Title: The Orchard of Lost Souls
Author: Nadifa Mohamed
First published July 31, 2013
338 pages, Hardcover
ISBN: 9781471115288 (ISBN10: 1471115283)
Rating: 3.85
Overview
The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed takes us back to Somalia in 1988, a time when the country is on the brink of revolution. Through the eyes of three women, we witness the fall of the dictatorship and the country’s descent into civil war.
Deqo, a young girl who left her birthplace in a refugee camp to venture into the city, Kawsar, a lonely widow who suffered a brutal beating at the hands of the police, and Filsan, a female soldier sent to quell the rebellion in the north, all have their fates intertwined as they try to survive in a country ravaged by war. With frankness, intimacy, and a touch of beauty, The Orchard of Lost Souls is a poignant tribute to the resilience of ordinary people in extraordinary times.
About the Author
Nadifa Mohamed was born in 1981 in Hargeisa, which is now part of the Republic of Somaliland. She moved to England in 1986 as a child and decided to stay there permanently when war broke out in Somalia.
Currently residing in London, Nadifa’s first novel, Black Mamba Boy, was published in 2010. The book is based on her father’s recollections of his travels in the 1930s.
It received longlist nominations for the Orange Prize for Fiction and the Dylan Thomas Prize, and it was shortlisted for the John Llewellyn-Rhys Memorial Prize and the Guardian First Book Award. Nadifa’s book also won the 2010 Betty Trask Prize.
Editoral Review
The Orchard of Lost Souls by Nadifa Mohamed is an extraordinary novel that takes readers on a journey through Somalia during the brutal reign of dictator Siad Barre in the late 1980s. Mohamed, who was born in Somalia and raised in Britain, uses her striking prose to paint a vivid picture of the country’s harrowing political climate, as well as the personal struggles of three women whose lives are forever changed by the violence.
At its core, The Orchard of Lost Souls is a feminist tale that explores the lives of three vastly different women: Kawsar, a ninety-year-old widow who is clinging to life in a small village; Deqo, a young orphan who is searching for her place in the world; and Filsan, a soldier in Siad Barre’s army who is struggling to reconcile her loyalty with her conscience. Mohamed draws readers in by providing each character with a distinct voice and backstory, making them feel fully formed and authentic.
The setting of the novel is a major strength, as Mohamed’s descriptions of the Somali landscape are both lush and brutal. The orchard of the title is a recurring motif that symbolizes both the beauty and vulnerability of the women in the novel, who have been uprooted by war and political instability.
Mohamed’s imagery is both lyrical and haunting, and readers may find themselves transported to a world that is at once foreign and deeply affecting. The themes of the novel are equally powerful, as Mohamed tackles issues such as gender roles, war, power, and social inequality.
Through the lens of three women’s experiences, she explores the impact of violence on individuals and communities, as well as the resiliency of the human spirit. These themes give the novel a sense of urgency and relevance that is both timeless and timely.
If the novel has any weaknesses, it may be that the pacing is uneven at times, causing the narrative to drag in certain sections. Additionally, some readers may find the violence and trauma depicted in the novel to be too intense or triggering.
However, these are minor quibbles in a novel that is otherwise a masterful achievement. Overall, The Orchard of Lost Souls is a triumph of storytelling, character development, and cultural significance.
Mohamed’s prose is both captivating and immersive, and her insights into Somali society are both enlightening and heartbreaking. This novel is a must-read for anyone interested in exploring the impacts of war and violence on women, as well as anyone curious about the complexities of Somali culture and history.
Rating: 4.5/5 stars.
