The Newlyweds’ Window

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$17.95


The Newlywed’s Window by Mukana Press contained some of the best short stories I have ever read. Not one of these tales failed to capture my rapt attention over what would happen next. If you enjoy short stories, or stories full of drama, suspense, mystery, and excitement, this book is for you.

Although none of these narratives lack a wonderful plot, I think my favorite had to be “The Daya Zimu”, simply because the ending was one I would never have guessed. Told from the portrayal of a young girl, the story is set in a boisterous classroom with Mrs. Bwalya telling her students about traditional myths. Naturally, many of the twelve-year olds in the classroom have strong feelings on the verity of ghosts, spirits, and witches. As many students relay their own experiences of family members taken by various African spirits, our narrator listens quietly, chilled, but suspicious of the conversation. Mrs. Bwalya even tells her of her own experiences, saying she had watched her mother be taken by a sort of half man, half bull spirit. Encouraging her young students to not laugh at these stories but take them seriously, her goal of the conversation is not to harbor false tales but have them protected, as ignorance makes them targetable. Eventually, Beth, the new girl, speaks up on the Daya Zimu, a terrifying spirit creature, she claims to have been haunting her father. Our narrator, who deeply admires Beth, is captivated, and even more captivated when Beth invites her over to her house the next day. Little does our young friend know there is much in store for her by agreeing to this proposal. An ending that was memorable to say the least, this story stood out to me in shock factor and creativity.

My favorite thing about this novel is how it portrays Africa in a new way, not as an impoverished and war struck country as the media often encapsulates it as. Rather, it shows a country full of human beings with similar problems and struggles as Western countries. I love how this collection brings characters who voice their opinions on misogyny, religion, cultural practices, and so much more in a different light. Overall, I would specifically recommend this novel to older Gen-z and Millennial age readers as it does a great job of giving various relevant topics of interest to this age group.


Reviewed By:

Author Mukana Press
Star Count /5
Format Trade
Page Count 210 pages
Publisher Mukana Press
Publish Date 05-Jul-2022
ISBN 9780578397146
Bookshop.org Buy this Book
Issue June 2022
Category Poetry & Short Stories
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