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Snares Without End
This novel, a classic in form, is the story of a life, that of a beautiful, just, innocent being, musically in tune with himself and the world, until the day a dissonance unravels this harmonious existence. A trivial event: a woman's fantasy, but such is the trap that causes harmony to be succeeded by absurdity and wandering, chaos and crime, only to end in torture and death. A remarkable symbol, it is by the purifying fire that this pathetic innocent perishes.
230 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1960
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
February 23, 2018
Interesting but flawed novel of Dahomey/Benin
When you think of African writers, names like Achebe, Armah, Beti, Ekwensi, Laye, Ngugi, Ousmane, Oyono, and Soyinka come to mind. Frankly, before picking up this book, I had never heard of Olympe Bhêly-Quénum, a writer from the former French colony of Dahomey, which became Benin some years after its independence in 1960. The introduction to the book suggests that the author was ignored in the '60s because he wasn't anti-colonialist enough, because he didn't concentrate on that theme or on the racism of European colonisers. I might suggest another reason. SNARES WITHOUT END is a strange book because it is really two books, one of which probably should not have been published. The first 113 pages tell a simple, almost lyrical tale of village life, love, and tragedy. The second part is a confusing mess which tries to continue the story, using a few of the same characters, but introducing large numbers of others, none of whom are developed. The ending of the second part could have been dramatic, but instead, trickles to a close, as if the author said to himself, "Well, I've got to end this someplace. Maybe here would be good." Though the book is far from a literary masterpiece, the first lyrical part is worth reading as an African view of Africa, or the African view of an ideal family and way of life. What is also interesting is the way this Dahomeyan writer presents his society. You can read the famous anthropological works of Herskovits; you can read Frank Yerby's "The Dahomeyan", or Judith Gleason's "Agõtime" or "The Viceroy of Ouidah" by Bruce Chatwin. All these works give an outsider's view of a fascinating part of the world. But by reading THIS book, you can get an insider's view of what all the others described as outsiders. If that interests you, get hold of this book, but don't expect great literature.
When you think of African writers, names like Achebe, Armah, Beti, Ekwensi, Laye, Ngugi, Ousmane, Oyono, and Soyinka come to mind. Frankly, before picking up this book, I had never heard of Olympe Bhêly-Quénum, a writer from the former French colony of Dahomey, which became Benin some years after its independence in 1960. The introduction to the book suggests that the author was ignored in the '60s because he wasn't anti-colonialist enough, because he didn't concentrate on that theme or on the racism of European colonisers. I might suggest another reason. SNARES WITHOUT END is a strange book because it is really two books, one of which probably should not have been published. The first 113 pages tell a simple, almost lyrical tale of village life, love, and tragedy. The second part is a confusing mess which tries to continue the story, using a few of the same characters, but introducing large numbers of others, none of whom are developed. The ending of the second part could have been dramatic, but instead, trickles to a close, as if the author said to himself, "Well, I've got to end this someplace. Maybe here would be good." Though the book is far from a literary masterpiece, the first lyrical part is worth reading as an African view of Africa, or the African view of an ideal family and way of life. What is also interesting is the way this Dahomeyan writer presents his society. You can read the famous anthropological works of Herskovits; you can read Frank Yerby's "The Dahomeyan", or Judith Gleason's "Agõtime" or "The Viceroy of Ouidah" by Bruce Chatwin. All these works give an outsider's view of a fascinating part of the world. But by reading THIS book, you can get an insider's view of what all the others described as outsiders. If that interests you, get hold of this book, but don't expect great literature.
March 22, 2015
This book is just "WAOUH", my first shock of 2015. Written 55 years ago, first book of the author, it is a profound, human and beautiful story. I have shared more of my thoughts here: http://labiblioafronebrulepas.com/201...
July 15, 2018
As part of my Global reading project, I was directed to the works of Olympe Bhely-Quenum as most representative of literature from Benin.
This novel, "Snares Without End" was originally written in French and published in 1960 at a time when there was a plethora of post-colonial writing coming out of both Francophonie as well as English speaking Africa. Thus, Bhely-Quenum was overshadowed by more prominent African writers of the period.
Though himself a product of the French-speaking middle class of Southern Dahomey (pre-independent coastal Benin) which was culturally and linguistically pluralistic, the story focuses on the traditionalist Muslim north in the period between the two World Wars. Though culturally isolated, many of these northern Muslim tribesmen had served France with distinction in the trenches of Europe. Despite their honorable service, their treatment by colonial French was atrocious as tribal leaders were compelled to press even war veterans and community leaders into forced labor at the whim of regional French administrators.
This is the context whereby the story takes place at as a young man from a prosperous family finds his life in conflict between the traditional Muslim upbringing against French modernity.
While I feel much is lost in translation, I find many holes in the narrative, particularly with respect to the motivation of a crime committed by Ahouna, the main character which brings him into the brutal French penal system. How both French jurisprudence and tribal justice wrestle to hold him to account for his misdeeds is one of the most important themes of the story.
Though uneven and jarring, it is certainly worth reading to better understand the viewpoint of colonized French Africans. Even more critical is that it demonstrates the profound impact of literacy and reflects a literary tradition on Dahomey and Benin.
This novel, "Snares Without End" was originally written in French and published in 1960 at a time when there was a plethora of post-colonial writing coming out of both Francophonie as well as English speaking Africa. Thus, Bhely-Quenum was overshadowed by more prominent African writers of the period.
Though himself a product of the French-speaking middle class of Southern Dahomey (pre-independent coastal Benin) which was culturally and linguistically pluralistic, the story focuses on the traditionalist Muslim north in the period between the two World Wars. Though culturally isolated, many of these northern Muslim tribesmen had served France with distinction in the trenches of Europe. Despite their honorable service, their treatment by colonial French was atrocious as tribal leaders were compelled to press even war veterans and community leaders into forced labor at the whim of regional French administrators.
This is the context whereby the story takes place at as a young man from a prosperous family finds his life in conflict between the traditional Muslim upbringing against French modernity.
While I feel much is lost in translation, I find many holes in the narrative, particularly with respect to the motivation of a crime committed by Ahouna, the main character which brings him into the brutal French penal system. How both French jurisprudence and tribal justice wrestle to hold him to account for his misdeeds is one of the most important themes of the story.
Though uneven and jarring, it is certainly worth reading to better understand the viewpoint of colonized French Africans. Even more critical is that it demonstrates the profound impact of literacy and reflects a literary tradition on Dahomey and Benin.
February 21, 2024
This is the first novel I've read from author Olympe Bhêly-Quenum of Benin, Africa. This is my first novel from Benin. The story is during the colonial era after WWI and ends just at beginning of WWII. Unlike many novels by African authors written whose story is set during that era, the story is not about colonialism.
Readers follow the Bakari family, a Muslim and rich agricultual family living in the North of the country. The author describes the ups and downs of typical life in a calm and peaceful environment until the leading character has an incomprehensible dispute with his wife and mother of his 4 children. Then the leading character loses his mind, leaves the family's farm and heads south.
The book seems divided in 2 stories:
- the first one is clear, predictible and describtive set in the North,
- the second one is unclear, with many actions, new secondary characters, leading to inconclusive end.
It is like if the author had started writing the first story, then stopped a long period of time and returned to it with a new direction. The other assumption is that the author attempted to oppose the calm and peaceful rural North of the country against the busy and dangerous urban South.
Interesting novel, but with an obvious flow in the story's direction and inconclusive end.
Readers follow the Bakari family, a Muslim and rich agricultual family living in the North of the country. The author describes the ups and downs of typical life in a calm and peaceful environment until the leading character has an incomprehensible dispute with his wife and mother of his 4 children. Then the leading character loses his mind, leaves the family's farm and heads south.
The book seems divided in 2 stories:
- the first one is clear, predictible and describtive set in the North,
- the second one is unclear, with many actions, new secondary characters, leading to inconclusive end.
It is like if the author had started writing the first story, then stopped a long period of time and returned to it with a new direction. The other assumption is that the author attempted to oppose the calm and peaceful rural North of the country against the busy and dangerous urban South.
Interesting novel, but with an obvious flow in the story's direction and inconclusive end.
November 10, 2019
Read the world: Benin
What a strange book. I really enjoyed the first half of it, which describes the life of the protagonist and his family in their village. Then the second half of the book is like if it was a different book. Different style, different narrative, a total mess. Didn't like it at all.
What a strange book. I really enjoyed the first half of it, which describes the life of the protagonist and his family in their village. Then the second half of the book is like if it was a different book. Different style, different narrative, a total mess. Didn't like it at all.
April 28, 2025
I very much enjoyed reading the first part of the book, which was basically about the everyday life of the main characters who were farmers.
The second part came abruptly and was chaotic and dealt with violence and prison life. A total contrast to the first half of the book. Plus, I found the ending unsatisfactory.
The second part came abruptly and was chaotic and dealt with violence and prison life. A total contrast to the first half of the book. Plus, I found the ending unsatisfactory.
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October 15, 2019The latest entry for The Africa Book Challenge Snares Without End by Olympe Bhêly-Quénum for Benin is now available.
Click on the URL on the profile page to learn more about this thought-provoking philosophical novel.
Click on the URL on the profile page to learn more about this thought-provoking philosophical novel.
June 19, 2021
Autor clásico beninés. Empecé el libro antes de navidades. Leí hasta la mitad. Me aburre mucho. He intentado retomarlo, pero me es imposible continuar. Lo dejo en la página 137
October 19, 2025
This is a book that I chose for my reading around the world challenge. The challenge is to read a book from every country. The only catch being the book must be written by a person from that country, and the story must be based in that country.
I spun a digital wheel to determine my country order. Benin was 2nd.
While researching my options for Benin this book stuck out immediately. It was impossible to find a physical copy, so I had to settle for an online version with the Internet Archive. Believe it or not, this is the first full book that I've read on a screen, so I was pretty impressed with myself for finishing it.
This book was really good. I found it slow at times but that didn't really matter to me. I liked the aspect of it sort of being split in two parts. I'm not a huge fan of the story telling aspect, but it really worked for this book. I found a lot of similarities between this book and the book for Namibia. It's been cool to see the different traditions in these two African nations.
Favourite chapter: 4
Favourite character: Camara
Favourite quote: "But rivers cannot run backwards ; what can't be cured must be endured." (Ahouna, p. 3)
I spun a digital wheel to determine my country order. Benin was 2nd.
While researching my options for Benin this book stuck out immediately. It was impossible to find a physical copy, so I had to settle for an online version with the Internet Archive. Believe it or not, this is the first full book that I've read on a screen, so I was pretty impressed with myself for finishing it.
This book was really good. I found it slow at times but that didn't really matter to me. I liked the aspect of it sort of being split in two parts. I'm not a huge fan of the story telling aspect, but it really worked for this book. I found a lot of similarities between this book and the book for Namibia. It's been cool to see the different traditions in these two African nations.
Favourite chapter: 4
Favourite character: Camara
Favourite quote: "But rivers cannot run backwards ; what can't be cured must be endured." (Ahouna, p. 3)
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews