Good books often invite good reviews, and this is true of Tinashe Muchuri’s review of Ignatius Mabasa’s latest offering, the novel Imbwa Yemunhu. This is the second Shona post on Munyori, and we are proud to recognize the richness of the Shona language, but most importantly, we are happy to be recognized by writers working in the Shona language. We hope this trend will continue growing, and that soon, we will be able to feature other languages, as well as works in translation.
About the Author: Ignatius Tirivangani Mabasa is a poet, novelist and storyteller who mainly writes in Shona. He has two published collections of poems in Shona: Tipeiwo Dariro (1993), and Muchinokoro Kunaka (2004) and a satirical novel, Mapenzi (1990) which was nominated one of Zimbabwe’s 75 Best Books of the 20th century by the Zimbabwe International Book Fair. His second novel Ndafa Here? (2008) won the Zimbabwe Book Publishers’ Association award in 2008. In 2010, Mabasa was writer/storyteller in residence at the University of Manitoba in Canada where he was finalising his third Shona novel, Imbwa yemunhu, which was published in 2013.
About the Reviewer: Tinashe Muchuri is a Zimbabwean author, journalist and storyteller. He enjoys reading and writing. His poems are published in Jakwara reNhetembo (2008), State of the Nation: Contemporary Zimbabwean Poetry (2009), War Against War (2010), Visions of Motherland (2010), Daybreak (2010), Defiled Sacredness (2010), Mudengu Munei (2010) and in several college and international journals. He has appeared in Zimbabwean feature and short films like Tanyaradzwa, I want A Wedding Dress, NyamiNyami, Playing Warriors, and The Husband. He performed at Intwasa Arts Festival koBulawayo, Dzimbahwe Arts Festival, Chimanimani Arts Festival, Arts Alive International Johannesburg, SADC Poetry Festival in Botswana and Harare International Arts Festival.
About the Book: Imbwa Yemunhu (You Dog) is a novel that bites like a rabid dog. Employing the dog metaphor, it chides human folly and snarls at life. This is a novel about life, and the life is a dog. But who owns this dog?
Imbwa Yemunhu, ibhuku rinoburitsa pachena umhizha hwaMabasa hwekuda kuyanika pachena matambudziko anowanikwa navanhu zuva nezuva mukuedza kuraramira nyika nezviri mairi. Izvi zvinojekeswa pachena neapo Musa anobatsirwa namai vake pamwe nemukoma wake kuroora Hazvi, asi iye asina rudo kana hanya naHazvi. Anogozviitira kufadza hama dzake nenyika inomuseka. Richardwo anozviita apo anoroora Juli kuti angova chishongo chepamba pake kwete mudzimai wake. Izvi zvinoratidza kuti vanhu vanoramba vakabatirira pazvinhu zvinoodza mwoyo yavo vachitya kuti vanhu vanozotii. Kukungura ndiyo hwaro hwebhuku raMabasa idzva iri. READ the full review…
