes you with Niger, but it does not make you comfortable with Niger. In fact, the main character, a young girl called Haouna, takes the discomfort of her life for granted. It’s the way life is. While this attitude is partly due to the family’s devotion to Islamic religion, it also reflects an acceptance of reality.
Not only is Weston showing us Niger as though he were Nigerien, he is writing from the view point of a young girl from a village. In the four years of Haouna’s life, we see her lose her childhood and become wise far beyond her years. Weston presents the privileged reader with a world of want without making you want to cover your eyes and stuff your fingers in your ears. Because of the ever-present curiosity and acceptance of Haouna, we learn a lot about Niger and maybe even a little about how to live a good life.
This is portion of a review at A Traveler's Library.
Read more: Book Review: Harmattan
There are many things miraculous about Gavin Weston’s creation. It is set in an African nation that only makes its way onto travel itineraries of the most adventurous foreigners, and yet Weston, a visual artist, helps the reader clearly see Niger and its life. The hottest country in Africa, straddling the Sahara and spreading along the great Niger river, it is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Harmattan familiarizes you with Niger, but it does not make you comfortable with Niger. In fact, the main character, a young girl called Haouna, takes the discomfort of her life for granted. It’s the way life is. While this attitude is partly due to the family’s devotion to Islamic religion, it also reflects an acceptance of reality.
Not only is Weston showing us Niger as though he were Nigerien, he is writing from the view point of a young girl from a village. In the four years of Haouna’s life, we see her lose her childhood and become wise far beyond her years. Weston presents the privileged reader with a world of want without making you want to cover your eyes and stuff your fingers in your ears. Because of the ever-present curiosity and acceptance of Haouna, we learn a lot about Niger and maybe even a little about how to live a good life.
This is portion of a review at A Traveler's Library.
Read more: Book Review: Harmattan
January 17, 2013
Harmattan - the wind of change blows south, clouding the pathway through life of Haoua. Intelligent and optimistic, Haoua's story of her life in a village in Niger is related in her own words, posited with, and punctuated by, letters and gifts from her sponsors, a Northern Irish family.
The knock-on effect of sponsorships organised by international aid agencies not only provides basic comforts and education for the sponsored child; the family benefits also. However, Haoua's hopes for the future are compromised by events within her family and the escalation of unrest in Niger. Contrasts between cultures in the the UK and Niger are increasingly outlines in this vivid, at times heart-rending, narrative, where the protagonist continually struggles against Niger male hegemony, nowhere more apparent than within her own family.
Whilst the Harmattan blows relentlessly onwards, it fails to completely obliterate Haoua's hopes and dreams, and, most importantly of all, her spirit.
This beautiful and authoritatively-written novel subconsciously raises questions about child sponsorship, especially of female children. In these cases, sponsorship stops when the girl marries, irrespective of the fact that this may occur as soon as she reaches puberty, where she may effectively be sold into slavery by her own family, sometimes well down in the matrimonial pecking-order of a polygamous culture where educational measures to prevent diseases such as Aids appear to have failed.
International agencies, whilst carrying out wonderful and vital programmes of health and education, overseeing sponsorships worldwide, are really up against it when they are left helpless by unchanging and relentless cultures, where they have to abandon girls who are forced into marriage, lives of promise unfulfilled.
Cultures which bring obscurity and continue on their unrelenting way, much as the Harmattan itself.
The knock-on effect of sponsorships organised by international aid agencies not only provides basic comforts and education for the sponsored child; the family benefits also. However, Haoua's hopes for the future are compromised by events within her family and the escalation of unrest in Niger. Contrasts between cultures in the the UK and Niger are increasingly outlines in this vivid, at times heart-rending, narrative, where the protagonist continually struggles against Niger male hegemony, nowhere more apparent than within her own family.
Whilst the Harmattan blows relentlessly onwards, it fails to completely obliterate Haoua's hopes and dreams, and, most importantly of all, her spirit.
This beautiful and authoritatively-written novel subconsciously raises questions about child sponsorship, especially of female children. In these cases, sponsorship stops when the girl marries, irrespective of the fact that this may occur as soon as she reaches puberty, where she may effectively be sold into slavery by her own family, sometimes well down in the matrimonial pecking-order of a polygamous culture where educational measures to prevent diseases such as Aids appear to have failed.
International agencies, whilst carrying out wonderful and vital programmes of health and education, overseeing sponsorships worldwide, are really up against it when they are left helpless by unchanging and relentless cultures, where they have to abandon girls who are forced into marriage, lives of promise unfulfilled.
Cultures which bring obscurity and continue on their unrelenting way, much as the Harmattan itself.
September 15, 2013
This was a novel that practically jumped off the shelves at me in the library, shouting 'read me, read me!'. I love fiction with a strong sense of place, and books that tackle serious issues in the world today. And the little line on the front stating it was from the publishers of The Garden of Evening Mists simply clinched the deal for me.
Harmattan is the story of a brave young girl, Haoua, growing up in the Republic of Niger. An intelligent and optimistic young girl, she tells her story growing up in a remote village, but with a stable and loving family, and benefiting from sponsors from Ireland who send her letters and gifts and sponsor her schooling.
Shortly before her 12th birthday, storm clouds appear on the horizon, signalling a harmattan, as winds of change blow in to threaten everything she has ever known. Her mother is taken ill, arguments break out in her family and she is forced out of school.
Gavin Weston tackles a lot of serious issues in the book and I found myself reading with a growing sense of unease. But I couldn't stop reading. It's a wonderful novel and the author has clearly done his research.
My only (very slight) criticism is that very occasionally the writing didn't quite flow, and I was suddenly aware I was reading a book rather than being totally swept away by the story, if that makes sense. It wasn't quite up there with Tan Twan Eng or Khaled Hosseini. I'd probably give it a solid 4.5, although I've rounded up because to do anything else would be doing the author a disservice.
Harmattan is the story of a brave young girl, Haoua, growing up in the Republic of Niger. An intelligent and optimistic young girl, she tells her story growing up in a remote village, but with a stable and loving family, and benefiting from sponsors from Ireland who send her letters and gifts and sponsor her schooling.
Shortly before her 12th birthday, storm clouds appear on the horizon, signalling a harmattan, as winds of change blow in to threaten everything she has ever known. Her mother is taken ill, arguments break out in her family and she is forced out of school.
Gavin Weston tackles a lot of serious issues in the book and I found myself reading with a growing sense of unease. But I couldn't stop reading. It's a wonderful novel and the author has clearly done his research.
My only (very slight) criticism is that very occasionally the writing didn't quite flow, and I was suddenly aware I was reading a book rather than being totally swept away by the story, if that makes sense. It wasn't quite up there with Tan Twan Eng or Khaled Hosseini. I'd probably give it a solid 4.5, although I've rounded up because to do anything else would be doing the author a disservice.
August 1, 2014
This book is hard. Its descriptive and at times lyrical tone takes us through some fantastic images of dusty Niger through the story of a very wise 12 year old girl. Before our very eyes her story unfolds in a climate of poverty, political strife, rape, lack of woman rights, lack of democracy, lack of choice and forced marriage and sexual intercourse seen as what can only be described as beastly rape. I found that the juxtaposition of the Irish sponsor letters with her own from Niger somehow ridicule our current sponsorship programmes, European naïveté against a backdrop of pain, beatings, sickness and death. I'm sure the author meant well, but to me it does indeed strike a critical blow to our way of thinking/seeing. We send gifts and money and they are sold in the market to pay for a visit to the sick. We talk about green hills and pony rides and holidays in Spain and on the other side health issues, lack of education and no money even to feed properly on a daily basis. Luckily the American nurse who helps the main character's family somehow redeems us Westerners. Every volunteer worker or peace corps heading to Africa should read this book. Against our blue sky views of Africa lies much pain and suffering still. I guess this book humbled me. An eye opener but not for the faint of heart.
May 3, 2014
I must admit that I was intrigued by the title but because of the subject matter of child marriage in West Africa, I wasn't exactly looking forward to reading this book. It's true that it deals with a dark topic but the book is by no means written in a dark way. As we meet Haoua on the brink of her twelfth birthday, Gavin Weston manages to get inside this young girl's head. Although a fictional story, it's clear that this is based on the author's own experiences and perhaps it's that element which makes this book so haunting. There are tender moments, humourous moments but a sense of pathos throughout as Haoua is powerless to prevent what happens to her. I was somewhat surprised to learn that even if you sponser a child through an agency, this does not protect the child from being forced into marriage and if the child is withdrawn from education then he or she is no longer eligible for the sponsership scheme. It may not be an easy book to read but it is an extremely powerful book. The story of Haoua's journey through the desert was so well written and had me feeling guilty for taking water for granted in the West. It's a novel that will stay with you for a long time to come - one of the most powerful books I have read in ages and deserves more recognition.
October 22, 2013
Haoua, a young girl of 12 years suffers a huge amount of loss, yet is also very brave and resilient and can still maintain a sense of humour at times. It is almost as though she is borne back and forth by the wind, from her home in a small village, Wadata, to the capital Niamey. From the parched earth, the camion trails across the desert, the heat, the colours and the smells of West Africa - you can almost shake the sand and brittle earth out of this book as you turn the pages. The dry, arid heat lifts from the writing and water is available to us, the reader, but often not to the people who populate this book. It is sometimes shocking in its rawness, beautiful in its descriptions and remains in the consciousness long after the novel is back on the bookshelf.
Do you need any more persuading to buy this book? Then hear what the publishers have to say: "We haven't released anything as hauntingly beautiful since Tan Twan Eng's "The Gift of Rain".
Do you need any more persuading to buy this book? Then hear what the publishers have to say: "We haven't released anything as hauntingly beautiful since Tan Twan Eng's "The Gift of Rain".
November 12, 2020
Despite the subject matter being dark and it being obvious from the first page that it will not be a happy story, I found this a compulsive read. The author describes the setting so we can feel the heat and dust, and he is very convincing in telling the story from the viewpoint of a young girl. The letters from the sponsors are particularly good for showing the contrast in lifestyle between Niger and Ireland, and the aid workers are also well portrayed. There is a lot of violence and heartbreak in the story, but also a lot of love and caring people. It is not all darkness and depression.
This was a particularly thought provoking book to read if you do sponsor a child, and even more so to read it now whilst girls have been abducted from school in Nigeria. I hope more people read it and that it draws attention to the very real issues of young women's lives in some developing countries.
This was a particularly thought provoking book to read if you do sponsor a child, and even more so to read it now whilst girls have been abducted from school in Nigeria. I hope more people read it and that it draws attention to the very real issues of young women's lives in some developing countries.
October 12, 2012
Harmattan is an emotional and eye-opening look at a culture so different from our own. Author, Gavin Weston, does a great job providing a vivid description of the living conditions found in many areas of Africa. The story is told through the eyes of Haoua, a young girl, living in the village of Wadata in the Republic of Niger. Weston brings you into Haoua’s world where she faces poverty, sickness, and oppression. Through letters written to Haoua from her aid sponsors in Ireland, Weston provides the reader with an illustration of what it means to grow up in such dramatically different cultures. Harmattan is a moving experience that will give you a greater appreciation for the privileges of education and equality that women have in our culture.
March 5, 2014
This book is an eye opening look at the poverty of Niger. It also gives us a not so pretty picture of the life of a young woman and her struggles. Haoua wanted an education and had a sponsor, but due to traditions and family expectations is married off to a much, much older man at age twelve. While her father needs the support of the Vision Corps International, their ideas and goals cause conflict with the old ways and traditions. Life has not been kind to Haoua. There is a glossary of words in the front of the book, however I felt that it was frustrating some words were not listed. I felt this book was well written. This book makes you think about how fortunate we are in this country!! I give this book 4 out of 5 stars.
July 31, 2014
Like 'We Need New Names' and 'Woman At Point Zero' you keep reading hoping against hope that something will change for the better (and some signs are there) for the protagonist, only for it to be..well I guess that's the point, there is no clear cut fairytale ending and that reflects the reality of girls like Haoua. I was a bit underwhelmed in parts of the book..but that makes it no less gripping and devastating for the reader, knowing that this novel reflects thousands of families' experiences (poverty, child brides, questioning the 'help' of NGOs etc). The plot twists and turns and you think you know what the outcome could be but are surprised every time. It'll be a while before this book leaves my memory.
August 12, 2014
Could. Not. Put. It. Down.
This Gavin Weston fellow is a fine writer who spins a compelling story. I read Peace Corps memoirs on a regular basis and they always revolve around the volunteer. I like the way Weston removes himself from the setting where he has been and narrates from point of a child bride. (Though I notice the saint in the story is the Irish guy.) I love novels that educate but flow like a story should. The author's use of pen pal letters between the Nigerian girl and Katie and Hope in Ireland packs a punch. If I had to criticize, I would pick on the overly speedy downward spiral at the end--I wasn't quite ready for the big downer finale. I feel I owe Gavin Weston thanks for taking me on an interesting journey to Niger, where I have never been.
This Gavin Weston fellow is a fine writer who spins a compelling story. I read Peace Corps memoirs on a regular basis and they always revolve around the volunteer. I like the way Weston removes himself from the setting where he has been and narrates from point of a child bride. (Though I notice the saint in the story is the Irish guy.) I love novels that educate but flow like a story should. The author's use of pen pal letters between the Nigerian girl and Katie and Hope in Ireland packs a punch. If I had to criticize, I would pick on the overly speedy downward spiral at the end--I wasn't quite ready for the big downer finale. I feel I owe Gavin Weston thanks for taking me on an interesting journey to Niger, where I have never been.
February 13, 2013
I felt like a helpless bystander, reading Haoua's story and watching this brave, resourceful, and loving child succumb to the injustice of her world. Gavin Weston's skill at capturing the feel of this world, the texture of Haoua's family life, the friendships, hopes, and sorrows of a girl forced to grow up too fast made me care deeply about the women of Niger.
This book is not for the armchair traveller. It's more of an exposé, its fictional heroine a stand-in for all too many child brides in rural West Africa.
This book is not for the armchair traveller. It's more of an exposé, its fictional heroine a stand-in for all too many child brides in rural West Africa.
August 30, 2014
An accomplished novel which I read compulsively. The only reason this didn't get 5 stars is because I felt the ending let it down; there was no need for the murder, the episode in prison or the lengthy description of the killing of the goat - the story was more than powerful enough without these elements. There was also perhaps a little more of the sense of foreboding throughout the novel than was really necessary. Having said that, I fully recommend Harmattan. It's a tough read but a very compelling one and it will stay with me for a long time.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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