Book reviews
Fanne Mwambi Baba Zoya Book Review
‘’From the onset, just the name, Baba Zoya intrigued me, both as an editor and as a mom. I mean what would you expect of a dad’s view of parenting? I knew it had to be exciting!
And then I saw ‘the below-average life of...’ and instantly fell in love with the realness it carried. As an editor, I wouldn’t change this name for anything. The author is quick to point out that the book is partly fictitious and partly factual, but I must admit that while reading, I couldn’t make out what was real and what wasn’t.
The author places his readers in each scenario and lets them experience it all to a point you wouldn’t want to burst that bubble… if it’s one. We all experienced Covid- 19 and at some point through it, we all became selfish. Let’s be real here. We were all scared for our lives and would be inclined to think only of what we thought was best for us.
Baba Zoya allows its reader the chance to walk in peculiar shoes- you experience Covid as the less favoured- the older generation. This opens your eyes to a whole new perspective of the neglect bestowed upon the old and triggers something inside you. Baba Zoya elicits all the emotions it promises and is a book you’ll keep smiling back at, long after reading it.
Whatever you get from this book is worth every minute. It’s worth sharing too, so get yours and get one (or many) more for someone you’d like to share in this amazing experience. I can’t wait to read more from Ohaga. He sure has a knack for telling impactful stories’’!
Fanne Mwambi,
Author, Columnist, Copywriter, Editor, and Trainer.
27.4.2022
Book Review: The Below Average Life of Baba Zoya
The Below Average Life of Baba Zoya is a partly fiction book written by Ohaga Ohaga. The book depicts
the life of Zebedi. As far as he knows, the only member who survived the coup after a civil war broke out
in Ethiopia. The story explores war, love, affection, romance, diseases, family, loss and everything in
between. This book came up as Ohaga’s way of escapism during the pandemic era.
The Good
Ohaga’s style of writing is simple and easy paced that you keep turning the pages and before you know
it, you have reached the last page. The flow of the story is on point. The description of events is so vivid,
leaving no detail behind.
The book serves as a work of historical fiction and a double of contextual social commentary. You time
travel through the 20th century with bits of Ethiopia history to the 21st century, for a heartbeat,
experiencing the moments.
The Bad
The end is so sudden. Would love to read a detailed conversation between Marcus and Lucas.
The Ugly
Again, the end!
Well, there’s always an end to any story in a book. But for this book, you get so hooked up to the events
in the story building a curious thought of what happened after the end…
Final Thoughts
I love the rollercoaster ride, the style and how it all fuse.
Overall, it’s a good book with a great storyline. PG rated though (wink wink*)
Pollet Kan’goe
27 March 2024