Official Review: Through the eyes of an african immigrant
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CataclysmicKnight
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Official Review: Through the eyes of an african immigrant
[Following is the official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Through the eyes of an african immigrant" by Unknown melody.]
2 out of 4 stars
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The Eyes of an African Immigrant is a short story that follows a woman named Mudiwa, a lone immigrant from Africa who hasn't reached full citizenship yet, in first person. In the 50 pages of this story, Mudiwa briefly details her college and work life and then dives into the main plot of the book - she didn't realize her visa expired and now she only has two weeks before she'll be deported. Apparently getting the paperwork required to fix it is impossible because she doesn't even try, instead she tries to find a man to marry her and make her legal. However, as one might expect, getting a man to marry in two weeks is no easy task!
When I first heard about The Eyes of an African Immigrant, I really loved the concept - someone from another country, expecting skyscrapers and high fashion but ending up in Missouri. It sounded like a great, hilarious theme to read about, and it is for the first chapter or so. Soon after that, it devolves into trying to be Sex in the City (which the book mentions in the Amazon description), but because the story is so short Mudiwa and her female friends Michelle and Rachel don't have much depth to their personalities and their men feel more like objects to highlight male/female issues than anything. Situations get as wild as the HBO show and the book does have some very humorous parts, but overall it feels vapid.
As I said, the first chapter is some great writing (although in need of editing). It gives a hilarious-but-scary look at how "innocently" racist people can be, even Mudiwa's college "international-student advisor" - she gives her a bag of toiletries as if Mudiwa had no idea what deodorant or a toothbrush was and asks if she really is from Africa because her skin is lighter. Shortly after this, the editing gets much better but the enjoyment I had reading it dropped - while the dates she goes on are appropriately painful and situations can be silly, it feels a bit too exaggerated and the plot feels far too weak. I don't know about anyone else, but if I either needed to work on paperwork or try to find someone to marry me in 2 weeks to avoid deportation, I'd be filling out some paperwork nonstop and not hanging out in clubs.
The format could've been improved as well - the book begins with her in college, seemingly just starting, and she also has a job (she came to America to get one), but the timing of everything is so jumbled that even after a brisk second reading I still don't know what order some things fall. I swore at one point she said she'd been in the country 6 years and another she said 8 years, and the description on Amazon says she wanted skyscrapers but ended up in Missouri, yet they go to multi-level clubs and one of her possible love interests, Alex, works above the 50th floor in a skyscraper. Perhaps it's the lone skyscraper in town, but I digress.
Overall I just think this book didn't know what it wanted to be. If it had focused more on the immigration issues and differences between the US and Africa/the rest of the world I really would've enjoyed it more - going on chapter one alone this very easily could've been a 4 star book! On the flip side, had it been the Sex in the City-ish story in a longer book I almost definitely would have enjoyed that more as well. There's a lot of potential here, but that's all it was to me - the potential to be something great. As is, I have to give the book 2 out of 4 stars. If the book hits a 99 cent sale or is temporarily free and you enjoy Sex in the City like me, or want to see those great moments I mentioned, it may be worth a read, but as-is at $7.99 on sale on Amazon... I can't recommend that to anyone.
******
Through the eyes of an african immigrant
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2 out of 4 stars
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The Eyes of an African Immigrant is a short story that follows a woman named Mudiwa, a lone immigrant from Africa who hasn't reached full citizenship yet, in first person. In the 50 pages of this story, Mudiwa briefly details her college and work life and then dives into the main plot of the book - she didn't realize her visa expired and now she only has two weeks before she'll be deported. Apparently getting the paperwork required to fix it is impossible because she doesn't even try, instead she tries to find a man to marry her and make her legal. However, as one might expect, getting a man to marry in two weeks is no easy task!
When I first heard about The Eyes of an African Immigrant, I really loved the concept - someone from another country, expecting skyscrapers and high fashion but ending up in Missouri. It sounded like a great, hilarious theme to read about, and it is for the first chapter or so. Soon after that, it devolves into trying to be Sex in the City (which the book mentions in the Amazon description), but because the story is so short Mudiwa and her female friends Michelle and Rachel don't have much depth to their personalities and their men feel more like objects to highlight male/female issues than anything. Situations get as wild as the HBO show and the book does have some very humorous parts, but overall it feels vapid.
As I said, the first chapter is some great writing (although in need of editing). It gives a hilarious-but-scary look at how "innocently" racist people can be, even Mudiwa's college "international-student advisor" - she gives her a bag of toiletries as if Mudiwa had no idea what deodorant or a toothbrush was and asks if she really is from Africa because her skin is lighter. Shortly after this, the editing gets much better but the enjoyment I had reading it dropped - while the dates she goes on are appropriately painful and situations can be silly, it feels a bit too exaggerated and the plot feels far too weak. I don't know about anyone else, but if I either needed to work on paperwork or try to find someone to marry me in 2 weeks to avoid deportation, I'd be filling out some paperwork nonstop and not hanging out in clubs.
The format could've been improved as well - the book begins with her in college, seemingly just starting, and she also has a job (she came to America to get one), but the timing of everything is so jumbled that even after a brisk second reading I still don't know what order some things fall. I swore at one point she said she'd been in the country 6 years and another she said 8 years, and the description on Amazon says she wanted skyscrapers but ended up in Missouri, yet they go to multi-level clubs and one of her possible love interests, Alex, works above the 50th floor in a skyscraper. Perhaps it's the lone skyscraper in town, but I digress.
Overall I just think this book didn't know what it wanted to be. If it had focused more on the immigration issues and differences between the US and Africa/the rest of the world I really would've enjoyed it more - going on chapter one alone this very easily could've been a 4 star book! On the flip side, had it been the Sex in the City-ish story in a longer book I almost definitely would have enjoyed that more as well. There's a lot of potential here, but that's all it was to me - the potential to be something great. As is, I have to give the book 2 out of 4 stars. If the book hits a 99 cent sale or is temporarily free and you enjoy Sex in the City like me, or want to see those great moments I mentioned, it may be worth a read, but as-is at $7.99 on sale on Amazon... I can't recommend that to anyone.
******
Through the eyes of an african immigrant
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon
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Great review! The premise of the story does sound interesting, but I too would get frustrated by the lack of editing and lack of direction.
A book is a gift you can open again and again.
-Garrison Keillor
-Garrison Keillor
