What do you think?
Rate this book
Das schöne Lächeln von Riambel
»Eine mitreißende, einfühlsame, ehrliche Geschichte, deren Zeitlosigkeit uns zu denken geben sollte.« Alice Hasters
»Große Kunst, die mit Mut und entschlossener Empörung die Lücken des Ungesagten aufgreift.« J. M. G. Le Clézio, Nobelpreisträger für Literatur
Riambel, Mauritius: Die fünfzehnjährige Noemi hat keine andere Wahl, als die Schule zu verlassen und im Haushalt der wohlhabenden Familie De Grandbourg zu arbeiten. Nur einen Steinwurf entfernt von der heruntergekommenen Cité, in der sie aufwuchs, taucht sie in eine Welt ein, die ihrer eigenen so fremd ist. Zwischen Verführung und Verlassenwerden, Scham und Widerstand beginnen die Stimmen der Frauen vor ihr durch Noemi hindurchzuklingen: Frauen, die sich der Unterdrückung widersetzten, Traditionen hinterfragten, ihren eigenen Geschichten Ausdruck verliehen – jenseits der strahlenden Strände und des scheinbaren Paradieses von Riambel.
Priya Hein hat einen farbenprächtigen Roman geschrieben, voller poetischer Wucht, der die Geschichte von Mauritius und seinen Frauen in all ihrer Kraft und Verletzlichkeit erzählt.
»Modern und eigenwillig (…) reich an Gerüchen, Geräuschen und Gefühlen.« Süddeutsche Zeitung
»Große Kunst, die mit Mut und entschlossener Empörung die Lücken des Ungesagten aufgreift.« J. M. G. Le Clézio, Nobelpreisträger für Literatur
Riambel, Mauritius: Die fünfzehnjährige Noemi hat keine andere Wahl, als die Schule zu verlassen und im Haushalt der wohlhabenden Familie De Grandbourg zu arbeiten. Nur einen Steinwurf entfernt von der heruntergekommenen Cité, in der sie aufwuchs, taucht sie in eine Welt ein, die ihrer eigenen so fremd ist. Zwischen Verführung und Verlassenwerden, Scham und Widerstand beginnen die Stimmen der Frauen vor ihr durch Noemi hindurchzuklingen: Frauen, die sich der Unterdrückung widersetzten, Traditionen hinterfragten, ihren eigenen Geschichten Ausdruck verliehen – jenseits der strahlenden Strände und des scheinbaren Paradieses von Riambel.
Priya Hein hat einen farbenprächtigen Roman geschrieben, voller poetischer Wucht, der die Geschichte von Mauritius und seinen Frauen in all ihrer Kraft und Verletzlichkeit erzählt.
»Modern und eigenwillig (…) reich an Gerüchen, Geräuschen und Gefühlen.« Süddeutsche Zeitung
208 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2022
14 people are currently reading
1156 people want to read
About the author
Priya Hein
5 books20 followersPriya Hein was born in Mauritius. She has published several children's books and short stories, and has contributed to a number of anthologies. In 2017 she was nominated by the National Library of Mauritius for the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. She was selected for the Women's Creative Mentorship Project for the University of Iowa International Writing Program. Her debut manuscript Riambel won the 2021 Jean Fanchette Prize. Priya lives in Munich and Mauritius with her family.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews
April 15, 2023
The March Republic of Consciousness Book of the Month.
I always find it strange how there's only one road that divides us from them. Us. Them. Zot. Nou , Gran Dimounn. Ti Dimounn. Big people. Small people. On one side of the winding coastal road there are the kanpman and the estates of the blan that reek of oldmoney, alongside the properties of the nouveau riche which face the ocean. Old summer retreats with their former slave quarters turned guest houses. But you only have to cross the road and you'll get to see the real Mauritius. Merely a few metres away. The side they won't show you on the postcards and the glossy brochures that are used as bait to lure excited tourists to our paradise island, to unleash bundles of euro notes from their chunky wallets —not that we ever get to see any of it.
For as long as I can remember, Mama's been working as a maid in one of those houses across the road. Serving the same white family as her parents. The De Grandbourg family — white Franco-Mauritians who like to boast of an ancestry that goes all the way back to a château in Brittany. De Grandbourg. Ha! Even their name denotes big. Grand.
My favourite teacher says that the Mauritian blan probably descend from peasants, mere blacksmiths and lowly sailors. Franco-Mauritians like to tell little white lies about their seem-ingly blue blood, having made their fortune from the slave trade. To wash their bloody hands. But will they ever be able to clean their tarnished souls?
Riambel by Priya Hein is publised by Indigo Press "an independent publisher of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, based in London. Guided by a spirit of internationalism, feminism and social justice, we publish books to make readers see the world afresh, question their behaviour and beliefs, and imagine a better future", a mission this fascinating novel certainly fulfils.
The novel is narrated by Noemi, aged 15 when the novel begins. She lives in a "cité or kan kreol, which is how they like to refer to our shanty town", hidden from tourist view, in Riambel on the South of Mauritius. Her mother works as a servant for the rich blan, white Franco-Mauritian, family who live in a large house overlooking the sea, and who treat Noemi and her mother with contempt. Noemi's older sister Marie, who also worked in the house, was dismissed when she was falsely accused of assaulting a girl of a similar age from the family, which led to her falling into a life of sweat shop work, drugs and ultimately an early death.
At heart Noemi's is a relatively well known story of a girl from the 'wrong' side of the tracks falling in love with someone from the other side, a love that will inevitably end badly.
But what elevates this novel is firstly the story it tells of the legacies of colonialism and the slave trade in the 21st century, but secondly the hybrid form. Running alongside Noemi's present day story is a another, told in the second person, which begins by addressing the situation of a young female slave from the sugar plantation days but which subtlely morphs into addressing Marie. Noemi's mother's main role is to prepare food for the De Grandbourg family, often of French origin, but her attachment to her own culture comes through in the chapters containing traditional Mauritian recipes. Italicised Mauritian Creole words are blended throughout the text, sometimes translated, other times not where the context makes it clear. And there are chapters of poems, both French and Creole originals, with translations.
Hein has also drawn on the work of other Mauritian artists. Poems by Jean Franchette and Robert-Edward Hart book end the novel - each translated from French by Jeffrey Zuckerman; she quotes from the work of the History Professor Vijata Teelock on the history of slavery and labour migration (some of which she places in the mouth of an enlightened white French teacher at Noemi's school); and the novel's brilliant cover is by the Mauritian artist Mila Gupta. Hein also introduces the book with her own perspective as an immigrant in the UK.
4 stars - a beautifully drawn, if simple story, elevated by its hybrid form.
I always find it strange how there's only one road that divides us from them. Us. Them. Zot. Nou , Gran Dimounn. Ti Dimounn. Big people. Small people. On one side of the winding coastal road there are the kanpman and the estates of the blan that reek of oldmoney, alongside the properties of the nouveau riche which face the ocean. Old summer retreats with their former slave quarters turned guest houses. But you only have to cross the road and you'll get to see the real Mauritius. Merely a few metres away. The side they won't show you on the postcards and the glossy brochures that are used as bait to lure excited tourists to our paradise island, to unleash bundles of euro notes from their chunky wallets —not that we ever get to see any of it.
For as long as I can remember, Mama's been working as a maid in one of those houses across the road. Serving the same white family as her parents. The De Grandbourg family — white Franco-Mauritians who like to boast of an ancestry that goes all the way back to a château in Brittany. De Grandbourg. Ha! Even their name denotes big. Grand.
My favourite teacher says that the Mauritian blan probably descend from peasants, mere blacksmiths and lowly sailors. Franco-Mauritians like to tell little white lies about their seem-ingly blue blood, having made their fortune from the slave trade. To wash their bloody hands. But will they ever be able to clean their tarnished souls?
Riambel by Priya Hein is publised by Indigo Press "an independent publisher of contemporary fiction and non-fiction, based in London. Guided by a spirit of internationalism, feminism and social justice, we publish books to make readers see the world afresh, question their behaviour and beliefs, and imagine a better future", a mission this fascinating novel certainly fulfils.
The novel is narrated by Noemi, aged 15 when the novel begins. She lives in a "cité or kan kreol, which is how they like to refer to our shanty town", hidden from tourist view, in Riambel on the South of Mauritius. Her mother works as a servant for the rich blan, white Franco-Mauritian, family who live in a large house overlooking the sea, and who treat Noemi and her mother with contempt. Noemi's older sister Marie, who also worked in the house, was dismissed when she was falsely accused of assaulting a girl of a similar age from the family, which led to her falling into a life of sweat shop work, drugs and ultimately an early death.
At heart Noemi's is a relatively well known story of a girl from the 'wrong' side of the tracks falling in love with someone from the other side, a love that will inevitably end badly.
But what elevates this novel is firstly the story it tells of the legacies of colonialism and the slave trade in the 21st century, but secondly the hybrid form. Running alongside Noemi's present day story is a another, told in the second person, which begins by addressing the situation of a young female slave from the sugar plantation days but which subtlely morphs into addressing Marie. Noemi's mother's main role is to prepare food for the De Grandbourg family, often of French origin, but her attachment to her own culture comes through in the chapters containing traditional Mauritian recipes. Italicised Mauritian Creole words are blended throughout the text, sometimes translated, other times not where the context makes it clear. And there are chapters of poems, both French and Creole originals, with translations.
Hein has also drawn on the work of other Mauritian artists. Poems by Jean Franchette and Robert-Edward Hart book end the novel - each translated from French by Jeffrey Zuckerman; she quotes from the work of the History Professor Vijata Teelock on the history of slavery and labour migration (some of which she places in the mouth of an enlightened white French teacher at Noemi's school); and the novel's brilliant cover is by the Mauritian artist Mila Gupta. Hein also introduces the book with her own perspective as an immigrant in the UK.
4 stars - a beautifully drawn, if simple story, elevated by its hybrid form.
![Profile Image for Amy [adleilareads].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1652548137i%2F91470664._UY200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
October 30, 2022
Fifteen-year-old Noemi is raised in the slums of Mauritius and finds herself having to quit school to help support her mother, who works as a maid for a rich white family.
It is then when she sees that history is repeating itself - or perhaps it’s the consequences of colonialism and now Noemi is following in the footsteps of her ancestors, as a subservient to white privilege.
This book is brilliant. Bold in its stark contrast between the beauty of the island and its dark history, which is equally heartbreaking and eye-opening.
I absolutely flew through it. The short chapters ignite the pace, delivering punch after punch and I found myself mesmerised by Priya’s fierce yet beautiful writing.
This is one you won’t want to miss. Thank you to the publisher for sending this beautiful copy my way.
CW: slavery, racism, drug abuse, sexual abuse, abortion.
It is then when she sees that history is repeating itself - or perhaps it’s the consequences of colonialism and now Noemi is following in the footsteps of her ancestors, as a subservient to white privilege.
This book is brilliant. Bold in its stark contrast between the beauty of the island and its dark history, which is equally heartbreaking and eye-opening.
I absolutely flew through it. The short chapters ignite the pace, delivering punch after punch and I found myself mesmerised by Priya’s fierce yet beautiful writing.
This is one you won’t want to miss. Thank you to the publisher for sending this beautiful copy my way.
CW: slavery, racism, drug abuse, sexual abuse, abortion.
July 22, 2023
Possibly more like 4.5 -- this is a slim book but it packs a punch.
October 18, 2022
I know very little about Mauritius, so I Google it and watch as my screen fills with descriptions of an idyllic vacation island cradled in an expanse of azure. Only after 18 pages of travel advice and tour itineraries is the country’s independence from colonial rule briefly—and obliquely—alluded to, and I comb the search results for another half hour before giving up on the likelihood of finding amidst them a single story to do with Mauritian people. All day long thereafter I think about the absence of their bodies in the images I have scrolled past, each attempting to present a veritable paradise by obscuring from sight the very people whose labour keeps it running.
It is a similar absence that haunts Noemi, the fifteen-year-old protagonist of Priya Hein’s debut novel Riambel. Raised in the slums that line the picturesque fishing village this book borrows its name from, she swims in the ocean and clothes herself in the naïve hope of finding wholehearted laughter—rire en belle—in her surroundings. However, the bite of loss gradually opens her eyes to the unspoken rules and historical erasures which bind her people in mental and physical servitude to the island’s white population. Thus stranded without the comforts of a past, Noemi’s future appears circumscribed by the coarseness and callouses of her grandmother’s hands, the disgust and suspicion with which local shopkeepers regard creole girls like herself, and the unquestioning manner of her mother’s resignation to their lot in life. The attention and encouragement of a few kind teachers move her towards a will to uncover the “herstory” of her enslaved ancestors but is only when forced into serving the wealthy Franco-Mauritian family across the street that she comes to face her burden as a “great-granddaughter of plantation rape,” trapped in a world that continues to turn per the customs of a seemingly distant past.
[This piece originally appeared in The Cardiff Review]
Riambel presents an impassioned counter to popular imaginaries of a blissful and prosperous Mauritius by providing readers with glimpses into the lives fragmented by the enduring legacy of slavery and indenture. This is done through a collection of pithy vignettes that make visible how the grit from erstwhile sugar plantations persists in the country’s socio-ethnic landscape to this day. Here, Noemi’s voice—lyrical, arresting, and awash with a burning sense of injustice—floats up from a chorus of hitherto unheard echoes from the women who preceded her in the fields and in the master’s house. Despite the century and a half that stands between her world and theirs, she catches herself lured into a trap that unexpectedly unites her with their suffering. Waylaid by the violence of birth and death which taints her bloodline and closes the gap between her modest ti lakaz and the grand mansion to which she can never belong, she loses herself to the same currents that once excited her. Laughter, then, like the waves, takes on a sinister sound.
Still, this book is not all lament: in Hein’s hands, the harrowing herstories of Noemi and her ancestors become part of a larger project of recovery and literary preservation. Inspired by the global Black Lives Matter movement, this is a project that seeks to honour the fugitive culture of the enslaved and highlight a continuum of exploitative realities by incorporating slave songs and creole recipes into its incisive exploration of life in present-day Mauritius. Though these sections sometimes feel jarring against the hypnotic prose in which Noemi speaks to the reader, I found them a powerful tool through which the harmony between native life and landscape is contrasted with the ugliness of colonial bondage and postcolonial ‘development.’
In the span of a mere 160 pages, this extraordinary debut packs rare insight into the trauma and deference seeded by the long reign of capitalism and the white man’s whims. Further, it nests its tragic narrative between epigraphs, excerpts, and references from eminent works from and about Mauritius, entering into dialogue with and offering alternative interpretations to existing literary considerations of the island’s scenic lineaments. It is no wonder, then, that it comes recommended by the Nobel laureate J.M.G. Le Clézio, who awarded its manuscript the 2021 Jean Fanchette Prize.
With the hierarchies of exploitation and extraction intact and wreaking havoc upon creole futures, any romantic ideas of a Mauritian paradise—however beautifully it may be pictured online or otherwise—are but a mirage. By shattering it through a melodic and propulsive tale of a reality embedded in hostility and abuse, Riambel sets the scene for reimagining a society more livable than the one festering under the tyranny of glossy brochures. In that sense, it is a tragedy edged with the possibilities of hope—an illustration capable of rousing readers to action.
It is a similar absence that haunts Noemi, the fifteen-year-old protagonist of Priya Hein’s debut novel Riambel. Raised in the slums that line the picturesque fishing village this book borrows its name from, she swims in the ocean and clothes herself in the naïve hope of finding wholehearted laughter—rire en belle—in her surroundings. However, the bite of loss gradually opens her eyes to the unspoken rules and historical erasures which bind her people in mental and physical servitude to the island’s white population. Thus stranded without the comforts of a past, Noemi’s future appears circumscribed by the coarseness and callouses of her grandmother’s hands, the disgust and suspicion with which local shopkeepers regard creole girls like herself, and the unquestioning manner of her mother’s resignation to their lot in life. The attention and encouragement of a few kind teachers move her towards a will to uncover the “herstory” of her enslaved ancestors but is only when forced into serving the wealthy Franco-Mauritian family across the street that she comes to face her burden as a “great-granddaughter of plantation rape,” trapped in a world that continues to turn per the customs of a seemingly distant past.
[This piece originally appeared in The Cardiff Review]
Riambel presents an impassioned counter to popular imaginaries of a blissful and prosperous Mauritius by providing readers with glimpses into the lives fragmented by the enduring legacy of slavery and indenture. This is done through a collection of pithy vignettes that make visible how the grit from erstwhile sugar plantations persists in the country’s socio-ethnic landscape to this day. Here, Noemi’s voice—lyrical, arresting, and awash with a burning sense of injustice—floats up from a chorus of hitherto unheard echoes from the women who preceded her in the fields and in the master’s house. Despite the century and a half that stands between her world and theirs, she catches herself lured into a trap that unexpectedly unites her with their suffering. Waylaid by the violence of birth and death which taints her bloodline and closes the gap between her modest ti lakaz and the grand mansion to which she can never belong, she loses herself to the same currents that once excited her. Laughter, then, like the waves, takes on a sinister sound.
Still, this book is not all lament: in Hein’s hands, the harrowing herstories of Noemi and her ancestors become part of a larger project of recovery and literary preservation. Inspired by the global Black Lives Matter movement, this is a project that seeks to honour the fugitive culture of the enslaved and highlight a continuum of exploitative realities by incorporating slave songs and creole recipes into its incisive exploration of life in present-day Mauritius. Though these sections sometimes feel jarring against the hypnotic prose in which Noemi speaks to the reader, I found them a powerful tool through which the harmony between native life and landscape is contrasted with the ugliness of colonial bondage and postcolonial ‘development.’
In the span of a mere 160 pages, this extraordinary debut packs rare insight into the trauma and deference seeded by the long reign of capitalism and the white man’s whims. Further, it nests its tragic narrative between epigraphs, excerpts, and references from eminent works from and about Mauritius, entering into dialogue with and offering alternative interpretations to existing literary considerations of the island’s scenic lineaments. It is no wonder, then, that it comes recommended by the Nobel laureate J.M.G. Le Clézio, who awarded its manuscript the 2021 Jean Fanchette Prize.
With the hierarchies of exploitation and extraction intact and wreaking havoc upon creole futures, any romantic ideas of a Mauritian paradise—however beautifully it may be pictured online or otherwise—are but a mirage. By shattering it through a melodic and propulsive tale of a reality embedded in hostility and abuse, Riambel sets the scene for reimagining a society more livable than the one festering under the tyranny of glossy brochures. In that sense, it is a tragedy edged with the possibilities of hope—an illustration capable of rousing readers to action.
March 1, 2023
Reading this interesting debut in the original language,the French language since i wasn't able to get the English translated one. Since i knew and understand only a few bits and pieces of French words and phrases,i had to rely on some online translating apps to help made sense of my very meagre understanding of the language. But so far i think it is helpful,as despite the language barrier and limitations,i was able to grasp the meaning and the intention of this story from the author,who wrote this as a tribute and lamentations of her people,particularly the women and young girls,who despite the end of slavery still were caught and trapped in slavery and servitudes towards men (in patriarchy) and towards their masters (White employers). The author did a brilliant job in also giving tribute to the Chagossian people who also suffering from the unjust oppression and actions of the White colonialists (the British) who forced and drives them away from their own land and country and forced to live in exiles in some other countries,with Mauritius being one of the major countries where they have settled in. Overall, a short but very important story highlighting very important message. Unfortunately, i was expecting too much and was disappointed when the story did not turn out in the direction that i expected it to turn into, i was expecting to see Noemi the protagonist character to be just like how her name (meaning "To Rebel")to befit her, by actually learning to rebel and to say "No!" instead of following the servitude thinking and behaviours taught and passed down to her from her mother and ancestors. And to rebel through learning more in depth about the history of her people and her ancestors and creates a new story,a different and better kind of story, as advised and encouraged by her White teacher, Mrs. Maggie who told her to write 'herstory' and challenged the patriarchy 'history'.Sadly, 'No!' what i hoped for did not happen,hence the lower rating of this otherwise a very promising story which to me has the potential to be a sort of bildungsroman feminist or women's right story if done right. Perhaps, the author is trying to rouse sympathy and empathy by portraying that in the end, they still remained the victims and still suffering from oppressions from the White colonialists/settlers masters despite the slavery period already ended,class, racial,economic divide and apartheid still a normal part of her country (between the rich and the poor),colonialism,slavery and servitude still happening only in different forms,prejudices still part of their lives,so basically their past is still their present. The legacies of colonialism still existed,i believe that is the main issues/points highlighted in this story. Overall,still a very interesting story despite the disjointed structure and very short chapters,very lushly interspersed with some rich and exotic cultural aspects of the country as the author also included some very heartfelt and touching and beautifully written poems and mouth watering recipes from her country; symbolizing a unique racial & cultural blends of her people. As a thalassophile,I fell in love with Riambel,the popular beach,one of my dream paradise. Expect some precautionary warnings of rape,prostitution,murder,racist remarks,racism and racial discrimination, underage drinking,substance usage and sex and abortion.
February 23, 2023
Ephemeral and beautiful. Priya Hein’s powerful debut novel is a rich and lyrical examination of the history and culture of Mauritius, including the generational slavery, and unbalanced structures of class and ethnicity.
This is a very short book, but it is lushly delivered and contains multi-faceted, nuanced, layers.
‘Riambel’ focuses on teenage Noemi, who has no choice but to leave school and work for the wealthy family across the street from the slum in which she lives. Through her, the history of those who have come before her unfurls against the backdrop of a Mauritius that is yet to recover from the devastating impact of slavery. Priya Hein weaves this with the beauty of the country, recipes, colour, song, and life. A paradise of pure potential - exploited by a few still benefiting from the long dark shadow of capitalism that scars this island nation.
Something that Hein captures perfectly in her writing, is the absurdity of the chasm of class divide contrasted with the geographical proximity of the richest and the poorest to each other. A mere street away, but worlds apart.
I absolutely loved this book, the introduction alone made me realise that this was going to be a heartfelt and important piece of writing. Hein opens by telling the reader the circumstances under which this book came into being, and it tugged at my heart strings - it is truly inspiring, and that feeling stayed with me from the very first to the very last page.
This is a very short book, but it is lushly delivered and contains multi-faceted, nuanced, layers.
‘Riambel’ focuses on teenage Noemi, who has no choice but to leave school and work for the wealthy family across the street from the slum in which she lives. Through her, the history of those who have come before her unfurls against the backdrop of a Mauritius that is yet to recover from the devastating impact of slavery. Priya Hein weaves this with the beauty of the country, recipes, colour, song, and life. A paradise of pure potential - exploited by a few still benefiting from the long dark shadow of capitalism that scars this island nation.
Something that Hein captures perfectly in her writing, is the absurdity of the chasm of class divide contrasted with the geographical proximity of the richest and the poorest to each other. A mere street away, but worlds apart.
I absolutely loved this book, the introduction alone made me realise that this was going to be a heartfelt and important piece of writing. Hein opens by telling the reader the circumstances under which this book came into being, and it tugged at my heart strings - it is truly inspiring, and that feeling stayed with me from the very first to the very last page.
February 24, 2024
"Riambel" is about the racial and economic divide that exists in Mauritius, and the country's history of slavery and colonialism.
The protagonist Noémie, is a hopeful 15-year old dreaming of a better life than the one of servitude to white families that she, her mother, her grandmother, and all her ancestors were born into.
The writing is lyrical, but the subject matter isn't pretty, which I think perfectly represents Mauritius: A beautiful tropical holiday destination, with a horrifying history and a population living in poverty.
This book was basically a mini history lesson for me.
The protagonist Noémie, is a hopeful 15-year old dreaming of a better life than the one of servitude to white families that she, her mother, her grandmother, and all her ancestors were born into.
The writing is lyrical, but the subject matter isn't pretty, which I think perfectly represents Mauritius: A beautiful tropical holiday destination, with a horrifying history and a population living in poverty.
This book was basically a mini history lesson for me.
September 16, 2024
4 stars for the gorgeous prose and poetry, 4.5 stars for the story. I finished the book, then I did something I don't normally do, I restarted it from the beginning.
October 7, 2022
A beautifully breath-taking yet horribly heart-breaking story.
This short novel follows a 15 year-old Mauritius girl who starts off in school but leaves to start working for a white wealth family that her family has been serving for generations. Noemi starts to feel herself slipping into the patterns of her ancestors... Without ruining too much, this story covers racism, love, heart-break, loss of hope and joy, and just a sense of Noemi being robbed of her future due to who she is and where she's from.
Priya writes with such colour, that at times I found myself daydreaming of the Mauritius beaches and feeling the sand between my toes, and then getting pulled back into the present and having to re-read the pages all over again.
The short chapters allows yourself to be engulfed into the pages and devour the story so quickly.
I absolutely loved how Priya so easily switches between English and Creole/French, story telling and poems, as well as the addition of traditional Mauritius recipes - I cannot wait to try these out.
This short novel follows a 15 year-old Mauritius girl who starts off in school but leaves to start working for a white wealth family that her family has been serving for generations. Noemi starts to feel herself slipping into the patterns of her ancestors... Without ruining too much, this story covers racism, love, heart-break, loss of hope and joy, and just a sense of Noemi being robbed of her future due to who she is and where she's from.
Priya writes with such colour, that at times I found myself daydreaming of the Mauritius beaches and feeling the sand between my toes, and then getting pulled back into the present and having to re-read the pages all over again.
The short chapters allows yourself to be engulfed into the pages and devour the story so quickly.
I absolutely loved how Priya so easily switches between English and Creole/French, story telling and poems, as well as the addition of traditional Mauritius recipes - I cannot wait to try these out.
October 30, 2022
I was astounded by the blistering prose and originality in Priya Hein’s stunning debut Riambel (The Indigo Press). The book follows Noemi, a fifteen-year-old girl from the slums of a small village in Mauritius, and who, alongside her mother and her sister, serves a privileged Franco-Mauritian family living in a grandiose mansion across the street – a job that all women in Noemi’s family have been doing for generations. With the kind encouragement of a teacher, Noemi starts discovering the traumatic past of her ancestors through books and stories revealing the history of oppression.
Against the backdrop of uncomfortable and, at times, disturbing fragments depicting abuse, rape and exploitation, I loved the way the richness of the local Mauritanians’ culture is depicted: through culinary recipes, oral history, poetry and songs woven beautifully into the narrative.
It’s a slim novel but one that punches deeply and screams aloud. It invites us to oppose the injustice of the longstanding structures of class, hostility and white capitalism.
Against the backdrop of uncomfortable and, at times, disturbing fragments depicting abuse, rape and exploitation, I loved the way the richness of the local Mauritanians’ culture is depicted: through culinary recipes, oral history, poetry and songs woven beautifully into the narrative.
It’s a slim novel but one that punches deeply and screams aloud. It invites us to oppose the injustice of the longstanding structures of class, hostility and white capitalism.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 17, 2023
At something like 150 pages and for being such a short book, Riambel really packs a punch. A story of how colonialism plunders nations and leaves its inhabitants forever changed - the book’s lead character Noemie captured my heart. I love how vividly Mauritius and it’s culture shine through. This was a difficult read at times but so worth it.
March 18, 2025
I think the best books are the ones which hit you straight at the emotional core and at the same time teach the reader something new. Riambel does both of these things. In fact it’s another reading highlight of 2025.
The setting is Mauritius, where class system reigns. The main protagonist, Noemi’s mother is a kitchen slave to the De Grandbourg family. Due to poor wages needs Noemi to help her. In the process she has to give up her schooling in order to support the family. One day a foreign cousin, who visits the De Grandbourgs takes a liking to Noemi which leads to consequences.
On the surface this seems like a romance but that’s just a cover up. This is a book about the cruelties of colonialism and , trust me, there are brutal moments. I never knew that the sugar trade in Mauritius was one with the foundations of blood.
Mixed in with the narrative are poems to Noemi’s ancestors, recipes and tributes to Mauritian artists. All is told in an extremely easy going way. I cannot heap enough praise. HIGHLY recommended.
The setting is Mauritius, where class system reigns. The main protagonist, Noemi’s mother is a kitchen slave to the De Grandbourg family. Due to poor wages needs Noemi to help her. In the process she has to give up her schooling in order to support the family. One day a foreign cousin, who visits the De Grandbourgs takes a liking to Noemi which leads to consequences.
On the surface this seems like a romance but that’s just a cover up. This is a book about the cruelties of colonialism and , trust me, there are brutal moments. I never knew that the sugar trade in Mauritius was one with the foundations of blood.
Mixed in with the narrative are poems to Noemi’s ancestors, recipes and tributes to Mauritian artists. All is told in an extremely easy going way. I cannot heap enough praise. HIGHLY recommended.
November 20, 2025
Ich lese viel und gerne Literatur aus und über ferne Länder. Dabei bin ich immer auf der Suche nach Texten, die von Einheimischen erzählt werden. Je kleiner das Land, desto schwieriger stellt sich dies oft heraus. Für Mauritius gibt es nun endlich ein solches Buch.
Für viele ist die Insel im indischen Ozean ein Urlaubsparadies. Doch es auch hier eine einheimische Bevölkerung, die überwiegend indischer Abstammung ist. Sie lebt sehr bescheiden und ein Großteil arbeitet als Angestellte bei der reichen weißen Oberschicht. Das gilt auch für Noemi. Ihre Mutter ist Bedienstete bei einer solchen Familie. Für Noemi hat sie allerdings große Hoffnungen, wünscht sich ein besseres Leben für sie. Ihre ältere Tochter Marie war ebenfalls Dienstmädchen, wurde aber wegen falscher Anschuldigungen entlassen, wurde drogenabhängig und starb früh. Das soll für Noemi aber auf jeden Fall verhindert werden. Da im Haus viel Arbeit anfällt und das Geld ohnehin knapp ist, so muss auch Noemi neben der Schule dort mithelfen. Sie bleibt aber nicht wie gewünscht unauffällig im Schatten, der Sohn des Hauses wirft bald ein Auge auf sie.
Die Geschichte an sich ist nicht neu, es ist absehbar, wie alles enden muss. Dennoch berührte sie mich sehr. Es ist nicht viel, was sich Noemi und ihresgleichen wünschen, und trotzdem bleibt ihnen selbst dieses bisschen verwehrt. Sie ist lediglich der Spielball eines jungen Mannes, den das exotische Abenteuer reizt.
Priya Hein schreibt sehr gefühlvoll und authentisch. Besonders schön fand ich die Geschichten, die Lieder und die Rezepte, die sie in das Buch mit einfließen lässt. Sie geben der Geschichte eine ganz eigene Stimme, lassen alles noch lebendiger wirken. Das schöne Lächeln von Riambel war für mich ein besonderes Highlight. Ganz große Empfehlung!
Für viele ist die Insel im indischen Ozean ein Urlaubsparadies. Doch es auch hier eine einheimische Bevölkerung, die überwiegend indischer Abstammung ist. Sie lebt sehr bescheiden und ein Großteil arbeitet als Angestellte bei der reichen weißen Oberschicht. Das gilt auch für Noemi. Ihre Mutter ist Bedienstete bei einer solchen Familie. Für Noemi hat sie allerdings große Hoffnungen, wünscht sich ein besseres Leben für sie. Ihre ältere Tochter Marie war ebenfalls Dienstmädchen, wurde aber wegen falscher Anschuldigungen entlassen, wurde drogenabhängig und starb früh. Das soll für Noemi aber auf jeden Fall verhindert werden. Da im Haus viel Arbeit anfällt und das Geld ohnehin knapp ist, so muss auch Noemi neben der Schule dort mithelfen. Sie bleibt aber nicht wie gewünscht unauffällig im Schatten, der Sohn des Hauses wirft bald ein Auge auf sie.
Die Geschichte an sich ist nicht neu, es ist absehbar, wie alles enden muss. Dennoch berührte sie mich sehr. Es ist nicht viel, was sich Noemi und ihresgleichen wünschen, und trotzdem bleibt ihnen selbst dieses bisschen verwehrt. Sie ist lediglich der Spielball eines jungen Mannes, den das exotische Abenteuer reizt.
Priya Hein schreibt sehr gefühlvoll und authentisch. Besonders schön fand ich die Geschichten, die Lieder und die Rezepte, die sie in das Buch mit einfließen lässt. Sie geben der Geschichte eine ganz eigene Stimme, lassen alles noch lebendiger wirken. Das schöne Lächeln von Riambel war für mich ein besonderes Highlight. Ganz große Empfehlung!
March 16, 2023
We follow a dark skinned creole girl as she experiences racial prejudice in her home country of Mauritius by her fellow Mauritians whilst she battles with learning about the legacy of colonialism in her country which treated her ancestors as chattel (from the word "cattle"), property to be owned rather than human beings.
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing in this book. Really masterful and elegant, told in short snippets, almost like vignettes. With traditional family Creole recipes dotted in at the end of some chapters. Some chapters also end in really nice philosophical lines that are italised: "the past is your present, but don't let the past be your future".
It is a coming of age novel as we also experience Noemi's first love with her, and it's written partially in the second person, which I also love. Overall, I can't stress the quality of the writing, so fluid, so beautifully devourable.
It's slightly on the preachy and naive side and so that what makes it a 4 rather than a 5* for me.
2.5/3 concept
3/3 writing
2.5/3 enjoyment
0/1 feeling/moved
= 8/10 (4/5*)
I thoroughly enjoyed the writing in this book. Really masterful and elegant, told in short snippets, almost like vignettes. With traditional family Creole recipes dotted in at the end of some chapters. Some chapters also end in really nice philosophical lines that are italised: "the past is your present, but don't let the past be your future".
It is a coming of age novel as we also experience Noemi's first love with her, and it's written partially in the second person, which I also love. Overall, I can't stress the quality of the writing, so fluid, so beautifully devourable.
It's slightly on the preachy and naive side and so that what makes it a 4 rather than a 5* for me.
2.5/3 concept
3/3 writing
2.5/3 enjoyment
0/1 feeling/moved
= 8/10 (4/5*)
April 1, 2023
I was expecting a harder edge after the author’s note, opening quote and the first page, but in the end it was a softer and more beautiful book - I wouldn’t have minded being faced with more of the stark history of Mauritius though, as it seems like there’s a lot to tell.
September 18, 2024
I loved the experience of getting to read this after visiting Mauritius. It showed the non tourist side of life and all the blatant inequality locals experience. One thing that was really cool was that in the timeline of the story, there wasn't yet a museum to honor the legacy of enslaved people, but there is now and it was such a privilege to visit it. I loved the water motif, the french poetry, the recipes, and the historical vingetes. It was such a colorful and lyrical way to tell this story. One thing that confused me was the main character seemed to be a black girl buttttt like idt the author is black? Or at least she doesn't look black? So it was like, idk confusing that she kept using language like negro and black skin to describe the main character's experience, which fair but like idk if the author has the authority to speak on that? But maybe she does idk race is weird. Still an important story to tell nonetheless and I never would've encountered it had I not gone to that bookstore in Mauritius ( thanks Lea)
October 25, 2024
A wonderful read after visiting Mauritius, though part of me wishes I had read this before or while we were there. It was interesting to see another side of Mauritius, that was hidden from us as tourists. The beginning reminded me a lot of Sensitive by Shenaz Patel. A young female narrator living with her single mother, the symbolism of insects and water. The mother’s work for the De Grandbourg family added a different element and really highlighted the sharp disparities and inequalities present in modern day Mauritius. I liked the structure of this book and how it wove in poems, recipes, and historical narratives. I loved reading about food since that was such a highlight of our trip to Mauritius. Also it was nice to read a paper book, thank you Courtney for buying this book and letting me borrow it!
June 6, 2025
4.5 stars. This only took a few hours to read but it is beautifully done. Through the experience of one fifteen year old girl you get a glimpse of a significant slice of Mauritian social history and the legacies of colonialism that continue to exist in today’s society. The story itself is a rather simple and timeless one but it is poetically told and interspersed with poetry, local recipes and information about local authors and artists that add another dimension. On the down side, in what is a fairly subtlety told tale there is the occasional flash of tell not show which felt unnecessary to me but I can understand why the author felt the need to include them. However overall this is a very worthwhile read and I look forward to what the author writes next.
July 9, 2024
A powerful novel from Priya Hein, Riambel is a contemplation on the legacies of slavery and colonization on Mauritius from the perspective of Noemi, a teenage girl who is also a native to the island. The story is told in a rather simplistic and straightforward fashion with very occasional touches of lyricism. I didn’t see this as a bad thing by any means, and, in fact, I thought it worked rather well, considering that the story is narrated primarily by a teenager. Furthermore, the chapters read like interconnected vignettes that I found effective in getting Hein’s ideas across.
I was impressed by how well Hein captured the complexities of Mauritius in such a short book. She reveled in the beauty of the land and its natives, with simple yet expressive imagery. At the same time, though, she reflected on the dark history of the island nation primarily through Noemi’s experiences, with written snippets of an enslaved woman from the past interspersed between chapters. This approach was really effective in how Hein wanted to demonstrate how the past haunts the present, while leaving the future open-ended.
Riambel was a quick read, but definitely an impactful one. Like many other short fictional works, there’s a desire for more. Overall, though, I think the sparseness of this book worked in Hein’s favor to get her points across.
I was impressed by how well Hein captured the complexities of Mauritius in such a short book. She reveled in the beauty of the land and its natives, with simple yet expressive imagery. At the same time, though, she reflected on the dark history of the island nation primarily through Noemi’s experiences, with written snippets of an enslaved woman from the past interspersed between chapters. This approach was really effective in how Hein wanted to demonstrate how the past haunts the present, while leaving the future open-ended.
Riambel was a quick read, but definitely an impactful one. Like many other short fictional works, there’s a desire for more. Overall, though, I think the sparseness of this book worked in Hein’s favor to get her points across.
November 5, 2025
Ein Roman, der mich nachhaltig beeindruckt hat. Die Geschichte von Noemi, die als Hausangestellte in eine fremde Welt eintaucht, ist erschreckend zeitlos und voller emotionaler Wucht. Priya Hein verwebt Plot, Stimmen vergangener Frauen und sogar Kochrezepte zu einem besonderen Erzählstil, der poetisch und kraftvoll zugleich ist.
Das Buch erzählt nicht nur von individueller Unterdrückung, sondern greift auch die postkolonialen Strukturen auf, die bis heute nachwirken, jenseits der paradiesischen Postkartenbilder von Mauritius. Mich hat die Geschichte mitgerissen und tief berührt; ich denke auch Wochen später noch an die Charaktere und ihre Kämpfe.
Das Buch erzählt nicht nur von individueller Unterdrückung, sondern greift auch die postkolonialen Strukturen auf, die bis heute nachwirken, jenseits der paradiesischen Postkartenbilder von Mauritius. Mich hat die Geschichte mitgerissen und tief berührt; ich denke auch Wochen später noch an die Charaktere und ihre Kämpfe.
August 28, 2025
Das schöne Lächeln von Riambel habe ich leider abgebrochen, da ich mir tatsächlich was anderes drunter vorgestellt habe.
Ansonsten sind in dem Buch immer mal wieder Rezepte von Gerichten drin, die dort gegessen wurden und manche Sätze gehen unter die Haut, wie: Wir alle sind in unserer eigenen Dunkelheit gefangen. Ein Schatten wird langsam größer. Der Klang deines eigenen Atems überrascht dich.
Ansonsten sind in dem Buch immer mal wieder Rezepte von Gerichten drin, die dort gegessen wurden und manche Sätze gehen unter die Haut, wie: Wir alle sind in unserer eigenen Dunkelheit gefangen. Ein Schatten wird langsam größer. Der Klang deines eigenen Atems überrascht dich.
July 29, 2023
I was fortunate enough to read this book whilst in Mauritius, having heard Priya speak at a book event at home. This is a raw but beautiful book, true to Mauritian history, and exposing the harsh history of colonialism and its aftermath. Reading this having visited some of the colonial properties on the island, made it very much come to life and I could hear Noemi and her mother go about their story. Priya writes honestly, openly and lyrically using a beautiful mix of English, French and Creole. The language serves to highlight the complex, unblended and segregated realities of lives in Mauritius gone by.
Highly recommend this book.
Highly recommend this book.
February 14, 2023
As a Mauritian reading Riambel was such a eye opening experience. Beyond the pristine beach memories of my childhood, little did I pause to reflect on the miseries of the people living on the other side of the beach. Noemi story is a stark reminder of the colonial past and its current remains. The story is gripping and I look forward to her next book.
February 24, 2024
Riambel
by Priya Hein
“I read because it allows me to travel and discover places I can only dream of. To open a book is like driving into an ocean glimmering with promises.”
With short chapters - some a paragraph or two, some only one sentence - prose, poetry and recipes, Priya Hein tells a story set In Mauritius 🇲🇺, fifteen year old Noemi’s story and the story of Mauritius. Herstory.
The structure of this book allows the reader to pause and reflect and I needed it sometimes. I really enjoyed it.
There are a lot of French in this book so it will be appreciated by someone who can read French as well as English.
by Priya Hein
“I read because it allows me to travel and discover places I can only dream of. To open a book is like driving into an ocean glimmering with promises.”
With short chapters - some a paragraph or two, some only one sentence - prose, poetry and recipes, Priya Hein tells a story set In Mauritius 🇲🇺, fifteen year old Noemi’s story and the story of Mauritius. Herstory.
The structure of this book allows the reader to pause and reflect and I needed it sometimes. I really enjoyed it.
There are a lot of French in this book so it will be appreciated by someone who can read French as well as English.
January 7, 2024
My first read of the year🤸🏾♀️🤸🏾♀️
It’s easy to read and hard to put down. Great for getting out of a reading slump.
I really enjoyed how this book makes serious, ‘complex’ subjects accessible without watering them down.
My only question is, what’s with teenage girls making really ridiculous life choices?😭
I recognize that they don’t know any better, but at the same time… Often, I just want to tell them ‘you can do so much better, be so much more’.
PS: I have a signed copy. Just had to put it in there somehow haha
It’s easy to read and hard to put down. Great for getting out of a reading slump.
I really enjoyed how this book makes serious, ‘complex’ subjects accessible without watering them down.
My only question is, what’s with teenage girls making really ridiculous life choices?😭
I recognize that they don’t know any better, but at the same time… Often, I just want to tell them ‘you can do so much better, be so much more’.
PS: I have a signed copy. Just had to put it in there somehow haha
February 9, 2025
Read around the world project - Mauritius
I was really looking forward to Riambel after hearing some great stuff about it on the Booktube community. There's some great commentary in here about class, power and the legacy of colonialism - but I never felt super pulled in. The writing is beautiful but I found the short chapters, recipes, poetry and shifting perspectives pretty distracting. Not a bad read, but didn't wow me as much as I was hoping it would.
Another minor critique - the cover is gorgeous, but I don't think the cover fits the book's vibe at all.
I was really looking forward to Riambel after hearing some great stuff about it on the Booktube community. There's some great commentary in here about class, power and the legacy of colonialism - but I never felt super pulled in. The writing is beautiful but I found the short chapters, recipes, poetry and shifting perspectives pretty distracting. Not a bad read, but didn't wow me as much as I was hoping it would.
Another minor critique - the cover is gorgeous, but I don't think the cover fits the book's vibe at all.
April 15, 2025
This slim novel packs a punch. It is set in present day Mauritius, exploring the class and racial divide between people of European descent and the local Creoles, who are bound to serve them as servants, written in the voice of one such Creole school girl. Within this island paradise, with luxurious resorts for mainly white guests, there exists a dark side of poverty and suppression.
Currently reading
January 26, 202426/1/24: Heard about it on Lindy's channel and had to pick it up
January 10, 2024
so painful. I wanted to see noemi free and find joy but also know that the ending is a reality to so many. to learn about the expelling of the Chagossians and the parallels to Palestinian struggle we see today. I admit I don’t know much about Mauritius history or struggle but i learned so much and eager to learn more. Death to imperialism!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 102 reviews