An Act of Defiance

by Irene Sabatini

How can you imagine the future when your story traps you in the past? Harare, 2000. Gabrielle is a newly-qualified lawyer fighting for justice for a young girl. Ben is an urbane and charismatic junior diplomat, attached to Harare with the American embassy. With high-level pressure on Gabrielle to drop her case, and Robert Mugabe’s youth wing terrorising his political opponents as he tightens his grip on power, they begin a tentative love affair. But when they fall victim to a shocking attack, their lives splinter across continents and their stories diverge, forcing Gabrielle on a painful journey towards self-realisation. Irene Sabatini, winner of the 2010 Orange Award for New Writers, navigates Zimbabwe’s unfolding political crises, showing how the dehumanising effects of state-sponsored violence can shape and remake a life.

Genres: Zimbabwe, Fiction, African Literature, Africa, Literary Fiction, Contemporary

355 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 19, 2020

About the author

Winner of the ORANGE AWARD FOR NEW WRITERS 2010

I was born some fifty years ago in Hwange, a coal mining town in west Zimbabwe. I grew up in Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe.

Bulawayo is known for its rather sleepy, laid back nature and its graceful colonial era architecture, examples of which can be found on my website

www.irenesabatini.com.

I spent many hours in the fabulous Public Library, down in the basement of the children's section devouring everything from Enid Blyton to Shane by Jack Schaefer, one of my favourite books.

I left quiet Bulawayo for,'The Sunshine City', Harare, to attend university. Harare is all hustle and bustle, with some fantastic futuristic buildings.

After university I went to Colombia where I stayed for four years working as teacher and studying for my masters. One of my biggest thrills in Colombia was catching sight of the legendary Gabriel Garcia Marquez in Cartegena. "Here, in front of me, is a real, living writer," I remember thinking. "They exist!"

Soon after that, I started writing in a red notebook in this former monastery outside Bogota. The writing seemed to just spiral out of me and if I had to pick a time when I really started this journey it would be that wonderful quiet morning on a verandah so many years ago in the Colombian countryside.

Reviews

[Krutika · Rating 4 out of 5]

An Act Of Defiance.
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Thank you for the copy @theindigopress
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It's tough to build a book that revolves around political parties and events but Irene does it quite masterfully. This book in some ways, reminded me a lot of Half of the yellow sun by Chimamanda. The writing is strikingly similar to that of the iconic author and considering how the story takes place during the political upheaval, they bare a strong resemblance. This novel is my first time reading about Zimbabwe and I was both fascinated and appalled by the happenings in the country.
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This story is about thousands of people who were displaced during the time of Robert Mugabe's rule in the 2000s. His youth party raped, killed and lynched countless people who chose democracy. Mugabe ruled for four decades and single-handedly held power for all those years. He was considered one of the most controversial politician of all times. Gabrielle is a young lawyer who lives in Harare in 2000. As she finds herself fighting for justice of a young girl who was raped by an older powerful man, she witnesses the unlawful side of the court. At the same moment she meets Ben, a junior diplomat working for American embassy. Their chemistry is undeniable and through one of the many dates, they fall in love.
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When Ben is attacked and Gabrielle is taken away during one of their dates by the youth party, they lose touch for many years to come. Gabrielle is raped and is held captive for many days which changes her very personality. After she's rescued by her ex-boyfriend Giorgio, she's taken under his care and soon finds herself pregnant. Throughout her recovery, she feels disconnected to her surroundings and craves for Ben. Years later, when they reunite, they realise that their feelings haven't changed at all. What follows next is her journey of finding herself and struggling to keep up with the people around her. The political distortion that took place during those years have been narrated in detail. It's horrifying to say the least.
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To be honest, I never liked Gabrielle's character. Her profound confusion about her feelings and inability to take a decision made me irritable. It was the male characters that I truly admired. Their resilience and ability to look after Gabrielle was truly touching to see. The ending was quite satisfactory and that was all that I could have asked for. Though parts of this book might be fiction, the information about Zimbabwe is an eye opener. I recommend it.
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Rating - 3.8/5.

[Charlott · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

"She wills a memory an act of defiance- something whole and true that the comrades cannot take, touch."

It's the year 2000 in Harare. Gabrielle is a lawyer who works on the case of a young girl who accuses an older - and politically quite powerful - man. At the same time, Gabrielle meets Ben, a young US-American working as the assistant to the assistant of the culture attachée of the US embassy and the two start falling for each other. But then something truly horrific happens and all of their lives fall apart.

Through jumps in the timeline, Irene Sabatini throws the reader first in the middle of the abyss while parallelly she slowly unravels what had happened to lead to it - and she then goes on to sound the repercussions of violence and a suppressive political order like Mugabe's regime. This novel is partly a political thriller, part love story, with a dash of courtroom drama; always highly entertaining and through its dialogue-heavy style immensely readable. There are so many things going on in my life right now and I can hardly ever concentrate, but An Act of Defiance grabbed my attention and only let go when I turned the last page.

Sabatini created a memorable, complex character with Gabrielle who has to navigate her life between being defiant, her wish to be free, her anxieties and fears and the desire to create some change. I found myself rooting for her - even when she made some questionable decisions.

[BeccaJBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this book as a departure from my usual reads and I had hoped that I would enjoy the change...

I managed to get through it all, but I wouldn't say I necessarily enjoyed it. The storyline was a good premise, and it was executed well. I just didn't particularly like any of the characters or find myself caring much about them.

It was a bit depressing and sad, even against the backdrop of the beautiful country, the politics and horrible human aspects took away from the love story that was the main focus of this book.

Although, I didn't like it, I can appreciate the writing and the storytelling. It just wasn't my thing. Perhaps fans of this genre would like it more than I did. But for me, it's a 2 stars.

Sorry! :/

https://thebeautifulbookbreak.com

[Ailish Leiper · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5
very inch resting history (and very recent which makes it really impactful) & very readable
I almost wish there was more history/politics but that's probably a me-specific complaint

[Courtney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I needed to leave a couple of days between when I finished this to when I finally coalesced my thoughts to make even some attempt at a review.

This is not a read you should attempt lightly. It's traumatic as books about trauma tend to be. And while the events that cause these traumas are not explicit, the lead up and reaction to the trauma is so well written that these things don't need to be explicit because you are right there.

Gabrielle Langa is a lawyer in Harare, part of a team representing a young girl searching for justice. It's the year 2000. Zimbabwe is under the control of Mugabe who is referred to within the text as "The Old Man". It's in this time that Gabrielle meets Ben. An African American man who is serving as a cultural attache and beings a tentative relationship.

The first half of the novel is spilt between two timelines. Leading up to an event and the ongoing event itself. It's crafted in the sense of a thriller in that you know somethings is going to happen but it's slowly revealed as if peeling away the layers of an onion, something rotten at the core. The anticipation and fear is paramount until the timelines meet.

The second half of the novel is Gabrielle dealing or really, not dealing, with the fallout of this event. The stark realities of trauma are evident in the writing (and as a warning can be extremely triggering) and story becomes less about what will happen to this character and more about how will she, if ever, heal? And something that I deeply, deeply respect about this book is that it's not love that saves Gabrielle. It's Gabrielle that must save herself.

This novel is beautifully and yet horrifically crafted. I have come away from it having learned so much about the state of politics within Zimbabwe for the past two decades. I both loved and loathed the characters that populate it. And yet I only rated this four stars you say? When I finished this read, I cried for about fifteen minutes and then had trouble sleeping afterwards. It's settled like a stone in that space between my heart and stomach. There were occasions that I just needed to put this down while reading because it was just too much. It is a magnificent book. And yet it's not something you read to enjoy. It's not something I think I will ever re-read. And I'm not entirely sure I would ever recommend it someone unless it came with a very empathetic warning. Be careful and make sure you are in the right headspace.

[Coded Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

The novel helps to shed more light on the happenings in Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 when they had a President that governed them for over thirty years who never had the mercy of his citizens at heart.It takes us through the life of a young lawyer who works in an organization which handles the cases of rape victims. It’s really an eye opener read into what Zimbabwean had to go through the leadership they had at the time;a rapist / an assaulter who goes scot free because he has connections with the government,dealing with warlords who were used by the government to terrorize the people resulting into famine,starving children,refugee camps. Would recommend this book if you need more heads up on the terror this Mugabe government dished out to his citizens,also if you like books which will make you fell more compassion for rape victims.

[8stitches 9lives]

Queued.

[Aisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The Old Man waits in his official residence. Waiting to hear from his minions if they have brought the Third Revolution to the people. Have his people tasted it? Have they had it trimmed into their thick skulls, snapped into their limbs? Are his people grateful, singing his praises for their enlightenment?”

An Act of Defiance by Irene Sabatini

In 2000, Gabrielle Busisiwa Langa is a young lawyer working at an aid center in Zimbabwe on a high profile rape case. The defendant is a powerful politician with ties to the president and the victim is 15 year old Danika.

Irene Sabatini did an amazing job weaving legal drama, terror and an enduring romance to tell the story of a nation held captive by a tyrant for 30 years.

Operatic in style, it unravels unnervingly towards a chilling crescendo midway through before mellowing to a dull ache.

It’s one of those tales that’s frustrating but rewarding at the end. The main character Gabrielle endures a traumatic event that fundamentally changes who she is and her choices henceforth.

At the heart of this is the truth of what happened to millions of Zimbabweans during the mid 200s under president Mugabe’s rule. A farcical rendering of democracy leading to the erosion of human rights and the rule of law, displacement, hunger and deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. The number of atrocities committed in the name of politics is astounding, essentially state sanctioned lynching, torture/rape farms and expulsion of international aid organisations leaving the people at the mercy of the state.

Gabrielle is a complex character but her actions are mostly logical considering where she comes from and her experiences in the book.

It’s written in short chapter which switch from past to present in the first until we meet at the present which continues throughout the rest of the book.

It’s clever, engaging and is very pertinent commentary on trauma. I would recommend this to anyone who wants to know how far is too far and the scale of corruption and the havoc it wreaks on the people of many African countries not just Zimbabwe.

[Elena · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me quite a while to get through this book. It's very heavy and mentions many traumatizing topics. However, I really admire the development the main character is going through and how, despite all, she picks herself up and fights for the right thing again.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This powerful story begins in 2000, during the lead-up to the referendum which could give Robert Mugabe even more power than he already has. The country is in a state of political turmoil and anyone opposing ‘the Old Man’ faces violent retribution, much of it carried out by young people loyal to the existing regime. Gabrielle’s father is a successful man, a keen supporter of Mugabe but, she is an activist, an idealistic young lawyer who works for an aid centre, so wants little contact with him. As the story opens, she is involved in preparations for the private prosecution of the man who has been accused of raping fourteen-year-old Danika. As he is a powerful member of the government, the State has denied he has a case to answer but Danika’s family is determined to seek justice. In the midst of this, whilst in the early stages of her relationship with Ben, Gabrielle is abducted and taken to a torture camp. When she finally escapes, she is traumatised by what has happened to her, Ben has been deported and it is her ex-boyfriend, Giorgio who looks after her and tries to help her overcome the trauma. In her dissociated state she allows this to happen, although thoughts of Ben and their nascent love-affair are never from her thoughts.
Through the swift changes in the timeline which are a feature of the first half of the novel, the events which led to Gabrielle’s abduction, both personal and political, are gradually revealed. Although initially I found this rather disconcerting, as the story unfolded, I not only adjusted to it but in fact felt appreciative that this allowed some moments of respite from the descriptions of the horrors she was being exposed to. The remainder of the story, written in relatively short chapters and covering the next eight years, then follows a ‘real-time’ progression, exploring not only how Gabrielle deals with her trauma, but also how her reactions and decision-making affect her relationships with the other significant people in her life. A recurring question, which is central to her long struggle to come to terms with what she has experienced, is ‘how can you imagine the future when your story traps you in the past?’ I was impressed with the ways in which the author explored the psychological vulnerability of victims, the long-term mental health implications which can arise following violent traumatic experiences and the consequent pressure which this puts on all other relationships.
Interwoven into the story are reflections on what was happening in Zimbabwe during the first eight years of the twenty-first century. Although I already knew a lot about the history of the country, both pre and post the 2000 referendum, I found it very disturbing to be reminded of the extent of the corruption, the absence of democracy, the prevalence of every-day casual violence, the intimidation, the torture and killings of hundreds of thousands of people, the hyper-inflation, the expelling of aid organisations etc. I really admired the way in which the author, whilst never shying away from showing the extent of the violence and upheaval, showed that, against all the odds, her characters were trying to live their lives in the best way they possibly could, determined to hold onto the hope of a better future. The fact that there is a poignant and convincing love-story at the heart of her novel is, in my opinion, testament to the skill with which she combined all the elements of her story into such a credible whole. The brief ‘Afterword’, which is set in 2017 and holds the promise of better things to come, for Gabrielle and for Zimbabwe, felt a very comforting end to this complex story.
Although there were moments when I was reading this deeply-disturbing story when I almost couldn’t bear to feel exposed to any more descriptions of trauma, violence and terror, the compelling nature of Irene Sabatini’s writing meant that I very quickly felt emotionally engaged with the characters, especially Gabrielle. This meant that I soon found it almost impossible to put down, even during the first half of the story when some of the descriptions of violence were particularly graphic and the escalating tension felt almost unbearable. It was almost as if by stopping before I knew what the future held for them, I’d be abandoning them – the fear and anxiety being generated felt so powerfully visceral.
When I finished reading, I felt as though I’d been put through an emotional-wringer and, as I write this review, the characters and all the thought-provoking themes which run through the story, remain vivid in my mind. This gives some indication of just how brilliant Irene Sabatini’s eloquent prose and writing-style is. I haven’t read either of her previous novels (The Boy Next Door and Peace and Conflict) but the wonderful quality of her story-telling in this novel has left me determined to remedy that omission as soon as possible!
With my thanks to the publisher and NB for a copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

[Mkay · Rating 3 out of 5]

An Act of Defiance. Irene Sabatini
This book is about a Gabrielle a lawyer living in Harare who is ready to fight against the corrupt system that is sustained by the politicians of Zimbabwe. Early on in her career she takes on the case of Danika, a young girl who has been sexually assaulted by a top politician. Although there is sufficient evidence to fight against the politician the court system is designed for Gabrielle and Danika to lose the case. Eventually, when it is evident that Gabrielle is set to win the case she is abducted by the ‘youths’ who work for the ruling party and experiences an unimaginable trauma for the few days that she is taken which changes the trajectory of her life.
More than anything this book shows how the political and justice systems in Zimbabwe have not been altered since colonialism, to serve the ordinary Zimbabwean. Moreover, the corruption and the greed that is prevalent in political leaders hinders progression and expressions of freedom. This Sabatini shows in the everyday struggles of Gabrielle and her friends who are hoping to create a better country.
Being Zimbabwean myself I found this book very difficult to read. Not in its languages with its short and easy sentences but in its heavy content. I think Sabatini felt the difficulty of this too as she constantly provides the reader with breaks from the harsh realities of Gabrielle’s Zimbabwe in for example trips to Rome and New Haven.
An Act of Defiance, for me, read like a future of Chinua Achebe’s ‘No Longer at Ease’ which suggests an inevitability of corruption where Sabatini shows so unflinchingly the effects of this corruption once it has been allowed to pollute the country for several decades.

[Amarpal · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written and striking novel but also horrific in its content. I literally devoured it and couldn't stop myself reading, which is a great feeling to have and almosts surprising considering the plot at halfway plateau's. From there however Sabatini created a really memorable character in Gabrielle as she tries and fails and tries again to come to terms with her trauma and rebuild her life, attempting to navigate all these choices and changes in a dangerously politically unstable environment, the climate and setting of which was also captured well to the reader and would probably do well in being an introduction to this period of Zimbabwe's history. Even when I was frustrated by her I was rooting for her, she did feel believable. Characters like Ben and Trinity weren't fully developed but I can forgive it for that. I really enjoyed The Boy Next Door and following from this would read more Sabatini moving forward.

[Jacqueline Nyathi · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Review on my blog]

In summary: if you’re a fussy reader, as I am, you’ll hate the first bits; but, press on, as this is a wonderful book. The difficult parts, the parts that explain the trauma of Zimbabwe, are somewhat ruined by unnecessary exaggeration (was there ever a “camp” at Sam Levy? A ridiculous stretch), and I wonder if that isn’t the usual problem when someone who doesn’t live in Zimbabwe tries to piece together a story from what they read in newspapers. The reality is much more grim and far less funny than the exaggerations in this book. But the rest of the book, exploring Gabrielle’s emotional journey, is stellar.

[Caroline Brassard · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me a long time to read this incredible book, because it was so raw, so foreign to me, yet so realistic. It gripped me, shocked me, made me see the world differently, hence the five stars. I have never felt so concerned for the author, as she undoubtedly has lived through this traumatic period in Zimbabwe while ‘The Old Man’ reigned. It is astonishing that a writer can describe such a multiplicity of dramatic facets or forces interacting in people’s lives in such a prose, while also
Being able to surprise her readers by tying things together so unexpectedly.

[Derval Tannam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I couldn't fully engage with this book, though it was an interesting premise. The way the characters spoke really began to annoy me about halfway through- I'm not sure whether Gabrielle's style of saying "I, I" or "I'm, I'm" was intended to reflect her uncertainty, but it was extremely irritating. The relationship between her and Ben wasn't entirely convincing either, and Gabrielle seemed to drift through her life even before suffering the awful trauma. Ultimately quite a dissatisfying read.

[Joyce Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

An act of defiance is a dramatic story of a young girl who is trying to establish herself in Harare during political turmoil. Told from the perspective of Gabrielle the story is fascinating as it is a stream of memory, a stream of experience that puts us not in her shoes but both her heart and brain. In the end it is a love story, a survival tale, and a an in-depth psychological drama.

[Miriam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this book for a Read The World challenge to cover a Zimbabwe prompt and I am so glad I did. I definitely never would have picked it up otherwise. It has heavy themes and lots of triggers, but its ultimately a story of resilience and in loving yourself enough to do right by yourself.

[Claire - bookcoffeeandfun · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great book. Powerful. And at times a very hard read. Extremely well written, the writing style was one of my favourite aspects of the book. Definitely a story that will stay with me for a while.

A lot of trigger warnings - definitely not something to pick up if you are triggered by sexual assault or violence.

[Uchenna (favourite_igbo_boy) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hello, am pleased to announce I just came back from Zimbabwe for the first time 🙃.
I was able to travel through with the help of Irene Sabatini to Zimbabwe (My first time reading about that part of Africa).

I actual don't know how to put words together when I first finished this because am scared of giving away too much out of this exceptional read, so let me serve you some sip of tea.

The storytelling is build on love, bravery,racism, colour judgment, motherhood, politics, political violence, displacement of people, fight for justice, unlawfulness and abuse of power.

It started with the first chapter Capture. The court case, chemistry movement between two characters and boom, the story had more than I even expected (turn of events).
📖
Learning about Robert Mugabe, I most say his such a really controversial being.
You might be wondering what the Zimbabwe politician did.
Answers can be gotten when you read this.


The incident that leads fo the court case reminds me of why parents/guardians should pay attention to their wards, there behaviour (if there happens to be any change), and why it's important for the preys to be enlightened about the various ways.

📖
On the chemistry between Gabrielle and Ben I find it interesting and along the line I ended up not liking Gabrielle. Her decisions, confusion (to me) and choice was just not it.

Yes shits happens but you've got to LIVE.

Wondering what might have gone wrong?
This gives you more reason why you should read this.

RATING 4.5/5


Thanks to @theindigopress for sending me a ARC copy.

An Act of Defiance would be Published in March 2020.

Copies can be pre-ordered now from the website indigopress.com.

[Holly (spoopyhol) · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘Harare, 2000. Gabrielle is a newly-qualifier lawyer fighting for justice for a young girl. Ben is an urbane and charismatic junior diplomat attached to Harare with the American embassy. With high-level pressure on Gabrielle to drop the case, and the president’s youth wing terrorising his political opponents as he tightens his grip on power, they begin a tentative love affair. But when they fall victim to a shocking attack, their lives splinter across continents and their stories diverge, forcing Gabrielle on a painful journey towards self-realisation.’

I seem to gravitate towards really raw, honest, real books about people and tough experiences. This book had all of that. Gabrielle goes through hell and back and I think that the exploration and descriptions of PTSD and depression were so true. In fact, it was never stated explicitly that she had these two mental health issues but the writing was so honest about these experiences that it’s very clear to the reader that this is what she goes through after an attack she faces.

The characters were so fully rounded that they felt real, often I forgot it was fiction and it felt like I was living the lives of these people with them. I have to take a second to really congratulate the author on the writing of this book, the parts that were explaining the every day, lighthearted events (such as dating) were free flowing, easy to read and then when Gabrielle goes through her hardships the writing goes choppy and fast and nervous and quick. It really places the reader in the emotions of the protagonist and that really helps immerse you in this story.

[Alyssia Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Act of Defiance is frankly a masterpiece that drags you kicking and screaming through a tumultuous and horrific period in Zimbabwean history whether you like it or not. And it's modern history at that, taking us to Mugabe's rule in the 2000's as his youth party lynched, killed and raped in order to keep him in power.

Gabrielle is a young lawyer who finds herself fighting for justice for a young girl raped by a powerful and influential older man, only in doing so she exposes herself to the darker side of Zimbabwean politics and corruption. Her life comes screeching to a halt when she is kidnapped by the youth group, her American boyfriend left for dead on the road. Her recovery is a long and treacherous ordeal and the novel takes you through her journey to find herself and her voice once more.

This is powerful, hard-hitting and painful to read on occasions. It's part courtroom drama, part political thriller/expose, part historical masterpiece and has a touch of a romance winding through it in unexpected ways. It's traumatic, shining a light on some of the darkest aspects of human nature and how corrupt and dictatorial politics can lead to disastrous consequences for individuals. The characters are complex and multi-faceted, not always likeable, making mistakes and being fully human. The situations they find themselves in are heart-breaking. Gabrielle's trauma is undeniable, and the author doesn't shy away from how much time and effort it takes to start putting yourself back together after that.

All in all, an excellent if dark novel that is hard-hitting and powerful.

[Annie Amelia · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn’t HATE it