Download The Old Drift A Novel edition by Namwali Serpell Literature Fiction eBooks

Product details File Size 5980 KB Print Length 575 pages Page Numbers Source ISBN 1101907142 Publisher Hogarth (March 26, 2019) Publication Date March 26, 2019 Sold by  Digital Services LLC Language English ASIN B07F63ZNGC

The Old Drift A Novel edition by Namwali Serpell Literature Fiction eBooks Reviews

• 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.
• 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.
• Cannot put it down. Thank you for writing what I believe will be the best book I will read all year.
• 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.
• I received a copy of The Old Drift by Namwali Serpell from the Publisher (Hogarth/ Penguin Random House) in exchange for an honest review. The Old Drift is scheduled for release March 26, 2019.
  
  The Old Drift takes place mostly on the banks of the Zambezi River in a young country sprung from an old colonial settlement called the Old Drift. The story focuses on the intertwining histories of three families. We see the personal trials of the members of these families, their brushes with political agenda and movements, the battle against a virus, and a desire to frame the future. This story combines actual history, dreams of the future, and touches of magical realism.
  
  This story follows nine main characters, which initially concerned me. At the front of the book is a family tree, outlining how the nine characters listed in the table of contents are connected. When I saw this, I was worried that I would not enjoy this story. The truth is, I sometimes struggle to keep track of names during a story, so stories that follow a large cast through long periods of time sometimes lose me. The characters begin to blur together, and I fail to keep track of them as individuals through the epic. This was not much of an issue for me in this story. Serpell does such a great job of drawing clear characters that for the bulk of the story, I was very clear on who’s who. I did begin to suffer some blur toward the end of the story with the featured males, Jacob and Joseph. I think this partially intentional on the part of the author, leading to the mystery that if left at the end for you to imagine your way through.
  
  Serpell did a good job of taking me to a land that was foreign, yet had touches of the familiar. This former English colony was a fascinating blend of traditional African features and imported English touches. This was true of many elements of the story. I was never clear where the line was between foreign and domestic, between reality and imagined.
• 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.