Shadows

by Novuyo Rosa Tshuma

A gripping novella by one of Southern Africa's rising stars of literature, Novuyo Rosa Tshuma's Shadows is set in the ghettos of Bulawayo and Johannesburg.

Genres: Fiction, African Literature

106 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2012

About the author

Novuyo 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

Reviews

[Courtney Westerlund · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book. It provides some really important perspectives on immigration and the stigma Zimbabweans face when entering into South Africa. It made me challenge my own ideas on immigration and look for similarities between South Africa and the United States. This book also highlights important aspects of treatment by police and the torture and confusion some people endure because of political problems. This book is a must read if you are interested in immigration or the movement of people across borders.

[Thato Mapule · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novuyo Rosa Tshuma reminds you in Shadows to be sensitive to the everyday lived experiences of the people of Zimbabwe. Some parts are hilarious and others are tragic. This novella is important because without accounts like these, the every day experiences of Zimbabweans are erased from memory through self/ state censorship.

[Donald · Rating 3 out of 5]

Powerfull set of short stories set in Bulawayo and Johannesburg.Fierce.

[Rolland Simpi Motaung · Rating 4 out of 5]

Captivating. Insightful especially on Zimbabwean socioeconomic context

[Tiah]

- The township is like a loud woman who follows you everywhere, staggering with a Castle Lager in hand, she will not let you alone. -

- From my pocket I retrieve the Eversharp pen I always carry, the pen my friends say holds my dreams. I turn the receipt over and begin to scribble. I should have told you at the beginning: words flow from me like shit running from buttocks... -

- Is that the beast you can do for romance? That you love me because I am damaged? How about that you find me beautiful or smart or anything? Even that you find my breasts enticing. Anything. But damaged, what the hell do you mean? -

- As I stare at Professor Mansfield's book, as I stare at my reflection and come face-to-face with my own consciousness of being, it becomes clear to me that I have become utterly senseless. -

- You do not count the hours when you are standing in a queue that outruns your vision. You shuffle along mechanically, stare into oblivion. Look up at the night sky and search the stars for patters. A rose, complete with a stem. The wing of a bird. -

[Phumlani · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyable book detailing the challenges faced by ordinary everyday Zimbabweans. The stories are told with impressive detail and if anything, they made me feel sorry for the girl child, the sexual assault and abuse that they go through throughout their lives. I had a problem with understanding that the guy in the first story accepted his moms prostitution so easily, the story is well told and takes you on a journey around Bulawayo and all the way to Joburg. All the stories feel well researched and she paid attention to detail when telling them, all in all a good book.