What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me
Set in the grim world of urban prostitution, this book gives voice to the multitude of women trapped in African ghettos. Ateba is quiet and unassuming, taking care of her aunt's needs. But she craves the mother who abandoned her, and creates imaginary women to talk to. Then her world is Jean, the lodger forces a relationship on her; and old neighborhood prostitute dies; and her best friend is killed by a botched abortion. Caught between traditional values, male demands, and the need to survive, Ateba seeks to end the tyranny of men, whom she holds responsible for this suffering.
120 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
6 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
About the author
Calixthe Beyala
30 books25 followersCalixthe Beyala (born 1961) is a Cameroonian-born French writer who writes in French.
She grew up in Douala with her sister. In 1978, she left Cameroon for France. She married, and has two children.
(from Wikipedia)
Calixthe Beyala est née à Douala au Cameroun. Sixième d'une famille de douze enfants, elle a été marquée par l'extrême pauvreté de son milieu. Calixthe Beyala a passé son enfance séparée de son père et de sa mère qui sont originaires de la région de Yaoundé. D'un tempérament solitaire, dit-elle, elle a grandi seule avec une soeur de quatre ans son aînée qui l'a prise en charge et l'a envoyée à l'école. Calixthe Beyala a été à l'école principale du camp Nboppi à Douala. Ensuite, elle a fréquenté successivement le lycée des rapides à Bangui et le lycée polyvalent de Douala; elle aimait tout particulièrement l'étude des maths. Calixthe Beyala a quitté Douala à 17 ans pour la France. Elle s'y marie, passe son bac pour ensuite effectuer des études de gestion et de lettres.
Avant de s'installer à Paris où elle réside actuellement avec ses deux enfants, Calixthe Beyala a vécu à Malaga et en Corse avec son mari. Elle a également beaucoup voyagé en Afrique, en Europe et un peu partout dans le reste du monde. En plus du Français, elle parle l'Eton qui est sa langue maternelle, ainsi que le Pidgin, l' Espagnol et quelques langues Africaines.
Calixthe Beyala a écrit son premier livre à vingt trois ans:
She grew up in Douala with her sister. In 1978, she left Cameroon for France. She married, and has two children.
(from Wikipedia)
Calixthe Beyala est née à Douala au Cameroun. Sixième d'une famille de douze enfants, elle a été marquée par l'extrême pauvreté de son milieu. Calixthe Beyala a passé son enfance séparée de son père et de sa mère qui sont originaires de la région de Yaoundé. D'un tempérament solitaire, dit-elle, elle a grandi seule avec une soeur de quatre ans son aînée qui l'a prise en charge et l'a envoyée à l'école. Calixthe Beyala a été à l'école principale du camp Nboppi à Douala. Ensuite, elle a fréquenté successivement le lycée des rapides à Bangui et le lycée polyvalent de Douala; elle aimait tout particulièrement l'étude des maths. Calixthe Beyala a quitté Douala à 17 ans pour la France. Elle s'y marie, passe son bac pour ensuite effectuer des études de gestion et de lettres.
Avant de s'installer à Paris où elle réside actuellement avec ses deux enfants, Calixthe Beyala a vécu à Malaga et en Corse avec son mari. Elle a également beaucoup voyagé en Afrique, en Europe et un peu partout dans le reste du monde. En plus du Français, elle parle l'Eton qui est sa langue maternelle, ainsi que le Pidgin, l' Espagnol et quelques langues Africaines.
Calixthe Beyala a écrit son premier livre à vingt trois ans:
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
May 19, 2018
2.5/5. Either the original or the translation is poorly written. I suspect the translation because none of the metaphors or allusions make sense. The story itself and portions of this text suggest that this is likely quite good in the original. Much of this book is centered around bodies, and the author skillfully links genitalia to metonyms for masculinity and femininity to creation myths/cultural memory about masculine and feminine imagery. Unfortunately, given the aforementioned difficulties in the translation, I suspect much is lost, and it becomes difficult to read the text with sufficient closeness to extract arguments.
April 28, 2024
Rien compris…
Agrégat de scènes sans lien les unes avec les autres. Pas suffisamment de caractérisation des personnages pour moi.
Je n’ai pas réussi à accrocher.
Agrégat de scènes sans lien les unes avec les autres. Pas suffisamment de caractérisation des personnages pour moi.
Je n’ai pas réussi à accrocher.
June 2, 2024
dat was nu soms toch wel heftig hoor, also men : 👎
December 20, 2011
Boy did this book start out dark... and then it ended even darker.
The main character (Ateba) has some serious issues, though I must say that the book was beautifully written (and translated). This book is not for the faint-of-heart and definitely not for those who like a happy ending.
The main character (Ateba) has some serious issues, though I must say that the book was beautifully written (and translated). This book is not for the faint-of-heart and definitely not for those who like a happy ending.
June 22, 2011
Quite brilliantly written, but just 110% not my cup of tea.
September 3, 2020
It should be embarrassing that it took me nearly a week to read 120 pages, but Calixthe Beyala's writing is poetry, not meant to be rushed or breezed by. The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me is still a novella, but Beyala's consistently abstract storytelling lends itself to be digested much slower than usual. Relying heavily on metaphors, the main character, Ateba, details her inner thoughts that swiftly start to degrade into madness due to the living conditions of living in the African ghetto as a woman.
Completely without any sense of empowerment, forced to bend beneath the desires and demands of men, feminism can hardly breathe in the late 1900s, and in many place, still to this day. The term "Woman" to Ateba is her embodiment and soul that is constantly being beaten down, quite viciously at times, by men. Ateba struggles to commune with the idea of Woman and how, without Woman, nothing would survive. Unfortunately, men see it differently and since they seem to have all the power, Woman is constantly crushed underfoot. Ada, Ateba's aunt who takes care of her, is attempting to marry her off while she cycles through men every few months. Ateba has not seen her mother in an indistinguishable amount of time and her father is nonexistent. She is forced to call Ada's men her father, even though they have no connection to her. Ateba's suitor, Jean, takes advantage of her and demands that she marry him and as Ateba resists more and more to these ideals of a society she wants no part of, she swiftly dips into madness. Jean becomes another "Man," another nameless soul while she, too, becomes nameless as she tries to embody "Woman."
You can see how deep the writing must get just from this small amount of plot. It can be, frankly, a bit distracting, but the writing is very good overall that it's hard to give Beyala any less stars than she deserves. I wish half-stars were still a thing, but alas. Suffice to say, I'd have put this firmly at 4.5.
A great testament to African literature, feminist writing, and a touch on the psychological writing scale, The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me is a fantastic example of what a repressed society does to a person, any person, but especially one that is not empowered.
Completely without any sense of empowerment, forced to bend beneath the desires and demands of men, feminism can hardly breathe in the late 1900s, and in many place, still to this day. The term "Woman" to Ateba is her embodiment and soul that is constantly being beaten down, quite viciously at times, by men. Ateba struggles to commune with the idea of Woman and how, without Woman, nothing would survive. Unfortunately, men see it differently and since they seem to have all the power, Woman is constantly crushed underfoot. Ada, Ateba's aunt who takes care of her, is attempting to marry her off while she cycles through men every few months. Ateba has not seen her mother in an indistinguishable amount of time and her father is nonexistent. She is forced to call Ada's men her father, even though they have no connection to her. Ateba's suitor, Jean, takes advantage of her and demands that she marry him and as Ateba resists more and more to these ideals of a society she wants no part of, she swiftly dips into madness. Jean becomes another "Man," another nameless soul while she, too, becomes nameless as she tries to embody "Woman."
You can see how deep the writing must get just from this small amount of plot. It can be, frankly, a bit distracting, but the writing is very good overall that it's hard to give Beyala any less stars than she deserves. I wish half-stars were still a thing, but alas. Suffice to say, I'd have put this firmly at 4.5.
A great testament to African literature, feminist writing, and a touch on the psychological writing scale, The Sun Hath Looked Upon Me is a fantastic example of what a repressed society does to a person, any person, but especially one that is not empowered.
March 15, 2021
I loved reading the story but not the writing. I'm not sure how to explain this. The story is marvellous but I find the writing at times too vague and abstract. Nonetheless, a great exposure. I have been enjoying quite a few African novels and this is a good addition. Themes - violence, gender, familial oppresion, cycle of poverty and denial of selfhood.
.
The story is about Ateba who lives in a slum. Her mother, a sex worker, left her under the care of her aunt and stepfather who often wish to 'cure' her. They think she is a bad woman (when she is not) and is bound to be sinful due to her mother. Ateba also has to deal with the obsessive pursuit of Jean, her stalker. He later pretends to be her friend to gain access to her. In the end, Ateba has to find the inner strength within her. Externally, no one is going to save her.
.
There is something about societal writings in Africa that is so fascinating. Emotional violence and brutality, yes. Womanly powers, yes. Dominance and submission, yes. Ateba's life is a battle. She has to fight against people who seek to control her every single day. People view her not as a person but as a symbol - of body, lust, sin, freedom and misguided destiny.
.
A lot of the passages are really impactful. I think I find the writing confusing due to the text's original language, which is French. I do struggle to read novels which were written in French. I suppose there is a stylistic element I have yet to familiarise myself with.
.
Nonetheless, a good novel. Not very long, only about 120ish pages. Highly recommended as it is a rare title.
.
The story is about Ateba who lives in a slum. Her mother, a sex worker, left her under the care of her aunt and stepfather who often wish to 'cure' her. They think she is a bad woman (when she is not) and is bound to be sinful due to her mother. Ateba also has to deal with the obsessive pursuit of Jean, her stalker. He later pretends to be her friend to gain access to her. In the end, Ateba has to find the inner strength within her. Externally, no one is going to save her.
.
There is something about societal writings in Africa that is so fascinating. Emotional violence and brutality, yes. Womanly powers, yes. Dominance and submission, yes. Ateba's life is a battle. She has to fight against people who seek to control her every single day. People view her not as a person but as a symbol - of body, lust, sin, freedom and misguided destiny.
.
A lot of the passages are really impactful. I think I find the writing confusing due to the text's original language, which is French. I do struggle to read novels which were written in French. I suppose there is a stylistic element I have yet to familiarise myself with.
.
Nonetheless, a good novel. Not very long, only about 120ish pages. Highly recommended as it is a rare title.
May 29, 2023
Calixthe Beyala - C’est le Soleil qui m’a brûlé
Coup de cœur 🖤
Sa biographie, voilà ce qui m’a poussé à lire ce livre.
Une femme camerounaise ayant grandi dans les bidonvilles de Douala qui fait des études de lettres espagnoles avant de devenir romancière. Étrange, étrange.
Puis, j’ai lu les quatrième de couverture de ses livres disponibles : un univers sombre, très sexualisé, violent. Une partie du Cameroun à découvrir.
Je commence donc avec son livre le moins cher, juste pour voir si le style me plaît.
La lecture commence avec une sensation d’étrange et d’incompréhension.
Je me glisse dans l’histoire comme on se laisserait aller dans un bain un peu trop chaud.
Je fût surprise d’arrivée à la fin. Je fût surprise du milieu, du début, des deux tiers et du dernier paragraphe, surtout !
Un roman éclair, dans lequel chaque mot est pesé, chaque tournure de phrase réfléchit. Notre romancière, comme son héroïne, n’utilisera jamais un mot de trop.
C’est ce que j’appelle du génie !
En lisant sa biographie, je me rends compte que ce livre est son premier. Écrit à 23 ans. Je n’ose imaginer ce que ses prochains romans réservent à mesure que son style se précise ! Avec vous déjà lu du Calixthe Beyala ? Quel est votre livre préféré de cette artiste, je les veux tous !
Insta : @cosmots.feel
Coup de cœur 🖤
Sa biographie, voilà ce qui m’a poussé à lire ce livre.
Une femme camerounaise ayant grandi dans les bidonvilles de Douala qui fait des études de lettres espagnoles avant de devenir romancière. Étrange, étrange.
Puis, j’ai lu les quatrième de couverture de ses livres disponibles : un univers sombre, très sexualisé, violent. Une partie du Cameroun à découvrir.
Je commence donc avec son livre le moins cher, juste pour voir si le style me plaît.
La lecture commence avec une sensation d’étrange et d’incompréhension.
Je me glisse dans l’histoire comme on se laisserait aller dans un bain un peu trop chaud.
Je fût surprise d’arrivée à la fin. Je fût surprise du milieu, du début, des deux tiers et du dernier paragraphe, surtout !
Un roman éclair, dans lequel chaque mot est pesé, chaque tournure de phrase réfléchit. Notre romancière, comme son héroïne, n’utilisera jamais un mot de trop.
C’est ce que j’appelle du génie !
En lisant sa biographie, je me rends compte que ce livre est son premier. Écrit à 23 ans. Je n’ose imaginer ce que ses prochains romans réservent à mesure que son style se précise ! Avec vous déjà lu du Calixthe Beyala ? Quel est votre livre préféré de cette artiste, je les veux tous !
Insta : @cosmots.feel
August 8, 2020
3.5 stars, rounded up. I'm not a big reader of classic literature, but this is a worthwhile read.
Not for the faint of heart. I had to take a break halfway through and come up for air. It's dark subject matter, taking on the role of women in society, set in a urban slum of Cameroon.
Eloquent narrative and a must read in French. The authors ability to paint a picture (even as dire as it was) through words was incredible. Several excerpts stayed with me.
- Non, je ne suis pas folle, mais toi.... Toi, homme, tu as peur que les pagnes s'unissent contre toi.
Not for the faint of heart. I had to take a break halfway through and come up for air. It's dark subject matter, taking on the role of women in society, set in a urban slum of Cameroon.
Eloquent narrative and a must read in French. The authors ability to paint a picture (even as dire as it was) through words was incredible. Several excerpts stayed with me.
- Non, je ne suis pas folle, mais toi.... Toi, homme, tu as peur que les pagnes s'unissent contre toi.
Read
June 25, 2019hey guys how can I get both the original version and it's translated version of this novel? I am in Cameroon.
C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée
thanks
C'est le soleil qui m'a brûlée
thanks
October 16, 2023
J'ai un avis très mitigé sur ce livre. La première moitié m'a donnée envie de le fermer et de jamais n'y revenir. C'était un enchaînement, de violence, de dépersonnalisation, et c'était absolument terrible à voir. Quand j'ai enfin eu le courage de reprendre la lecture, j'avais eu le temps de prendre de la distance et la rage a remplacé l'horreur. J'ai serré les dents une grande partie de la lecture, et mon appreciation mitigée n'est pas tant du à la qualité du texte qu'à mon incapacité à tolérer de lire autant de violence sans interruption
April 9, 2023
blowed my mind. didn t understand half of it. but the melody of the story somehow caught me.
July 9, 2008
Read this for a Francophone literature class. It was a striking novel.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews