Review of The Imperatives of Revoking our Silence

[Moddesser Elahi]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Imperatives of Revoking our Silence" by Hosia Malekane.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Feminism is a common topic of discussion everywhere in the world. The Imperatives of Revoking Our Silence by Hosia Malekane is an attempt to provide some insights into this matter. The author does not seem to hold any bias against the opposite sex; this is quite obvious as he produced this novel.

The story takes place in a university in South Africa (the author is also a South African). Moja, the central character, is a bold and no-nonsense girl studying at the university. She comes across a situation in her college that tremendously shocks her. This leads her to be the voice in her college that cannot go unnoticed. She becomes the leader of the group that represents students’ grievances; the subjugation of the female voice is the primary concern that she fiercely addresses. You will get to know how she takes on the challenge as you read this novel. The author mentions how abortion has become a norm for unwanted pregnancies, though it could dishonor a person’s body. Even females are complicit in this. You would also come across various other characters – Moja’s friends and family members being some of the most popular characters in the story.

I liked the way the author has tried to discuss the concept of feminism in a balanced manner. In this book, it is mentioned that man and woman could complement each other in the world; one could not dominate the other. Also included in this story are some discussions that could bring clarity to our lives –
“An addict must be aware of the addiction before the treatment.”
“Close people are not willing to accept the crime committed by the kin.”
“We, as human beings,” are not here just to eat, wear fancy clothes and drive nice cars.”
“Society functions as a whole. I am because we are.”

I disliked the repetitiveness of the discussion around feminism. The author may have added some other elements (maybe some more happenings in the university) to make the story more interesting. Though, I am aware this book is meant to make readers think about the issue. Also, there are two points made in this story that were unconvincing, and that is why I am mentioning them –
“One of the characters mentions that he can kill anyone who messes with her mother.” Personally, I would consider it a strong language.
“The author says that a couple can comfortably touch one another inside a theatre; this is the best public place to do so.”

I rate this book 3 out of 4 stars . Some discussions seem repetitive in this book. Also, some editing errors may need to be looked into – mainly incomplete sentences (a dependent clause written as a separate sentence), some typos, and punctuation errors. There is no profanity in the book; I would recommend it to the readers who want to get some more perspectives on the topic of feminism.

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The Imperatives of Revoking our Silence
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[Edit_or]

Despite the flaws, I think I still love the book and would love to read it. Nice review. Thank you!

[Amy Luman]

Is this a novel or some sort of textbook? I agree that feminism is a worthy topic to be explored through a novel. The subject is especially relevant for college campuses. I would like to know how Moja and her friends deal with this.

[Okoye Chinonso+]

I honestly don't know the feeling to give about this book.
It's a lovely review though, but I'm not sure I'm going to read it. Thanks.

[Okoye Chinonso+]

Though I must say, I would agree with the author, in the sense that, the use of pills and then further going for abortion is becoming somewhat like a normal thing in this generation. But oh well...it is what it is.

[Christopherio]

I understand the message that It is trying to pass however I don't think this is the right way for me to learn about this, as I am clueless about the theme. I'm definitely skeptical about if this is the right book to get the knowledge I need. But I love the structure of the review.