A Soft Landing

by Wisani Mushwana

Andzani is an emotionally distant accountant on a Grindr binge, with an unresolved attachment to someone from his past. For him, home has always been a site of anxiety. Andzani’s community of Mbambamencisi becomes a shadow in his Cape Town life that holds him hostage to the violence he thought he could escape by leaving. An unexpected trip to his childhood community forces him to pay attention to long-repressed memories.

A powerful coming-of-age story about a boy from rural Limpopo who must find ways to manage loss and to become fully himself as a gay man, A Soft Landing explores the implications of a past not decisively dealt with.

Genres: Fiction, Queer

253 pages, Paperback

Published May 1, 2023

Reviews

[Alistair Mackay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Queer books? For Pride Month? Groundbreaking. I joke. There still aren't nearly enough African queer books and it's so wonderful to see stories like A Soft Landing making their way into the world. This is a tender, beautiful story. Andzani is numb, spending his days in an unfulfilling accountant job in Cape Town and his nights with Grindr hook-ups. Then he's called back to the rural Limpopo town he grew up in because his mother's mental health is deteriorating, and the return to his hometown opens the floodgates of repressed memory. Moving between past and present, Mbambamencisi and Cape Town, a childhood of trauma and a burgeoning love story that offers the potential for redemption, the novel tackles heavy themes but leaves you feeling hopeful. It was a pleasure to be immersed in this experience.

[Shaun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew …

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great debut about battling ghosts from the past, while making a life in a world full of contradictions.

[Maniki_021 · Rating 3 out of 5]

A coming-of-age story about trauma, healing, family, and the courage to love and be loved. The book explores too many themes. I was really excited about this book when I got my hands on a copy. I loved how it started off; the writing, the language, and the portrayal of various aspects of South Africa were captivating. However, I started losing interest when the focus shifted to Yolula's part, as I was more invested in Andzani's story-line. I wished the book had stayed focused on him. The books shifts between past and present, Mbambamencisi and Cape Town.

Oh and I loved Neo so much.

[Anathi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is beautiful. A quick read; a fast reader could read it in a day. But that is not to say it’s easy. It’s complicated with is simple language; it has moments of humour that don’t really do much to shield one from the blows of its tragedies. I really enjoyed that though the protagonist is Andzani, it’s not only just him whose life we get to witness, get an inside of.

Read it!

[Radi · Rating 4 out of 5]

a niche novel i picked up off the shelf on my last visit to johannesburg, this novel excellently tackled the struggles a black man faces growing up in a broken family in a rural community while trying to find his identity and come to terms with his sexual orientation.

[Tarryn · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning debut novel about overcoming the trauma of childhood, growing up, and home not always being a safe haven.

[Razik❄️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn.

[Colleen Mulrooney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Startling and tender, this is beautifully written. I was rooting for the characters.

The Book Lounge in Cape Town listed this as their favourite book of the year when my boyfriend asked them for a recommendation - I’m glad they did.

[Jorge Prado · Rating 5 out of 5]

South Africa has a dark print in its literature. Violence, suffering, racism, clasism shape the life of the protagonist. For me he is an anti-héroe almost. Very good book. South African literature is not for sensitive people. I love how the Interlingüistic reality of south Africa is portrait here. Well done. I highly recommend to understand the deep and still very open wounds of this country.

[Nqobile Msiza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Soft Landing is a beautifully written and emotionally rich novel. I found myself deeply moved by its themes of queerness, memory, and healing. While the shifting timelines were a bit confusing at times, they also reflected the fragmented nature of the main character’s inner world which made the story feel even more real. What stood out most for me was authors ability to paint vivid images with words. The writing flows so naturally that even the heavier moments feel gentle and honest. This book reminded me how important it is to face our pain, so we don’t pass it on to others.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly the most I’ve enjoyed a new South African fiction release in a while! I thought it was tenderly told and I was surprised to find out about two thirds through the read that it was a dissertation submission! A talent to watch!

[Tiaan La Grange · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wisani Mushwana shines when writing dialogue.

He has a way of distilling the different dynamics and viewpoints in interpersonal relationships through effortless dialogue; whether it's through using different languages or vernacular English, slang or references to popular culture, he paints believable characters and authentic experiences. I loved reading about shared, queer lived experiences in a project like this, and could easily imagine this story happening in the lives of people around me. The parts that flashed back to our main character's childhood were interesting, especially tender and sometimes difficult to read (in the best way). It's beautiful seeing South Africa represented acurately on the page.

I think what would have made the reading experience more enjoyable is if Mushwana were more consistent or formulaic in the structuring of his time jumps and the lengths of each chapter. Changes in perspective were also slightly jarring, and although I enjoyed reading the love interest's point of view, it didn't add meaningfully to the plot and the story of our main character.

I'm also left frustrated that the hookup culture the main character binges on, while being unfaithful and dishonest to his partner, isn't addressed or utilised to further their development. I'm uninterested in exploring queer infidelity in fiction unless it's integral to the relationship — here it's only used to portray the internal conflict of the main character.

It was lovely meeting Mushwana at my favourite Cape Town bookstore's queer book club gathering while reading this book. He's a wonderful author, with a genuine love of local stories, and I would be interested in reading more of his work.

[Paul B · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are so many themes in this novel that I would have wanted to see explored further, and so much more to be said about these contradictions that are presented in the main characters. It feels that the author is "playing it safe", relying too heavily on the simplifying tropes of the YA genre instead of facing heads on the difficult topics of grief, class, mental health and sexuality. I also felt that the dialogues, especially in the most dramatic moments, lacked credibility and too often traded off authenticity for platitudes that dissolved tension and impact. In the end it is the main character's journey - his youth, his coming-of-age, his flight - that makes for an appealing read.

[Kudzai Mhangwa · Rating 3 out of 5]

'A Soft Landing' is a story about Andzani who's life we see from his time as an undergrad student, working accountant and his early childhood. This was an interesting book though the jumps back and forth were quite annoying when I was reading. I loved some of the lines and passages in the book.

None of the characters really grew on me too as I read the novel. I recommend this book for those who love LGBTQIA+ fiction from Africa and African contemporary fiction this will be a wonderful read for you.

[Josh Slingers · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Intimacy was intended and he forced his mind to go there, to that state where for a long time he'd feared traversing, that state of vulnerability loving another human being demanded, when love opened up space to feel vulnerable, to feel hurt, to allow pain to cut deeper than it would if not informed by it. To allow death to lacerate and leave a scar, a scar deeper than it would if not laced by emotions, by love”.

[Claire du Trevou · Rating 4 out of 5]

An incredibly moving and vivid story of love in all guises. Mushwana has created a telling of grief so visceral, and a portrayal of life and all its complexity for a queer, black man in South Africa.

Mushwana's writing is beautiful and powerful. This book moved me, challenged me, and ultimately expanded my empathy.

[JM · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love love loved this book. It hit all the marks for me! Queer and South African. A really good build up, character development. Some academic understandings on queerness and race in South Africa. Really wonderful book that can also be thoroughly enjoyed by non-South Africans. Also a couple of very sexy parts! After the first half of the book, I couldn't put it down.

[Kathleen Till Stange · Rating 2 out of 5]

I purchased this book while on vacation in Cape Tone South Africa. It's about a young mad coming to terms with who he is and moving from Grindr hook-ups to real relationships. I could not relate, but I did learn a little more about the culture of the area.

[Adolfo Ramon · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are so many aspects of South Africa into it.

I just think that some themes could've been more explored.

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! Really beautiful writing, and also felt like an authentic South African story. This was a very thought provoking read.

[Katlego · Rating 5 out of 5]

Childhood memories unlocked…