This House is Not for Sale is a story about a house in an African neighbourhood, the Family House, owned and ruled over by the patriarchal, business-minded Grandpa - by turns benevolent and cruel - and home to his wives, children, grandchildren, and the many in his service. It tells the stories of the people who live there, of the curse placed on the house by one of its former occupants, of the evil and brutality that transpires there, and finally of its downfall.
By the acclaimed author of Voice of America, This House is Not for Sale is a brilliantly inventive debut novel which draws on the rich oral traditions of Nigeria and is full of wisdom and dark humour. From everyday violence and magic, to the voices of gossiping neighbours, here is an utterly engrossing story of an African community, its culture and traditions, and the power of storytelling.
Osondu’s writing is lovely, but after a few chapters I started to feel disinterested. That feeling persisted through to the end of the novel. All the elements that make me want to read more, that propel the novel forward in some way, seemed to be missing here, maybe scattered. More of my thoughts on this title can be found on my blog at A Lovely Bookshelf on the Wall.
Reading updates
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17 February, 2015:
Finished reading
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17 February, 2015:
Reviewed