Read Online The Old Drift A Novel Namwali Serpell Books
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“A dazzling debut, establishing Namwali Serpell as a writer on the world stage.”—Salman Rushdie, The New York Times Book Review
“Clear-eyed, energetic and richly entertaining.”—The Washington Post
1904. On the banks of the Zambezi River, a few miles from the majestic Victoria Falls, there is a colonial settlement called The Old Drift. In a smoky room at the hotel across the river, an Old Drifter named Percy M. Clark, foggy with fever, makes a mistake that entangles the fates of an Italian hotelier and an African busboy. This sets off a cycle of unwitting retribution between three Zambian families (black, white, brown) as they collide and converge over the course of the century, into the present and beyond. As the generations pass, their lives—their triumphs, errors, losses and hopes—emerge through a panorama of history, fairytale, romance and science fiction.
From a woman covered with hair and another plagued with endless tears, to forbidden love affairs and fiery political ones, to homegrown technological marvels like Afronauts, microdrones and viral vaccines, this gripping, unforgettable novel is a testament to our yearning to create and cross borders, and a meditation on the slow, grand passage of time.
Praise for The Old Drift
“An intimate, brainy, gleaming epic . . . This is a dazzling book, as ambitious as any first novel published this decade.”—Dwight Garner, The New York Times
“A founding epic in the vein of Virgil’s Aeneid . . . though in its sprawling size, its flavor of picaresque comedy and its fusion of family lore with national politics it more resembles Salman Rushdie’s Midnight’s Children.”—The Wall Street Journal
“A story that intertwines strangers into families, which we'll follow for a century, magic into everyday moments, and the story of a nation, Zambia.”—NPR
Read Online The Old Drift A Novel Namwali Serpell Books
"This story spans decades and continents and mixes the real with the surreal. It isn’t an easy read but it is a compelling read. High recommend."
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The Old Drift A Novel Namwali Serpell Books Reviews :
The Old Drift A Novel Namwali Serpell Books Reviews
- I had no idea at all what to expect when I received an advance copy of The Old Drift, but I am beyond happy; I am thrilled to have read it. This is a story that just pulls you in until you are completely immersed. To call it amazing and breathtaking doesn’t do it justice, and to say it is just the story of three multicultural families and the history of a country in Africa is an understatement. It's a sprawling saga, like a mystery you can’t wait to solve, a ball of string that keeps unwinding or an onion with many, many layers. It’s six degrees of separation at its best – the story goes from person to person to person and location to location, but all are cleverly linked. You suddenly look up and go “Oh!†because it’s that person or that place or that event again.
The writing is magnificent. The Old Drift is a tale of a changing world, a changing nation, a changing people, with all the love, longing, desire, and loss that go with it. The cruelties and the exploitation, not just by the colonials, but by each other, are shocking. You get so involved with the characters that you want to step in and stop the bad times, let their hopes and dreams come true.
This history was at once so foreign to me yet at the same time so familiar, so compellingly filled with the music and scents and sensations of Zambia brought to life by author Namwali Serpell. A cloud of sadness and futility hang over everything, yet hope, determination and courage push through. It’s sometimes magical, sometimes horrifying. It’s history, fairytale, romance and science fiction all rolled into one satisfying story. This is not a book you read lightly, not one you read to escape, but a book you won’t soon forget. - This story spans decades and continents and mixes the real with the surreal. It isn’t an easy read but it is a compelling read. High recommend.
- Cannot put it down. Thank you for writing what I believe will be the best book I will read all year.
- I really had no idea what I was getting into, in fact when I first started reading it I contemplated quitting several times, It is long and sometimes frustrating to try to keep track of the characters (the family tree was tremendously helpful) but worth the effort. The imagination, the imagery, the depth of the characters all made it an incredible first novel. It certainly is worth the time and effort and will stay with me for a long time.
- This novel spanning well over a 100 years was absolutely beautiful. Her language pulls you in, envelopes you in it’s beauty. I am completely taken with her writing. Such a treat. Do yourself a favor and take the plunge.
- It started slowly but now I cannot put it down. The over 500 and ages are easy because of the breaks. I also enjoyed learning something new about a different culture.
- IF this is a first novel, I am beyond impressed. I found the writing
fantastic, and the lengthy weave mesmerizing. I will look forward
to her next publication eagerly. Great Work, and highly recommended
Laura Chester (author) - How much do you know about Zambia? If you're like me, probably not much. This wonderfully written, sprawling novel, however, may well inspire you (like me) to read more about its history and culture. Told through the eyes of three families, all linked in ways that might not be immediately obvious, this is a mix of fact and fiction, with some magical realism to boot. Beginning in 1904 and moving through the century to 2020, it's a sometimes frustrating look at a country and its people. Parts of this do drag a bit but power through because there's always something different around the corner. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Note that this is a long novel and might even be best read in hard copy to take best advantage of the family tree.
