'The Book of Memory' by Petina Gappah is a novel that follows the life of Memory, an albino black woman imprisoned in Zimbabwe for the murder of her white adoptive father, Lloyd. The story is narrated by Memory herself as she writes down her life story for her lawyer and an American journalist, revealing her troubled childhood, her time with Lloyd, and her experiences in prison. The narrative shifts between Memory's past and present, exploring themes of family, race, memory, and the complexities of life in Zimbabwe.

Characters:

Characters, especially Memory, are complex and multi-dimensional, reflecting the intricacies of identity and societal tensions.

Writing/Prose:

The writing style is richly detailed and evocative, integrating cultural authenticity while balancing humor and somber themes.

Plot/Storyline:

The plot revolves around Memory, an albino woman sentenced to death for killing her adoptive father, intertwining her past and present in a non-linear narrative that explores identity and memory.

Setting:

The setting shifts between a maximum-security prison and various locales in Zimbabwe, highlighting contrasts in social conditions.

Pacing:

The pacing is intentionally slow, mirroring Memory's reflections but can feel disjointed due to its non-linear structure.

The story that you have asked me to tell you does not begin with the pitiful ugliness of Lloyd’s death. It begins on a long-ago day in August when the sun seared my blistered face and I was nine years...

Notes:

The main character, Memory, is an albino Zimbabwean woman on death row.

Memory was sold as a child to a white man named Lloyd Hendricks, who later adopted her.

The novel explores themes of race, privilege, and identity in Zimbabwean society.

Gappah uses a non-linear narrative to reflect how memory works, presenting events out of order.

Shona phrases are included in the text without translation, adding depth to the story.

Memory feels like an outsider in both black and white communities in Zimbabwe.

The book combines elements of political commentary with a personal story of one woman's life.

Humor is woven into the narrative, despite its serious themes, showcasing the resilience of the human spirit.

The book examines the idea of unreliable memories and the impact of childhood experiences.

Petina Gappah became the first Zimbabwean to be longlisted for the Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction in 2016.

Sensitive Topics/Content Warnings

Content warnings for The Book of Memory include themes of murder, death row, racial discrimination, child selling, and mental illness.

From The Publisher:

In The Book of Memory, an albino woman named Memory is languishing in a maximum security prison in Harare, Zimbabwe, where she has been tried and convicted of murder. As part of her appeal, her lawyer insists that she write down what happened; that is, the events that led to the killing of her adoptive father, Lloyd Hendricks. But who was Lloyd Hendricks? Why does Memory feel no remorse for his death? And did everything happen exactly as she remembers?

Moving between the townships of the poor and the suburbs of the rich, and between past and present, the 2009 Guardian First Book Award-winning writer Petina Gappah weaves a compelling tale of love, obsession, the relentlessness of fate, and the treachery of memory.

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About the Author:

PETINA GAPPAH's An Elegy for Easterly (2009) was shortlisted for the Frank O'Connor Prize and the Los Angeles Times First Book Award, and won the 2009 Guardian First Book Award. Formerly an international trade lawyer in Geneva, she lives in Zimbabwe.

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The Book of Memory

Petina Gappah