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The Maestro, the Magistrate and the Mathematician: A Novel
“A sensitive exploration of the concepts of identity, family, and home grounded in a rich, intricately detailed depiction of the immigrant experience of the global African diaspora.” —Kirkus Reviews
The Hairdresser of Harare, which the New York Times Book Review called “a fresh and moving account of contemporary Zimbabwe,” announced Tendai Huchu as a shrewd and funny social commentator. In The Maestro, the Magistrate & the Mathematician, Huchu expands his focus from Zimbabwe to the lives of expatriates in Edinburgh, Scotland.
The novel follows three Zimbabwean men as they struggle to find places for themselves in Scotland. As he wanders Edinburgh with his Walkman on a constant loop of the music of home, the Magistrate?—?a former judge, now a health aide?—?tries to find meaning in new memories. The depressed and quixotic Maestro?—?gone AWOL from his job stocking shelves at a grocery store?—?escapes into books. And the youthful Mathematician enjoys a carefree and hedonistic graduate school life, until he can no longer ignore the struggles of his fellow expatriates.
In this novel of ideas, Huchu deploys satire to thoughtful end in what is quickly becoming his signature mode. Shying from neither the political nor the personal, he creates a humorous but increasingly somber picture of love, loss, belonging, and politics in the Zimbabwean diaspora.
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 1, 2014
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March 15, 2021Story of three Zimbabwean emigants who fled the Mugabe regime to Edinburgh--the Magistrate, who has gone from judge to minimum wage worker, the Mathematician, who is the son of a rich man doing his masters, and the (white) Maestro who is a Tesco shelf stacker and having a mental breakdown connected to his obsession with reading. The three interwoven stories are interestingly differentiated in tone and style, with the Magistrate being infinitely the most interesting and rich to me with its display of family life and coping with changed circumstances. They come together at the end with an out of nowhere twist that I didn't see coming, and which I think needed a fraction more flagging to make it convincing. (There's also a brief self-insert scene where the author appears at a party which...these are the reasons I rarely read litfic.)
February 17, 2017
I have to get a disclaimer out of the way at the very beginning. The author, Tendai Huchu, has a very special place in my heart as he was the first author to trust me with his book when I was just starting out with my blog about three years back. But I will try to be fair and impartial with my review.
I had thoroughly enjoyed Mr.Huchu’s first two works of fiction – An Untimely Love and The Hairdresser of Harare – especially the second one. So I was equal parts excited and equal parts nervous to pick up his book. On one hand, with his track record certain qualities were guaranteed and on the other hand I was apprehensive – what if I didn’t like this enough. After procrastinating for as long as I could, I finally picked the book up and finished it in one sitting.
Just as the name suggests, the story revolves around three central characters – the Maestro, the Magistrate and the Mathematician. These three people are far away from their homeland, Zimbabwe and are struggling with the sense of loss and their identity. They are trying to make a new life for themselves and find that feeling of belonging. As their stories overlap, the readers are in for a surprise. The plot is interesting and well planned out. It was really easy to get into the minds of the characters as they developed through the author’s gratifying narration style. And so, it was easy to follow them closely and often empathize with them especially when each of them was trying to find some sort of balance in their lives. They are such unique individuals that they each bring something different and flavorful to the story.
One thing I have come to realize about the author is the fact that he writes about things he knows well. And thus, it is easy for the reader to get into the thick of things while reading his books. Also, there is this underlying factor of culture that is so rich and vibrant that it is practically impossible not to fall in love with the stories. This book provided me with few hours of pure entertainment and I would recommend you to give it a try!
I had thoroughly enjoyed Mr.Huchu’s first two works of fiction – An Untimely Love and The Hairdresser of Harare – especially the second one. So I was equal parts excited and equal parts nervous to pick up his book. On one hand, with his track record certain qualities were guaranteed and on the other hand I was apprehensive – what if I didn’t like this enough. After procrastinating for as long as I could, I finally picked the book up and finished it in one sitting.
Just as the name suggests, the story revolves around three central characters – the Maestro, the Magistrate and the Mathematician. These three people are far away from their homeland, Zimbabwe and are struggling with the sense of loss and their identity. They are trying to make a new life for themselves and find that feeling of belonging. As their stories overlap, the readers are in for a surprise. The plot is interesting and well planned out. It was really easy to get into the minds of the characters as they developed through the author’s gratifying narration style. And so, it was easy to follow them closely and often empathize with them especially when each of them was trying to find some sort of balance in their lives. They are such unique individuals that they each bring something different and flavorful to the story.
One thing I have come to realize about the author is the fact that he writes about things he knows well. And thus, it is easy for the reader to get into the thick of things while reading his books. Also, there is this underlying factor of culture that is so rich and vibrant that it is practically impossible not to fall in love with the stories. This book provided me with few hours of pure entertainment and I would recommend you to give it a try!
April 8, 2015
Tendai Huchu is a remarkable, perceptive and engaging writer. This is a seemingly aimless story about Zimbabwean exiles/expatriates living in Edinburgh at the beginning of the 21st century. There is however nothing aimless about this story as it is brought together by the surprise at the end. It is the story of three Zimbabwean men, two black and one white, struggling to come to terms with living in Edinburgh, an alien city in a cold climate. It is the story of them, their families and friends, their everyday lives, and how their culture is at odds with the culture around them. It is a story of assimilation and of their failure to achieve assimilation. But it is also a story of Zimbabwe, of why they are here and why they cannot go back.
Farai, the mathematician, who is in Edinburgh studying for a Ph.D. is the most likely to settle in the city. The Maestro, who is named David, is the most disconnected, losing his grasp of reality. The Magistrate, who we only know as Baba Chenai (Chenai's Dad) or as Sekuru VaRuvarashe (Ruvarashe's grandfather) when Chenai has a baby, is dissatisfied with his existence, bored by the menial jobs he has in exile when he was a judge at home. The events of the story bring them together, in a way which you will not foresee.
This is a book that will make you think about what colonialism has done to Africa, but more than that, it will make you think about the nature of government, of how we relate to each other, and of our responsibility for the world in which we live.
This is an extraordinary book.
Farai, the mathematician, who is in Edinburgh studying for a Ph.D. is the most likely to settle in the city. The Maestro, who is named David, is the most disconnected, losing his grasp of reality. The Magistrate, who we only know as Baba Chenai (Chenai's Dad) or as Sekuru VaRuvarashe (Ruvarashe's grandfather) when Chenai has a baby, is dissatisfied with his existence, bored by the menial jobs he has in exile when he was a judge at home. The events of the story bring them together, in a way which you will not foresee.
This is a book that will make you think about what colonialism has done to Africa, but more than that, it will make you think about the nature of government, of how we relate to each other, and of our responsibility for the world in which we live.
This is an extraordinary book.
October 24, 2020
This is a surprising book, full of strange and devastating glimpses into what life can hold for people robbed of their homeland. It gives a harsh insight into the subtle and quotidian manifestations of the loss of Zimbabwean culture, language, traditions and institutions. But, it does this in deceptive ways, through simple narrative focalisers of the three title characters.
I wasn't always a fan of Huchu's character depictions; at times I couldn't help but feel the intrusion of clichéd, simplistic types. But, theyl characters would in subtle ways get under your skin, especially where you just want them to behave differently, to conform, to manage and prosper. And yet, they are exactly right not to do so, to try to find a new life of their own. As if they are learning to feel and cope with their lives in the fallout from colonialism, and we get to experience some small part of that in their attempts to reconcile themselves to the present, even if in Huchu's plot, it is in only the delusion of a false hope.
The twists of this plot had me reevaluating much of this novel. At times I felt I wanted to like it more, but felt limited by some aspects of character that didn't add up, such as the PhD student Farai, who seems to wear his scholarship very lightly and parties far more than a research student would ever get the chance to. However, there's also moments which land their punch, when Huchu really lets himself feel the extremes of his characters' emotional ranges, like the bliss of the Maestro, balancing over the window frame, reading above the abyss, weighing thoughts in the face of oblivion.
Another source of incredible richness is the cultural background and musical context, bringing alive intersections of rap, jazz, and Zimbabwean Sungura. Along with this richness, there is also some lack of translation that for me broke the immersive effect. Occassional phrases in conversation are, as would be in life, in Shona. Whilst offering a richness so key to this text, I feel that it would benefit from having a translation offered in an index or glossary. They certainly give a powerful alienating effect, a protective barrier which I imagine is key to the novel, never mind the experience of refugees, exiles and migrants. I don't feel that this would be lost, however, with endnotes being given in the book. Coming away from this book, however, has me wondering, is this not also part of the power paradigm of language in text? And, as an English reader, do I have the right to request this of a book that should belong to and represent its community?
This book kept surprising me, and I feel that I have had to learn to appreciate it not from a mere stylistic view point, but actually for a rather simple claim for cultural respect. The relevance and crux to the interrelated characters comes from a plea to recognise a joint responsibility to one another, part respect for freedom, but also for belonging. This is both personal and cultural. Ultimately, this sense of responsibility and indebtedness leaves the reader feeling that despite having been robbed of their homeland, the characters all find their own way to want less than those who take from them, and find freedom in that process.
I wasn't always a fan of Huchu's character depictions; at times I couldn't help but feel the intrusion of clichéd, simplistic types. But, theyl characters would in subtle ways get under your skin, especially where you just want them to behave differently, to conform, to manage and prosper. And yet, they are exactly right not to do so, to try to find a new life of their own. As if they are learning to feel and cope with their lives in the fallout from colonialism, and we get to experience some small part of that in their attempts to reconcile themselves to the present, even if in Huchu's plot, it is in only the delusion of a false hope.
The twists of this plot had me reevaluating much of this novel. At times I felt I wanted to like it more, but felt limited by some aspects of character that didn't add up, such as the PhD student Farai, who seems to wear his scholarship very lightly and parties far more than a research student would ever get the chance to. However, there's also moments which land their punch, when Huchu really lets himself feel the extremes of his characters' emotional ranges, like the bliss of the Maestro, balancing over the window frame, reading above the abyss, weighing thoughts in the face of oblivion.
Another source of incredible richness is the cultural background and musical context, bringing alive intersections of rap, jazz, and Zimbabwean Sungura. Along with this richness, there is also some lack of translation that for me broke the immersive effect. Occassional phrases in conversation are, as would be in life, in Shona. Whilst offering a richness so key to this text, I feel that it would benefit from having a translation offered in an index or glossary. They certainly give a powerful alienating effect, a protective barrier which I imagine is key to the novel, never mind the experience of refugees, exiles and migrants. I don't feel that this would be lost, however, with endnotes being given in the book. Coming away from this book, however, has me wondering, is this not also part of the power paradigm of language in text? And, as an English reader, do I have the right to request this of a book that should belong to and represent its community?
This book kept surprising me, and I feel that I have had to learn to appreciate it not from a mere stylistic view point, but actually for a rather simple claim for cultural respect. The relevance and crux to the interrelated characters comes from a plea to recognise a joint responsibility to one another, part respect for freedom, but also for belonging. This is both personal and cultural. Ultimately, this sense of responsibility and indebtedness leaves the reader feeling that despite having been robbed of their homeland, the characters all find their own way to want less than those who take from them, and find freedom in that process.
July 16, 2015
I think Tendai Huchu’s a bit of a genius.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Mr Huchu, though I had read two of his short stories (one appeared in a literary magazine I help edit). This novel is a rare beast: literary fiction that takes new risks, that feels very fresh. The risks are not overpowering, but they are there and noticeable, and they add to the reading experience: risks in form, expression, and plot direction. He seemingly writes without fear. For me, all the risks panned-out.
The ending brings the story’s threads together in a very satisfying way, and yet the story doesn’t land where I thought it would. I immediately felt like re-reading the entire book.
The story paints modern and unique situations -- it’s set in present-day Scotland, following the lives of immigrants from Zimbabwe -- and real, intelligent characters. At times, Tuchu is able to infuse significant humor into what’s going on. The story begins a bit slow, but by the end I was very much invested in all the characters and plot lines, and couldn’t stop turning pages (I finished at around 3am).
True rating 4.5, but closer to a 5 than a 4.
Last thing...a humble suggestion. Don’t choose to read this because it’s “African fiction;” this novel is simply great literary fiction, period, and should be considered alongside all the other great contemporary works.
This is the first novel I’ve read by Mr Huchu, though I had read two of his short stories (one appeared in a literary magazine I help edit). This novel is a rare beast: literary fiction that takes new risks, that feels very fresh. The risks are not overpowering, but they are there and noticeable, and they add to the reading experience: risks in form, expression, and plot direction. He seemingly writes without fear. For me, all the risks panned-out.
The ending brings the story’s threads together in a very satisfying way, and yet the story doesn’t land where I thought it would. I immediately felt like re-reading the entire book.
The story paints modern and unique situations -- it’s set in present-day Scotland, following the lives of immigrants from Zimbabwe -- and real, intelligent characters. At times, Tuchu is able to infuse significant humor into what’s going on. The story begins a bit slow, but by the end I was very much invested in all the characters and plot lines, and couldn’t stop turning pages (I finished at around 3am).
True rating 4.5, but closer to a 5 than a 4.
Last thing...a humble suggestion. Don’t choose to read this because it’s “African fiction;” this novel is simply great literary fiction, period, and should be considered alongside all the other great contemporary works.
March 27, 2015
The Maestro, the Magistrate, and the Mathematician by Tendai Huchu
I received an early review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I really loved this book. The characters and plot are swirling around in my brain and I know I will need to read this book again. Now, pen to paper as I try to tame all my thoughts about this story.
PLOT
The plot centers around three main characters. They are transplants from Zimbabwe in Scotland and are each struggling, in their own ways, to find a way to belong. The three story lines start out separately and then overlap in interesting and surprising ways. The narrator's voice at first reminded me of Alexander MCCall Smith - slow and rhythmic centering around word dense but interesting conversations. It was so easy to just relax into the flow of this book. I immediately was in touch with this moment in each character's life. The book starts at a pivotal moment in time for each person and then, over the course of the book, we hear parts of their back story. The ending was intriguing but I don't want to spoil it by saying more
CHARACTERS
This is the best sort of story in that the plot is driven by the lives and conversations of the characters. As mentioned earlier, we enter the book at a pivotal point. Each person has been dealing with assimilation and now they are facing personal challenges that will change their shapes and mold them powerfully. We are immersed in their Zimbabwe culture as well as their new life in Scotland. These two cultures bang violently against each but eventually find a way to merge. This author is also very tactile with his characters. They experience life viscerally. For example, one character is mapping his Scottish city using music from Zimbabwe to mark each spot in his mind. I did not recognize the artists but found myself mesmerized by his descriptions of the life conveyed in the songs. Really rich imagery.
My only complaint about the book is that the ending feels like a major change in tone. However, I cannot get the ending out of my head. I've been thinking about it for two days now. Does the tone shift rotate our view from Scotland to seeing things from the perspective of Zimbabwe? I don't know, it just has me thinking.
In conclusion, the book isn't perfect. The people in the book are flawed and even often unsympathetic but they are people to me.
Thank you for a chance to read and review this book!
Pemmycats
I received an early review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
I really loved this book. The characters and plot are swirling around in my brain and I know I will need to read this book again. Now, pen to paper as I try to tame all my thoughts about this story.
PLOT
The plot centers around three main characters. They are transplants from Zimbabwe in Scotland and are each struggling, in their own ways, to find a way to belong. The three story lines start out separately and then overlap in interesting and surprising ways. The narrator's voice at first reminded me of Alexander MCCall Smith - slow and rhythmic centering around word dense but interesting conversations. It was so easy to just relax into the flow of this book. I immediately was in touch with this moment in each character's life. The book starts at a pivotal moment in time for each person and then, over the course of the book, we hear parts of their back story. The ending was intriguing but I don't want to spoil it by saying more
CHARACTERS
This is the best sort of story in that the plot is driven by the lives and conversations of the characters. As mentioned earlier, we enter the book at a pivotal point. Each person has been dealing with assimilation and now they are facing personal challenges that will change their shapes and mold them powerfully. We are immersed in their Zimbabwe culture as well as their new life in Scotland. These two cultures bang violently against each but eventually find a way to merge. This author is also very tactile with his characters. They experience life viscerally. For example, one character is mapping his Scottish city using music from Zimbabwe to mark each spot in his mind. I did not recognize the artists but found myself mesmerized by his descriptions of the life conveyed in the songs. Really rich imagery.
My only complaint about the book is that the ending feels like a major change in tone. However, I cannot get the ending out of my head. I've been thinking about it for two days now. Does the tone shift rotate our view from Scotland to seeing things from the perspective of Zimbabwe? I don't know, it just has me thinking.
In conclusion, the book isn't perfect. The people in the book are flawed and even often unsympathetic but they are people to me.
Thank you for a chance to read and review this book!
Pemmycats
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May 19, 2015The stories of three Zimbabwean men in Edinburgh is intriguing and unusual. The Magistrate used to dispense justice back home. Here, he cleans the toilet. The Mathematician makes money and indulges himself in the belief he won’t be here for long. The Maestro collects shopping trollies in Tesco’s car park and reads. The three men’s lives intersect and cross, meeting the challenges of a different culture with varying measures of success.
This book is rounded, measured and smart, and anything but a miserable tale of immigrant isolation. Intelligence and thought shine off the page via these layered and introspective characters. Farai’s casual sexism and judgemental views are offset by his willingness to engage with the old man in the café. The Magistrate’s adaptation to his changed circumstances is beautifully encapsulated in his memories of the maid. The Maestro’s gradual retreat from the world in search of meaning in books is slow, heart-breaking and completely plausible.
Whilst the main characters are more than enough to grip your attention, the supporting cast add still more light, shade and laughter. Alfonso, the rodent Del Boy alcoholic, is infuriating and hilarious at once. Tatyana, the Maestro’s Polish friend who would be more, is alternately invasive and vulnerable. One of the most powerful personalities in the book is Edinburgh itself. Huchu uses the city to the full: its people, its architecture, its humour.
The bittersweet ending left me sorry to leave these people and this place, but curious to read more by this talented, sly and unpredictable writer. Tendai Huchu is one to watch.
This book is rounded, measured and smart, and anything but a miserable tale of immigrant isolation. Intelligence and thought shine off the page via these layered and introspective characters. Farai’s casual sexism and judgemental views are offset by his willingness to engage with the old man in the café. The Magistrate’s adaptation to his changed circumstances is beautifully encapsulated in his memories of the maid. The Maestro’s gradual retreat from the world in search of meaning in books is slow, heart-breaking and completely plausible.
Whilst the main characters are more than enough to grip your attention, the supporting cast add still more light, shade and laughter. Alfonso, the rodent Del Boy alcoholic, is infuriating and hilarious at once. Tatyana, the Maestro’s Polish friend who would be more, is alternately invasive and vulnerable. One of the most powerful personalities in the book is Edinburgh itself. Huchu uses the city to the full: its people, its architecture, its humour.
The bittersweet ending left me sorry to leave these people and this place, but curious to read more by this talented, sly and unpredictable writer. Tendai Huchu is one to watch.
April 16, 2015
Revolving around three different characters, all from Zimbabwe, all far from their homeland, all facing their own challenges, their individual stories entwining as the novel progresses.
Though set in Edinburgh - its landmarks ingeniously mapped out by the author courtesy of the music played through The Magistrate's Walkman - The Maestro, The Magistrate & The Mathematician also lends itself to an insight into the politics and economics of a not too distant Zimbabwe.
A very human story that isn't afraid to deal with issues both big and small. For me the most memorable (and perhaps poignant) being the case of 'The Magistrate' in which the reader gets to consider a man, a 'somebody' in the land he left behind, reduced to a life of housework and 'menial jobs' in his adopted home.
Amongst the best novels about migrants and the plights that they face that I have read. The only concern I have (small though it may be) being that the characters were each written in a very different style which though great as a means of setting them apart as individuals somehow just didn't work well for me.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Disclaimer: Received for review from the author, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
Though set in Edinburgh - its landmarks ingeniously mapped out by the author courtesy of the music played through The Magistrate's Walkman - The Maestro, The Magistrate & The Mathematician also lends itself to an insight into the politics and economics of a not too distant Zimbabwe.
A very human story that isn't afraid to deal with issues both big and small. For me the most memorable (and perhaps poignant) being the case of 'The Magistrate' in which the reader gets to consider a man, a 'somebody' in the land he left behind, reduced to a life of housework and 'menial jobs' in his adopted home.
Amongst the best novels about migrants and the plights that they face that I have read. The only concern I have (small though it may be) being that the characters were each written in a very different style which though great as a means of setting them apart as individuals somehow just didn't work well for me.
Copyright: Tracy Terry @ Pen and Paper.
Disclaimer: Received for review from the author, no financial compensation was asked for nor given.
March 11, 2019
2.5/5
I get what the author was trying to do. Trying to show how 3 people with roots from Zimbabwe feel out of place in Edinburgh. But I don't think he was able to achieve that. He was trying too hard to relate all of their problems to their detachment from their country of origin.
The plot was flat and the end was awful.
The Maestro's story feels out of place in the book. Like another story entirely added to the book. So many questions I have no answer to.
.
I love his writing style though. He made the narration very distinct. The Maestro's narration was written like a string of consciousness poured on paper. No paragraphs. Dialogues were unquoted.
The Magistrate's narration was a normal narration.
The Mathematician's narration was almost normal except that numbers were written in figures instead of words. 1 day. 1 thing.
This book really had a great potential but it didn't do it for me. And it hurts me because it has a great potential. I wish the plot was stronger and better and more intense. I wish it was spiced up.
I get what the author was trying to do. Trying to show how 3 people with roots from Zimbabwe feel out of place in Edinburgh. But I don't think he was able to achieve that. He was trying too hard to relate all of their problems to their detachment from their country of origin.
The plot was flat and the end was awful.
The Maestro's story feels out of place in the book. Like another story entirely added to the book. So many questions I have no answer to.
.
I love his writing style though. He made the narration very distinct. The Maestro's narration was written like a string of consciousness poured on paper. No paragraphs. Dialogues were unquoted.
The Magistrate's narration was a normal narration.
The Mathematician's narration was almost normal except that numbers were written in figures instead of words. 1 day. 1 thing.
This book really had a great potential but it didn't do it for me. And it hurts me because it has a great potential. I wish the plot was stronger and better and more intense. I wish it was spiced up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 29, 2021
This novel had been left in my library for so long, I can’t remember how it came to be there. Possibly it was a kindle freebie from long ago; I’ve not been taken in by those for a long while either. Anyhow, not knowing much about it or its author, I thought I’d give it a try.
The author writes cleanly and simply enough, which is the one reason I kept going. The story didn’t work for me. There was something lacking: originality? - there was a lot of borrowed stuff here, as if he had a book of “ideas” he could randomly dip into to fill out a few paragraphs; intrigue? - I don’t think at any point I was made to engage with and wonder greatly about these characters; humour? - not really. And what was the idea behind repeatedly reeling off all those Zimbabwean pop bands? Does he want to be the next Nick Hornby?
The “twist” at the end was so leftfield it did nothing to pull the preceding narrative together in any meaningful way. Not worth the time as a novel but I’m giving it two stars because of the writer’s clear style.
The author writes cleanly and simply enough, which is the one reason I kept going. The story didn’t work for me. There was something lacking: originality? - there was a lot of borrowed stuff here, as if he had a book of “ideas” he could randomly dip into to fill out a few paragraphs; intrigue? - I don’t think at any point I was made to engage with and wonder greatly about these characters; humour? - not really. And what was the idea behind repeatedly reeling off all those Zimbabwean pop bands? Does he want to be the next Nick Hornby?
The “twist” at the end was so leftfield it did nothing to pull the preceding narrative together in any meaningful way. Not worth the time as a novel but I’m giving it two stars because of the writer’s clear style.
May 13, 2017
A book that bumbles along pleasantly... with an ending that I really couldn't have predicted at all! Excellent.
March 13, 2019
In trying to contextualise this book, I read a few reviews and interviews with the Author and in one of the interviews, Huchu says he doesn’t really care about reviews because by the time a reader is interacting with his books, he has already moved on to other things. We, the readers are living in the past and he in the present.
To quote him “I don’t hold much store by what even my closest readers have to say about my work”. “….. while readers have been kind, which is heart-warming, they’re in the past, I’ve moved on.…” and I questioned myself on why I bothered buying and reading this book.
I somewhat understand what Huchu was trying to say in this interview, but this doesn’t stop it from coming off as arrogant and shallow. The power of art and literature is that it transcends time. Art and Literature is timeless. This is why paintings by van Gogh are still priceless today despite being done in the 1800s, why we still study works by Chinua Achebe written in the 60s, heck, even the Bible is still as relevant today as it was in 1B.C. For an author to hold such sentiments regarding their work is quite disappointing. When you publish a book and put it out there for the world to read, it’s a FOREVER contract! People are going to interact with your work 10,20, 30, 40 years from now. Your work will resonate with some 50 years later and to not care what people reading your work think? Well, you might as well destroy your manuscripts and write in your diary.
You can read the interview here: https://michellewendydcosta.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/interview-1-african-writer-tendai-huchu/
I feel like I shouldn’t bother putting in more time and effort reviewing this book but for those who are keen on reading it, my rating for the book is a 3/5 Stars.
The story of the Maestro, the Magistrate & the Mathematician is an ok book. It tells the story of three characters as the title suggests, all from Zimbabwe and living in Edinburg, Scotland. They have different motivations for being in Edinburg and they all struggle in their own ways to find their footing in this new country while still trying to remain rooted in their home country. Each story strong on its own. Strong enough to stand alone and can easily be read as 3 separate and different books. It however becomes weak when the author attempts to make the connection and link the three stories towards the end. The coming together of these three characters is inorganic, it comes out as forced and the ending was almost like a rabbit pulled out of a hat – I didn’t see it coming, I didn’t like it, it added no value to the story really and felt like an afterthought.
To quote him “I don’t hold much store by what even my closest readers have to say about my work”. “….. while readers have been kind, which is heart-warming, they’re in the past, I’ve moved on.…” and I questioned myself on why I bothered buying and reading this book.
I somewhat understand what Huchu was trying to say in this interview, but this doesn’t stop it from coming off as arrogant and shallow. The power of art and literature is that it transcends time. Art and Literature is timeless. This is why paintings by van Gogh are still priceless today despite being done in the 1800s, why we still study works by Chinua Achebe written in the 60s, heck, even the Bible is still as relevant today as it was in 1B.C. For an author to hold such sentiments regarding their work is quite disappointing. When you publish a book and put it out there for the world to read, it’s a FOREVER contract! People are going to interact with your work 10,20, 30, 40 years from now. Your work will resonate with some 50 years later and to not care what people reading your work think? Well, you might as well destroy your manuscripts and write in your diary.
You can read the interview here: https://michellewendydcosta.wordpress.com/2016/02/15/interview-1-african-writer-tendai-huchu/
I feel like I shouldn’t bother putting in more time and effort reviewing this book but for those who are keen on reading it, my rating for the book is a 3/5 Stars.
The story of the Maestro, the Magistrate & the Mathematician is an ok book. It tells the story of three characters as the title suggests, all from Zimbabwe and living in Edinburg, Scotland. They have different motivations for being in Edinburg and they all struggle in their own ways to find their footing in this new country while still trying to remain rooted in their home country. Each story strong on its own. Strong enough to stand alone and can easily be read as 3 separate and different books. It however becomes weak when the author attempts to make the connection and link the three stories towards the end. The coming together of these three characters is inorganic, it comes out as forced and the ending was almost like a rabbit pulled out of a hat – I didn’t see it coming, I didn’t like it, it added no value to the story really and felt like an afterthought.
April 11, 2025
A great discovery!
A wonderful, touching story with a lot of food for thought, about how different individuals of an immigrant community from Zimbabwe manage to cope or not cope, adapt or not adapt, survive for the better or the worse in their host country, Scotland.
We meet a handful of people of different ages, different background and different stages in their lives who all have but one thing in common: they are immigrants from Zimbabwe and live in Edinburgh.
While some, like the Magistrate, manage to turn their life for the better (or so he believes), others descent deeper into their own personal hell of mental problems, trauma, financial difficulties.
While some, like Farai, turn out to be much better people than I would have thought in the beginning, others give you a bad feeling all through the story.
And for some, it will be impossible to find their way, while others follow theirs no matter the price.
I really enjoyed following these characters and learn about Shona culture, in Zimbabwe but also in exile, about the ways the community comes together and supports each other and about the treacheries that continue even abroad. I am most satisfied that also the destiny of a white Zimbabwean in Scotland is included, who does not seem to have it any easier that the others - though I am a bit disappointed that we learn very little about their different backgrounds.
Tendai Huchu's first book The Hairdresser of Harare immediately made it onto my to-read list!
A wonderful, touching story with a lot of food for thought, about how different individuals of an immigrant community from Zimbabwe manage to cope or not cope, adapt or not adapt, survive for the better or the worse in their host country, Scotland.
We meet a handful of people of different ages, different background and different stages in their lives who all have but one thing in common: they are immigrants from Zimbabwe and live in Edinburgh.
While some, like the Magistrate, manage to turn their life for the better (or so he believes), others descent deeper into their own personal hell of mental problems, trauma, financial difficulties.
While some, like Farai, turn out to be much better people than I would have thought in the beginning, others give you a bad feeling all through the story.
And for some, it will be impossible to find their way, while others follow theirs no matter the price.
I really enjoyed following these characters and learn about Shona culture, in Zimbabwe but also in exile, about the ways the community comes together and supports each other and about the treacheries that continue even abroad. I am most satisfied that also the destiny of a white Zimbabwean in Scotland is included, who does not seem to have it any easier that the others - though I am a bit disappointed that we learn very little about their different backgrounds.
Tendai Huchu's first book The Hairdresser of Harare immediately made it onto my to-read list!
July 10, 2023
I did not know where this book was going but I enjoyed the ride.
SPOILERS
All the characters were distinct, and felt like the lived experiences of real people with granular detail and mundane everyday events that were still interesting to read.
The ending was a gut punch, this books lulls you into a sense of security only to end in absolute shock, horror and an acyte sense of dread and powerlessness that few books made me experience.
Two out of the 3 main characters die and it is revealed that a secret agent have been working behind the scenes to keep up a violent and corrupt regime, that impacts people caught in the periphery no matter whwre in the world they might live. It was sobering , and stayed with me for a long time after I finished the book.
What I liked less:
The main characters lives do not intertwine significantly enough, even though they live in such proximity. Maybe this is the point and it is more realistic to be just tangentially related, but it felt a bit unsatisfying.
Also don't introduce fuzzy and cute animals just to kill them off for no reason.... it is cliched and unneccesarily cruel. Not a fan.
SPOILERS
All the characters were distinct, and felt like the lived experiences of real people with granular detail and mundane everyday events that were still interesting to read.
The ending was a gut punch, this books lulls you into a sense of security only to end in absolute shock, horror and an acyte sense of dread and powerlessness that few books made me experience.
Two out of the 3 main characters die and it is revealed that a secret agent have been working behind the scenes to keep up a violent and corrupt regime, that impacts people caught in the periphery no matter whwre in the world they might live. It was sobering , and stayed with me for a long time after I finished the book.
What I liked less:
The main characters lives do not intertwine significantly enough, even though they live in such proximity. Maybe this is the point and it is more realistic to be just tangentially related, but it felt a bit unsatisfying.
Also don't introduce fuzzy and cute animals just to kill them off for no reason.... it is cliched and unneccesarily cruel. Not a fan.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Read
February 27, 2019This was a really good book.
The in-depth description of the lives of these three different men was nothing short of admirable. At some point, I digressed to find out how old Tendai was.
The extent of the Zimbabwean culture infused in the book was also very lovely. As a Nigerian who's only just figuring out his own identity, this book allured me. It stirred a deep appreciation of African culture, from the names to the music. I longed to relate bits and pieces of myself to the characters in the book, past, future, and present.
I also really loved the ending, but I have to admit it felt unresolved. Some part of me attributes this to the loss I felt for Farai, but there were other things. I expected Scott's political involvement to yield...something for him. I wondered why Alfonso almost put the Magistrate at risk with Peter and the government if his mission was to get him to leadership. I also generally don't expect African governments to be this advanced in their espionage, but maybe the joke's on me.
I loved this book.
The in-depth description of the lives of these three different men was nothing short of admirable. At some point, I digressed to find out how old Tendai was.
The extent of the Zimbabwean culture infused in the book was also very lovely. As a Nigerian who's only just figuring out his own identity, this book allured me. It stirred a deep appreciation of African culture, from the names to the music. I longed to relate bits and pieces of myself to the characters in the book, past, future, and present.
I also really loved the ending, but I have to admit it felt unresolved. Some part of me attributes this to the loss I felt for Farai, but there were other things. I expected Scott's political involvement to yield...something for him. I wondered why Alfonso almost put the Magistrate at risk with Peter and the government if his mission was to get him to leadership. I also generally don't expect African governments to be this advanced in their espionage, but maybe the joke's on me.
I loved this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 13, 2020
While I have not read any of Tendai's short stories, this book felt like a collection of individual stories rather than a novel. Yes, the main characters have a common thread, as they are all Zimbabweans living as expats in Scotland. I have read other books where the expat community interact more with each other and theirs is a more collective story of their struggles living outside of their home country.
I selected this book based on two reasons; 1) I had read "The Hairdresser of Harare" and 2) I wanted to learn more about Zimbabwe and its politics. Unfortunately, for me this book failed on that point.
As others have stated, the book starts off slowly. I found there was too much detail on non-important points. Not living in Scotland, the amount of detail that was given about walks, bus routes, etc. did not give me a feeling of being there. To me these were irrelevant details.
I selected this book based on two reasons; 1) I had read "The Hairdresser of Harare" and 2) I wanted to learn more about Zimbabwe and its politics. Unfortunately, for me this book failed on that point.
As others have stated, the book starts off slowly. I found there was too much detail on non-important points. Not living in Scotland, the amount of detail that was given about walks, bus routes, etc. did not give me a feeling of being there. To me these were irrelevant details.
December 17, 2017
I was thoroughly disappointed by this, I have to say. I loved the Hairdresser and it's characters, so I was expecting something good from Huchu.
What I got was a bunch of fairly useless men doing very little and to some extent waiting for women to save them. Not entertaining in any way. The three narrators of the title are mostly not very likeable (the magistrate is okay), and that make me not care what happens to them - when anything does happen, there is a lot of not-happening waste of life (though very verbose!), maybe if this had been cut down to half the length it would have worked, and the sudden plot that turns up in the last 5 pages wouldn't have seemed like a strange attempt to twist the book into being about something other than men being lost?
What I got was a bunch of fairly useless men doing very little and to some extent waiting for women to save them. Not entertaining in any way. The three narrators of the title are mostly not very likeable (the magistrate is okay), and that make me not care what happens to them - when anything does happen, there is a lot of not-happening waste of life (though very verbose!), maybe if this had been cut down to half the length it would have worked, and the sudden plot that turns up in the last 5 pages wouldn't have seemed like a strange attempt to twist the book into being about something other than men being lost?
January 2, 2018
Top marks for a rabbit-out-of-hat surprise ending. Who'd have thought anything else of Alfonso... The Maestro's death makes sense, what with his need for freedom and finally flying free, but the Mathematician's end makes no sense, doesn't tie into anything and feels abrupt and unplanned. This book is well written with the chapter dividers as the characters' separate stories that make for an interesting read. All good save for the fairy tale end for the Magistrate, and rather odd end for the Mathematician.
March 24, 2019
This was an interesting read. I liked the mention of various parts of Edinburgh, which isn't far from where I live and I found it interesting to read about the African immigrants - I can't say I know that much about Africa but the clash of cultures intrigued me. Its an interesting read, although I admit that the many pages of unformatted text did put me off, i.e. the big, blocky, long almost never ending paragraphs of text.
October 9, 2020
I'm not fond of stories told from multiple perspectives, especially as they are often a way of padding out a thin story. The Magistrate is an engaging character, the Mathematician rather less so, while the travails of the Maestro are an almost unbearable read.
However, as one plods through the book it feels that like the Magistrate on his beloved 21 bus, we are finally getting somewhere but then some nonsensical rug-pulling throws everything askew.
However, as one plods through the book it feels that like the Magistrate on his beloved 21 bus, we are finally getting somewhere but then some nonsensical rug-pulling throws everything askew.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 4, 2021
Very very readable. This is a very pleasant read and, having met Huchu myself, it strikes me as full of genuine feeling. I found the very last chapter to be a strange choice for the narrative but overall I'd recommend this book for anyone interested in diaspora of any kind. I will warn that the Maestro's story struck a chord with me in terms of depression/ennui, which was good but I'd understand how some people might not appreciate that.
December 9, 2017
This is a very different book from the engaging Hairdresser of Harare. The first chapter is from the point of view of ‘the Magistrate’, a reasonably sympathetic character but nothing really happens. Viewpoint then switches to a student. This is well done with a change of language and subject matter but I didn’t take to the student and decided not to read any further.
December 8, 2017
Angry. Sad. Hopeless. Young exiled Zimbabwean men in the UK in a downward spiral, bereft of meaning, dragged even further down by the rogue Zimbabwean state's tentacles. Older exiles still connecting to earth and sky and finding some balance through that.
Overall I felt disappointed, it felt wordy, there was a blurring of humour and caricature and outrage that didn't work for me.
Overall I felt disappointed, it felt wordy, there was a blurring of humour and caricature and outrage that didn't work for me.
December 19, 2017
Though I had some difficulty at getting into the story, I eventually got carried away by the different characters that all live their situation of being Zimbabwean immigrants in Edinburgh in their own way.
The book is nicely written, full of Shona and Scottish culture and expressions, and contains some unexpected turns.
The book is nicely written, full of Shona and Scottish culture and expressions, and contains some unexpected turns.
November 10, 2022
Tendai's story about these three Zimbabweans highlights the power of the enemy within. I find some parts of the Maestro's story dull but totally enjoyed the Magistrate and the Mathematician. I wish Farai had not been stabbed to death as he had such a bright future ahead of him. However, I think Tendai does a great job of telling the tales of migrants to the nitty-gritty in this piece.
June 22, 2023
This book is definitely worth reading. As "The examiner" said: "You want to breathe the same air, touch the same ground, and feel the same emotions". This book makes you feel hate for it and love it. I'd give it 5 stars, but I don't like quite a big amount of Zimbabwean words used in the book. Also some values the author brings are controversial.
November 7, 2017
Tough start, great ending!
It takes time and effort to come to know, of care about the three main protagonists. By the time you do, the side characters strain the show.
It takes time and effort to come to know, of care about the three main protagonists. By the time you do, the side characters strain the show.
December 3, 2021
Of the three books I have read from this author, this was my least favourite.
It tells of three men of various age and ethnicity struggling with life in Edinburgh, each fighting their own demons.
It tells of three men of various age and ethnicity struggling with life in Edinburgh, each fighting their own demons.
March 1, 2017
This is the first novel I've read by Tendai Huchu. I enjoyed it a lot and will look for other books by the author.
May 5, 2015
The stories of three Zimbabwean men in Edinburgh is intriguing and unusual. The Magistrate used to dispense justice back home. Here, he cleans the toilet. The Mathematician makes money and indulges himself in the belief he won’t be here for long. The Maestro collects shopping trollies in Tesco’s car park and reads. The three men’s lives intersect and cross, meeting the challenges of a different culture with varying measures of success.
This book is rounded, measured and smart, and anything but a miserable tale of immigrant isolation. Intelligence and thought shine off the page via these layered and introspective characters. Farai’s casual sexism and judgemental views are offset by his willingness to engage with the old man in the café. The Magistrate’s adaptation to his changed circumstances is beautifully encapsulated in his memories of the maid. The Maestro’s gradual retreat from the world in search of meaning in books is slow, heart-breaking and completely plausible.
Whilst the main characters are more than enough to grip your attention, the supporting cast add still more light, shade and laughter. Alfonso, the rodent Del Boy alcoholic, is infuriating and hilarious at once. Tatyana, the Maestro’s Polish friend who would be more, is alternately invasive and vulnerable. One of the most powerful personalities in the book is Edinburgh itself. Huchu uses the city to the full: its people, its architecture, its humour.
The bittersweet ending left me sorry to leave these people and this place, but curious to read more by this talented, sly and unpredictable writer. Tendai Huchu is one to watch.
This book is rounded, measured and smart, and anything but a miserable tale of immigrant isolation. Intelligence and thought shine off the page via these layered and introspective characters. Farai’s casual sexism and judgemental views are offset by his willingness to engage with the old man in the café. The Magistrate’s adaptation to his changed circumstances is beautifully encapsulated in his memories of the maid. The Maestro’s gradual retreat from the world in search of meaning in books is slow, heart-breaking and completely plausible.
Whilst the main characters are more than enough to grip your attention, the supporting cast add still more light, shade and laughter. Alfonso, the rodent Del Boy alcoholic, is infuriating and hilarious at once. Tatyana, the Maestro’s Polish friend who would be more, is alternately invasive and vulnerable. One of the most powerful personalities in the book is Edinburgh itself. Huchu uses the city to the full: its people, its architecture, its humour.
The bittersweet ending left me sorry to leave these people and this place, but curious to read more by this talented, sly and unpredictable writer. Tendai Huchu is one to watch.
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