Half Portraits Under Water

by Dennis Mugaa

Half Portraits Under Water is a collection of ten loosely interlinked stories that explore love, loss, and the interconnected nature of human experiences. In Kenya, a politician is murdered in broad daylight and several testimonies narrated to an unseen commissioner tries to get to the truth; a mother desperately tries to protect her freedom-fighting son from a ruthless and vindictive government regime; a young boy in a slum heads to a football pitch with his friend for what would be the last time as his country shifts politically to a new power; in an elite school for gifted young adults, a girl with a despotic father disappears and soon her three friends have to make a deal with the devil in order to hold on to their dreams. Through these stories set against the moving backdrop of sociopolitical changes in different countries, discover the profound connections that shape our lives, intertwining themes of love, grief, and what it means to be deeply, unflinchingly human.

Genres: Short Stories, Fiction

232 pages, Paperback

Published August 14, 2024

Reviews

[Mwongeli · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a book club selection.... we're trying to read more Kenyan authors.

I enjoyed this short story collection that traversed various countries including Kenya, Nigeria and the UK. Also, as a fan of historical fiction, the stories about Tom Mboya and Wangari Mathai were just wonderful. They were my favourites!

I also like that there were two stories about Eastleigh (very nostalgic as this is where I grew up) and a story about male friendship as well. Very interesting.

The most touching story was about grief. I think he really did a good job with it and is where the name of the collection is derived. Might reread in future. Also, looking forward to reading the author's books should he write more.

Side note, this book wasn't on Goodreads so I found the author on Instagram and asked him to add it and he did! Thanks 😊

[Hope Etuk · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️

The thing about this book and its collection is that after reading each story and taking a moment to process it, you feel their weight. They linger in equal parts heartbreak and beauty.

Each story carries traces of loss, guilt, betrayal, freedom, and the quiet importance of family. While not every story left a lasting mark on me, a few truly did. My favorites are:

• The Fallen World of Appearances: A Minister is shot and killed, and as the investigation unfolds through witnesses and close friends’ testimonies, you’re left questioning: to what extent will a man go just to be free?

• The Only One I Have Not Lost: This story follows a mother who would do anything to protect her son, a boy whose fierce boldness fills her with both pride and fear. Set against the backdrop of police brutality in a land that isn’t their home, it’s a story that grips your heart.

• Half Portraits Underwater: The loss of a sibling and a child leaves a family fractured and yearning for what once was. It’s a quiet, aching story about grief and remembrance.

• Spalding: A moving tale of betrayal and broken dreams. A young boy’s dream of becoming a basketball player is abruptly cut short when he’s left off the team a simple but powerful story.

Dennis Mũgaa’s writing is tender, unpredictable, and deeply human. You never quite know what to expect, and that’s part of its charm.

If you enjoy short stories with delicate writing and beautifully flawed characters, this is one collection you’ll want to add to your reading list.

[Ivy Onami · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book had so much potential, but ultimately, it left me feeling unsatisfied. While the concept of weaving historical moments and the diaspora into the stories was intriguing, it wasn’t explored to its full depth. Many of the short stories felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more, but not in a good way.

The title story was the standout for me—it was beautifully written and deeply engaging. It showcased the kind of storytelling I wished the rest of the collection had achieved. The grief section in the latter half of the book was stronger and more compelling than the first part, but overall, the collection as a whole didn’t quite hold my interest. Despite its promising themes, the book fell flat for me.

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is definitely for the curious type of reader. Every short story has, in fact, historical or cultural relevance, which make how the stories are told even more compelling if you explore what those ‘relevances’ are.

Great quick read.

[Catherine Mukora · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of loosely woven together stories, well written, well researched and all around lovely.

[Joan Ombwegeh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting read. I loved the fact that the stories were loosely interconnected.

[Ashley Muthaka]

I love a good collection of Kenyan short stories!

[Akinyi Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is something about rereading a book that I really love. The first time around, you are often carried by the story, you want to know what happens next, where the characters end up, how everything comes together. But when you reread, you already know the story. You can slow down. You start paying attention to the writing itself: the prose, the imagery, the structure, the little details you might have missed the first time. You become more immersed in the book in a completely different way.That was my experience rereading Half Portraits Under Water by Dennis Muga.
This is a collection of ten stories, and what I loved most is how each story carries its own weight. We encounter stories touching on political power, the shooting of a Kenyan minister, scholarships and opportunities, police brutality and extrajudicial killings, the ways wealth and power can be used to oppress others, death, identity, and the search for oneself. There is a lot happening here, but somehow the stories speak to one another.I genuinely loved the stories. I can't even say that I had one favourite because each one gave me something different.
I enjoyed how some of the stories and characters are interconnected. It gives the collection this feeling of a much bigger world existing beyond the individual story you are currently reading.
There is, however, one thing I have always wondered, it is about the Spalding story. I understand the connections between many of the other stories, but I have never quite figured out how this particular thread fits into the larger dynamic of the collection. Maybe that is intentional. Maybe I am missing something. Or maybe it is one of those questions I need to ask Dennis himself one day. Dennis, we need to meet because I have questions.
What really stood out to me on this reread, though, was the research and intentionality behind the writing. You can tell that Dennis took his time with this book. The references to places, historical events and political moments make the stories feel grounded, and the descriptions are so vivid that I often felt transported.
One moment I am in Kenya, then I am somewhere in the United States, at Columbia University, in Washington, D.C., and then somewhere completely different. I loved the way the voices shift too from Nigerian expressions to the language and rhythm of a Nairobian, to Somali influences. It felt like moving between different worlds without the transitions ever feeling forced.
That, for me, is one of the pleasures of reading a writer who has really taken the time to develop their craft the storytelling, the imagery, the descriptions, the prose. You don't just read the book. You find yourself inside it.
I have one question for Dennis that I hope I get to ask him someday: Is this historical fiction?I have always wondered how he would classify the book.
Either way, I loved this reread. I am glad I went back to it.