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Kariba
KARIBA is a fantasy-adventure graphic novel inspired by the mythology and history surrounding the construction of one of the largest dams ever built in southern Africa.
223 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
July 28, 2025
Rating: 4* of five (a touch heavy handed to get all five)
The Publisher Says: The daughter of a river god, raised by a human father and bound to a tragic destiny. An African fantasy-adventure graphic novel inspired by the mythology of the Zambezi River and the history of the Kariba Dam, one of the largest dams ever constructed.
From the director of Aau’s Song, a Star Wars: Visions film from Lucasfilm, and the director of the 2023 NYICFF award-winning The Smeds and the Smoos
Siku has always called the Zambezi River her home. She understands the water—and strangely enough, it seems to understand her, too, bending to her will and coming to her aid in times of need. But things are changing on the river—a great dam is being built, displacing thousands of Shonga people—and things are changing in Siku, too, as her ability to manipulate water grows out of control, and visions of a great serpent pull her further from reality and her loving father, Tongai.
When Tongai ventures to the Kariba Dam to find a cure for Siku and never returns, she sets off to find him with the help of Amedeo, the young son of Kariba’s chief engineer. Together, they traverse elephant graveyards, rugged jungles, and ancient ruins, outrunning pirates, bootleggers, and shape-shifting prophets ready to use Siku to their own advantage. But Siku soon discovers that her father has been shielding a terrible secret: Siku is actually the daughter of the Great River Spirit, Nyaminyami, and the only way to bring about the necessary rumuko—a ritual which has brought balance to the Zambezi for centuries—is for Siku to give up the only life she's ever known.
With the future of the Shonga resting on her shoulders, Siku must journey to the source of the river to understand the ancient power hidden within her.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: An African setting for an environmental fable of the costs incurred through thoughtless action is something I think any tween reader will resonate with...especially those whose faces are shamefully uncommon to see in US bookshops:
The gorgeousness of the artwork is hard to overstate:
...the message is one I hope anyone I know will support delivering to kids of all ages, and it is hard to conjure a better way to get the message of mindfulness and balance when dealing with the environment across. The fact that young Siku has to gear herself up to fight the forces of the adult world that have no sense of the sacred nature of the river they choose to exploit is a wonderful message as well.
Showing the young generation that has to clean up what my generation made filthy that they *can* fight the powers that be is a terrific use of the Yule gifting season. What better book to give for #Booksgiving, the time when sitting quietly and enjoying a story is the point of the holiday?
The Publisher Says: The daughter of a river god, raised by a human father and bound to a tragic destiny. An African fantasy-adventure graphic novel inspired by the mythology of the Zambezi River and the history of the Kariba Dam, one of the largest dams ever constructed.
From the director of Aau’s Song, a Star Wars: Visions film from Lucasfilm, and the director of the 2023 NYICFF award-winning The Smeds and the Smoos
Siku has always called the Zambezi River her home. She understands the water—and strangely enough, it seems to understand her, too, bending to her will and coming to her aid in times of need. But things are changing on the river—a great dam is being built, displacing thousands of Shonga people—and things are changing in Siku, too, as her ability to manipulate water grows out of control, and visions of a great serpent pull her further from reality and her loving father, Tongai.
When Tongai ventures to the Kariba Dam to find a cure for Siku and never returns, she sets off to find him with the help of Amedeo, the young son of Kariba’s chief engineer. Together, they traverse elephant graveyards, rugged jungles, and ancient ruins, outrunning pirates, bootleggers, and shape-shifting prophets ready to use Siku to their own advantage. But Siku soon discovers that her father has been shielding a terrible secret: Siku is actually the daughter of the Great River Spirit, Nyaminyami, and the only way to bring about the necessary rumuko—a ritual which has brought balance to the Zambezi for centuries—is for Siku to give up the only life she's ever known.
With the future of the Shonga resting on her shoulders, Siku must journey to the source of the river to understand the ancient power hidden within her.
I RECEIVED A DRC FROM THE PUBLISHER VIA EDELWEISS+. THANK YOU.
My Review: An African setting for an environmental fable of the costs incurred through thoughtless action is something I think any tween reader will resonate with...especially those whose faces are shamefully uncommon to see in US bookshops:
The gorgeousness of the artwork is hard to overstate:
...the message is one I hope anyone I know will support delivering to kids of all ages, and it is hard to conjure a better way to get the message of mindfulness and balance when dealing with the environment across. The fact that young Siku has to gear herself up to fight the forces of the adult world that have no sense of the sacred nature of the river they choose to exploit is a wonderful message as well.
Showing the young generation that has to clean up what my generation made filthy that they *can* fight the powers that be is a terrific use of the Yule gifting season. What better book to give for #Booksgiving, the time when sitting quietly and enjoying a story is the point of the holiday?
November 12, 2023
4.5⭐️
Someone option this for film already.
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical when I saw Caucasian author names since this is supposedly an African tale set in Africa. But wow, I loved every moment of this captivating and enthralling read. There's mystique, there's action, there's emotion, and the character arcs are terrific. Sure, maybe it all seems a bit idealistic but it was exactly I was in the mood for.
The book also touches on issues such as displacement while weaving a rich tale of prophecy and destiny, past and future, as well as strength, courage and self-discovery. The illustrations are vivid and some scenes e.g. the fireflies are exceptionally stunning.
An incredible ad memorable graphic novel!
Someone option this for film already.
Not gonna lie, I was skeptical when I saw Caucasian author names since this is supposedly an African tale set in Africa. But wow, I loved every moment of this captivating and enthralling read. There's mystique, there's action, there's emotion, and the character arcs are terrific. Sure, maybe it all seems a bit idealistic but it was exactly I was in the mood for.
The book also touches on issues such as displacement while weaving a rich tale of prophecy and destiny, past and future, as well as strength, courage and self-discovery. The illustrations are vivid and some scenes e.g. the fireflies are exceptionally stunning.
An incredible ad memorable graphic novel!
April 23, 2023
Nice graphic novel full of adventure, about an African girl who supposedly is the daughter of a river god, with all the water-y powers you'd associate with that. And yes, it does take a while for her to discover those powers and learn to control them, how did you guess.
Her father disappears, and so she goes looking for him, helped by a little white friend, so all the white people don't feel left out, I guess.
It's all very nice, not that gripping, but some really evocative art.
(Thanks to Catalyst Press for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
Her father disappears, and so she goes looking for him, helped by a little white friend, so all the white people don't feel left out, I guess.
It's all very nice, not that gripping, but some really evocative art.
(Thanks to Catalyst Press for providing me with an ARC through Edelweiss)
June 12, 2021
To begin with a thought it would be a 4 star rated book.
The art remineds me of Ghibli, I found the African Mythology and history interesting, not to mention Siku as a character and what she went through. I even liked how she was simply just a girl in so many ways! (unlike a lot of other MG lit out there)
But then we got to the ending and things felt very rushed. There was suddenly a romance involved and I felt like I was missing a few pages. That brought it down for me.
I also read the Norwegian translation of this comic, which was not very good. I'm sure it was pretty much word for word from the original, but there are sentence-modifiers that work in English and not Norwegian. This made the language stilted and grating for me. Thankfully, this books has a lot of exprecion on its art, as well as whole pages without dialogue.
Another thing that was a little meh, was how easily it was accepted that "moving forward" was the best solution. I feel a little like it downplayed the African side of history. Not to mention how this book portrayed Africans: either as pirates or as "savages", which felt very elitist to me.
So there were some issues, but all in all, I liked this glimpse into African mythos, and I'm gonna have to look more into it now. It's fascinating!
The art remineds me of Ghibli, I found the African Mythology and history interesting, not to mention Siku as a character and what she went through. I even liked how she was simply just a girl in so many ways! (unlike a lot of other MG lit out there)
But then we got to the ending and things felt very rushed. There was suddenly a romance involved and I felt like I was missing a few pages. That brought it down for me.
I also read the Norwegian translation of this comic, which was not very good. I'm sure it was pretty much word for word from the original, but there are sentence-modifiers that work in English and not Norwegian. This made the language stilted and grating for me. Thankfully, this books has a lot of exprecion on its art, as well as whole pages without dialogue.
Another thing that was a little meh, was how easily it was accepted that "moving forward" was the best solution. I feel a little like it downplayed the African side of history. Not to mention how this book portrayed Africans: either as pirates or as "savages", which felt very elitist to me.
So there were some issues, but all in all, I liked this glimpse into African mythos, and I'm gonna have to look more into it now. It's fascinating!
November 13, 2023
KARIBA is a high-energy, stunningly-illustrated graphic novel that will appeal to kids who love high adventure in exotic locales. In naming the characters, the author hints at a love of old Hollywood.
March 1, 2019
A solid all-ages read that comments on humanity's exploitation of natural resources for the sake of "civilization" and profit. The art is beautiful and the story is quite the adventure. The only thing I could have gone without is having the kids fall in love by the end. It seems a little rushed and not earned, on top of the kids only being about 11 years old. Still, this is a read you won't regret!
July 6, 2023
Beautifully illustrated- a testament to Daniel's talent as an artist & visionary.
October 22, 2021
Скрасило мое дождливое утро!
July 7, 2023
https://shonareads.wordpress.com/2023...
Going in, I was very nervous about this graphic novel for three reasons:
1. It draws on the mythology of Nyami Nyami/Nyaminyami, which properly belongs to the people of the Zambezi Valley (—so, cultural appropriation), and the authors are White men;
2. “Salisbury” was one of the first things I saw, and that gave me very real palpitations;
3. The main characters are indigenous people, and again—the authors are White men.
Those feelings didn’t really leave, but I am glad to report that this is a beautifully executed graphic novel, with a pretty fun story. Set in the Zambezi Valley, this is the story of Siku, a little girl with special powers connected to Nyaminyami, and she is adopted as a baby by Tongai, a kind man who only wants to protect her. When Siku’s powers start threatening to overwhelm her, Tongai goes to the Kariba dam wall, which is still under construction, to make alliances in order to kill Nyaminyami.
The characters and artwork are wonderful. The story focusses on young people—Siku and her new friend, Amedeo, the son of an Italian engineer. There are baddies and goodies, and baddies who realise the error of their ways. Kariba is frequently funny. It also feels historically accurate (enough) in relating the plight of the Tonga who were displaced during the building of Kariba Dam.
But, to my worries. Although the team working on the novel appears to have included (going by names) an indigenous person, I am not clear about how much consultation the Clarkes did—which strengthens my concerns about appropriation. The peoples of the Zambezi Valley are minorities, and don’t often have a chance to tell their own stories. Secondly, some liberties are taken with the mythology of Nyaminyami—and, again, although this can be done in the service of fantasy and storytelling, I feel it’s best done by the owners of the mythology—or, perhaps, in consultation with them. My other worry, about the Rhodesian setting, is somewhat allayed by the fact of historicity, the story being set in Rhodesia during the building of Kariba Dam in the 1950s; however, the novel is never completely truthful about the colonial setting, which … I mean, it is aimed at children, and you can only do so much with the medium, but it does raise some issues.
So, conflict on my part. Kariba is a beautifully realised fantasy adventure, and Siku is gorgeously drawn. Her arc is perfect, from a seemingly happy and mostly untroubled childhood, through internal and external conflict, to realising her identity. I would unhesitatingly recommend this beautiful graphic novel—except for those troubling elements mentioned above. It raises the question all over again for me about who is allowed to tell a story, and I feel there must be a way to find a balance.
So, highly recommended, with reservations. See for yourself. If I bought it for any young people, I would take the time to explain my reservations and thoughts, before letting them enjoy the story.
Thank you to Edelweiss and to Catalyst Press for the DRC.
Going in, I was very nervous about this graphic novel for three reasons:
1. It draws on the mythology of Nyami Nyami/Nyaminyami, which properly belongs to the people of the Zambezi Valley (—so, cultural appropriation), and the authors are White men;
2. “Salisbury” was one of the first things I saw, and that gave me very real palpitations;
3. The main characters are indigenous people, and again—the authors are White men.
Those feelings didn’t really leave, but I am glad to report that this is a beautifully executed graphic novel, with a pretty fun story. Set in the Zambezi Valley, this is the story of Siku, a little girl with special powers connected to Nyaminyami, and she is adopted as a baby by Tongai, a kind man who only wants to protect her. When Siku’s powers start threatening to overwhelm her, Tongai goes to the Kariba dam wall, which is still under construction, to make alliances in order to kill Nyaminyami.
The characters and artwork are wonderful. The story focusses on young people—Siku and her new friend, Amedeo, the son of an Italian engineer. There are baddies and goodies, and baddies who realise the error of their ways. Kariba is frequently funny. It also feels historically accurate (enough) in relating the plight of the Tonga who were displaced during the building of Kariba Dam.
But, to my worries. Although the team working on the novel appears to have included (going by names) an indigenous person, I am not clear about how much consultation the Clarkes did—which strengthens my concerns about appropriation. The peoples of the Zambezi Valley are minorities, and don’t often have a chance to tell their own stories. Secondly, some liberties are taken with the mythology of Nyaminyami—and, again, although this can be done in the service of fantasy and storytelling, I feel it’s best done by the owners of the mythology—or, perhaps, in consultation with them. My other worry, about the Rhodesian setting, is somewhat allayed by the fact of historicity, the story being set in Rhodesia during the building of Kariba Dam in the 1950s; however, the novel is never completely truthful about the colonial setting, which … I mean, it is aimed at children, and you can only do so much with the medium, but it does raise some issues.
So, conflict on my part. Kariba is a beautifully realised fantasy adventure, and Siku is gorgeously drawn. Her arc is perfect, from a seemingly happy and mostly untroubled childhood, through internal and external conflict, to realising her identity. I would unhesitatingly recommend this beautiful graphic novel—except for those troubling elements mentioned above. It raises the question all over again for me about who is allowed to tell a story, and I feel there must be a way to find a balance.
So, highly recommended, with reservations. See for yourself. If I bought it for any young people, I would take the time to explain my reservations and thoughts, before letting them enjoy the story.
Thank you to Edelweiss and to Catalyst Press for the DRC.
March 1, 2024
This is a story that would work better as an animated movie because it didn't seem fleshed out enough. Still, there are some beautiful scenes
January 22, 2025
I love how Amedeo promised Kariba not once, but twice, that he could drive, and both times they ended up crashing
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2023
#Kariba – Daniel & James Clarke
#CatalystPress
To Siku the banks of the mighty Zambezi have always been home. Her father, Tongai, decides to join the work force tasked with building a formidable structure that will be known as the Kariba Dam to afford to send Siku to school in Salisbury. Not everyone is in favour of the project, however. Although the benefits are substantial, it is an undisputed fact that those who have lived in the area all their lives will be forced to abandon their tradition ways of living and their ancestral ground.
When Tongai disappears, Suki has to travel to the Kariba site to search for him. Accompanied only by the young son, Amedeo, of Kariba;s chief engineer, Lia, she will learn why Tongai has always feared her uncanny ability to manipulate water whilst having to face pirates, bootleggers, shapeshifting prophets, and a legendary river god.
This large format African fantasy adventure combines myth and history in full colour. The history of Kariba is juxta positioned with the legends of the great river spirit, Nyaminyani, and the Rumuko cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
The creators of this graphic novel are the brothers, Daniel and James Clarke. Daniel has worked as illustrator and art director for international feature films, such as The Giver (2014), and James was the 2016 South African finalist in fiction for the PEN International New Young Voices Award.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek
#CatalystPress
To Siku the banks of the mighty Zambezi have always been home. Her father, Tongai, decides to join the work force tasked with building a formidable structure that will be known as the Kariba Dam to afford to send Siku to school in Salisbury. Not everyone is in favour of the project, however. Although the benefits are substantial, it is an undisputed fact that those who have lived in the area all their lives will be forced to abandon their tradition ways of living and their ancestral ground.
When Tongai disappears, Suki has to travel to the Kariba site to search for him. Accompanied only by the young son, Amedeo, of Kariba;s chief engineer, Lia, she will learn why Tongai has always feared her uncanny ability to manipulate water whilst having to face pirates, bootleggers, shapeshifting prophets, and a legendary river god.
This large format African fantasy adventure combines myth and history in full colour. The history of Kariba is juxta positioned with the legends of the great river spirit, Nyaminyani, and the Rumuko cycle of life, death, and rebirth.
The creators of this graphic novel are the brothers, Daniel and James Clarke. Daniel has worked as illustrator and art director for international feature films, such as The Giver (2014), and James was the 2016 South African finalist in fiction for the PEN International New Young Voices Award.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Uitdieperdsebek
May 22, 2022
3,5 stars. I rated it up bevause of the beautiful artwork. The story and dialog fell a bit short. Still very enjoyable.
August 25, 2023
I can fully understand that this novel has been hailed as “one of the very best graphic novels to come out of Africa” (Petina Gappah). I would like to call it 226 glossy pages of splendid artwork. To fully appreciate the intricate detail one should definitely not hurry through the book.
A collaboration of brothers Daniel and James Clarke, this significant graphic novel brings the mythological story of Siku to life. Siku is the daughter of the Great River Spirit, Nyaminyami, raised by a human father along the great Zambezi River. Although she is not aware of this fact, she can manipulate water, an ability that is growing out of control.
The fantasy-adventure features the building of the Kariba dam and the related threat to the Shonga people. It highlights the greed and deceit of people, but also the value of friendship and family ties. It is a wonderful blend of history and fantasy as Siku comes to terms with the secret force within her.
A collaboration of brothers Daniel and James Clarke, this significant graphic novel brings the mythological story of Siku to life. Siku is the daughter of the Great River Spirit, Nyaminyami, raised by a human father along the great Zambezi River. Although she is not aware of this fact, she can manipulate water, an ability that is growing out of control.
The fantasy-adventure features the building of the Kariba dam and the related threat to the Shonga people. It highlights the greed and deceit of people, but also the value of friendship and family ties. It is a wonderful blend of history and fantasy as Siku comes to terms with the secret force within her.
December 11, 2024
This is a very pretty, interesting, and dreamy sort of graphic novel about a part of history which, I suspect, was probably a lot more fraught than the story here represents. To their credit, the authors are blunt about this in the author's note at the end of the book; they did not intend to retell the story of the actual Kariba Dam's development, but to tell a fantastical tale around the historical event. I think that, setting the question of historical accuracy aside, the conclusion of the story here is very interesting:
Also, the art is just lovely all the way through. Definitely a fun little read.
Also, the art is just lovely all the way through. Definitely a fun little read.
November 27, 2023
While the illustrations were stunning, I wish this graphic novel was fleshed out in two or more volumes because I can definitely see its potential. There’s not a lot of world building or a chance for the reader to get their grasp as the plot takes off. Since the creators have familiarity with animation perhaps that would have been a better option to tell the story that they wanted.
February 1, 2024
Basically an African Studio Ghibli film. The plot beats were quite standard but whatever, I really liked it. The illustrations are amazinggg and I've literally been waiting for *years* to read it ever since I saw the animation trailer and Kickstarter. Really hoping they will eventually get the funding to make a beautiful animated animated film. Everyone watch the Kariba animated trailer now!
March 7, 2021
Suki doesn't know what is happening to her. Legends and myths are not always understood by everyone. The story about one of the largest dam being built in southern Africa, the whole white man superiority vs the indigenous peoples and their rights.
May 7, 2022
Cette BD jeunesse est clairement une réussite. Les auteurs allient parfaitement fait historique, mythe africain et écologie. L'histoire est passionnante, il m'a été difficile de poser le livre. Et c'est sans parler du graphisme et des couleurs qui sont tout bonnement superbes ! À ne pas manquer !
April 19, 2020
I really really enjoyed it!
December 12, 2022
I loved it! I only wish it had been longer.
October 11, 2024
Una graphic novel un po diversa dal solito.
Belli i disegni e i colori utilizzati.
Forse è più adatta ad un pubblico di adolescenti, ma non mi ha annoiato.
Belli i disegni e i colori utilizzati.
Forse è più adatta ad un pubblico di adolescenti, ma non mi ha annoiato.
April 29, 2021
Jeg digger ungdomsbøker som lærer bort historie! Fordi jeg har lest denne boka har jeg lært at Karibademningen gir strøm til både Zambia og Zimbabwe, at byggingen begynte i 1955 men tok lang tid å ferdigstille på grunn av politiske uenigheter, og at 86 mennesker mistet livet i denne prosessen. Et av bokas viktige temaer er miljø mot industrialisering, og den viser både til hvordan konstruksjonen negativt vil påvirke dyremangfoldet, og til tvangsflyttingen av de innfødte som historisk ikke mottok ressursene nødvendig til å gjenreise samfunnene sine. Jeg blir derfor litt forvirra når boka ender med en «alle sider har en like sterk sak»-konklusjon, hvor løsningen er at de «bare må samarbeide bedre.» Men selv om det endelige budskapet er tvetydig er det fremdeles en lærerik og nydelig illustrert tegneserie som jeg vil anbefale til alle som liker myter, action og høyt tempo!
December 30, 2022
Kariba is a gorgeous middle-grade graphic novel. Based part on true story and part on ancient African mythology, Kariba is the story of Siku.
Unbeknownst to her, Siku is the daughter of the Great River Spirit, Nyaminyami. Raised by a human father, Siku’s powers grow and threaten to reveal themselves when a dam is built on the river, changing the river’s flow and natural balance. Siku is the only one with the ability to right things, but her father fears that means he will lose her forever and the dam builders will do anything to stop her.
From pirates to wondrous underwater creatures, this tale of adventure has it all. That it is based on true historical events and African mythology, makes it perfect for class discussion or a research starting point. While the story does seem to convey some messages about caring for our environment and ensuring balance, the indigenous peoples are still forced to move and there is still a push for moving forward, but I guess this represents the historical events that did take place, the time it happened and again, makes a good discussion starting point with questions such as “would that happen in today’s time?” And “what would you do to provide a solution?” And “is there a solution that works for everyone?”
Kariba is richly illustrated. The colours are deep and perfectly match this powerful story about balance, family and life.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
Unbeknownst to her, Siku is the daughter of the Great River Spirit, Nyaminyami. Raised by a human father, Siku’s powers grow and threaten to reveal themselves when a dam is built on the river, changing the river’s flow and natural balance. Siku is the only one with the ability to right things, but her father fears that means he will lose her forever and the dam builders will do anything to stop her.
From pirates to wondrous underwater creatures, this tale of adventure has it all. That it is based on true historical events and African mythology, makes it perfect for class discussion or a research starting point. While the story does seem to convey some messages about caring for our environment and ensuring balance, the indigenous peoples are still forced to move and there is still a push for moving forward, but I guess this represents the historical events that did take place, the time it happened and again, makes a good discussion starting point with questions such as “would that happen in today’s time?” And “what would you do to provide a solution?” And “is there a solution that works for everyone?”
Kariba is richly illustrated. The colours are deep and perfectly match this powerful story about balance, family and life.
The publishers provided an advanced readers copy of this book for reviewing purposes. All opinions are my own.
Find more reviews, reading age guides, content advisory, and recommendations on my blog Madison's Library
August 30, 2023
The best thing about this graphic novel is the beautiful art, which strikes me as possibly being at least partly inspired by Ghibli. A great source of inspiration for any comic, especially one with some environmental themes. Here, there's a dam being built that will forever change the landscape all around it, and an ancient god in the water. Definitely retaining that Studio Ghibli feel. For me, though, the ending felt weak, ending with almost a shrug about the impact the dam will have on people and nature in the area. There's also a very abrupt and unsatisfying romance between the two young leads. It feels entirely unnecessary and isn't developed at all before they're declaring love for each other. And these are pretty young kids, too. And as a whole, this book basically chooses to ignore colonialism and racism as a driving force in Rhodesia, which is certainly a choice. Beautiful to look at, promising set up, but in the end I think it sort of lacks the courage of its convictions.
May 12, 2024
Gorgeously illustrated, but not gorgeously written. There are a large number of characters and most don’t get enough development to make their motives clear. The romance between the kids hits a wrong note. It’s rushed, forced, and awkward since they come across so young.
The main issues of environmental responsibility and the give and take of tradition and modernity are given only cursory development. Suddenly a character ’sees’ something and takes action. It was pretty unclear what insights they were having and the ending reflects that. Kariba seems to settle on ‘everyone is a little right, let’s all keep living’ which feels like a non-decision. Three times we worry someone might die, but no one does. The story suffers from a reluctance of the authors to have anyone pay a price or compromise in any real way, which makes the entire thing lack weight.
The main issues of environmental responsibility and the give and take of tradition and modernity are given only cursory development. Suddenly a character ’sees’ something and takes action. It was pretty unclear what insights they were having and the ending reflects that. Kariba seems to settle on ‘everyone is a little right, let’s all keep living’ which feels like a non-decision. Three times we worry someone might die, but no one does. The story suffers from a reluctance of the authors to have anyone pay a price or compromise in any real way, which makes the entire thing lack weight.
June 2, 2025
This is an attractive graphic novel, and it invites to reflect on power, responsibility, ecology, disaster, internal conflict, etc., but the historical references in combination with the books conclusions tend to euphemise a past of colonial violence.
See: Africa Book Link, Spring 2024.
See: Africa Book Link, Spring 2024.
August 25, 2023
Gorgeous illustrations! A lot of the plot elements reminded me of Studio Ghibli films such as Castle in the Sky, Princess Mononoke, and Spirited Away. This was a lot of fun to read.
August 31, 2025
Dear lord. The artwork. Wow. Also, I just love fantasy that isn't Euro-centric.
August 4, 2025
🌟🌟🌟🌟☆
Kariba is a visually stunning, emotionally rich graphic novel that blends African mythology, environmental conflict, and a powerful coming-of-age story.
Set around the Kariba Dam on the Zambezi River, this book tells the story of Siku, a spirited young girl with mysterious water-based powers and a past that’s deeply connected to both myth and colonial history. When her father—a river guide—goes missing during a government operation, Siku’s journey to find him becomes a much bigger adventure, involving ancient spirits, political corruption, and the fate of the river itself.
What makes Kariba stand out immediately is the artwork—Daniel Clarke’s illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. The panels burst with color, movement, and emotion. From wide, sweeping landscapes to intense action sequences, every frame feels cinematic and deeply alive. You can almost feel the heat of the sun and the pull of the river.
The story is compelling and refreshingly different from typical Western fantasy arcs. Drawing on Shona and other African mythologies, Kariba brings magical realism into a real-world context—the building of the dam and its impact on people and the environment. It’s a story of resistance, heritage, and the powerful bond between a girl and the river that shaped her.
That said, the pacing feels a bit rushed in parts. Some characters—particularly side figures who clearly have rich backstories—don’t get quite enough room to develop. A few transitions felt abrupt, and I would’ve loved just a bit more space to sit with the emotional moments.
Still, Kariba is a beautiful, bold addition to the graphic novel world. It’s accessible to younger readers but layered enough for adults to enjoy and reflect on.
If you're into environmental fantasy, African folklore, or simply breathtaking art paired with a heartfelt story, Kariba is absolutely worth diving into. 💧🌍📖
Kariba is a visually stunning, emotionally rich graphic novel that blends African mythology, environmental conflict, and a powerful coming-of-age story.
Set around the Kariba Dam on the Zambezi River, this book tells the story of Siku, a spirited young girl with mysterious water-based powers and a past that’s deeply connected to both myth and colonial history. When her father—a river guide—goes missing during a government operation, Siku’s journey to find him becomes a much bigger adventure, involving ancient spirits, political corruption, and the fate of the river itself.
What makes Kariba stand out immediately is the artwork—Daniel Clarke’s illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. The panels burst with color, movement, and emotion. From wide, sweeping landscapes to intense action sequences, every frame feels cinematic and deeply alive. You can almost feel the heat of the sun and the pull of the river.
The story is compelling and refreshingly different from typical Western fantasy arcs. Drawing on Shona and other African mythologies, Kariba brings magical realism into a real-world context—the building of the dam and its impact on people and the environment. It’s a story of resistance, heritage, and the powerful bond between a girl and the river that shaped her.
That said, the pacing feels a bit rushed in parts. Some characters—particularly side figures who clearly have rich backstories—don’t get quite enough room to develop. A few transitions felt abrupt, and I would’ve loved just a bit more space to sit with the emotional moments.
Still, Kariba is a beautiful, bold addition to the graphic novel world. It’s accessible to younger readers but layered enough for adults to enjoy and reflect on.
If you're into environmental fantasy, African folklore, or simply breathtaking art paired with a heartfelt story, Kariba is absolutely worth diving into. 💧🌍📖
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