Makumbi's book really reminded me of these two short story collections. I'd highly recommend it!Īnd for those who have already enjoyed it, I'd recommend checking out Arimah's What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky or Gappah's An Elegy for Easterly: Stories. Superbly written and very touching in parts. Manchester Happened is a wonderful short story collection dedicated to the "fearless Ugandans in the diaspora" about immigration, home, departing, and returning. I know ya'll wanted me to read Kintu by her first but I'm really not feeling fantasy at the moment. Trust me when I say, you will not be disappointed. I honestly could go on and on about this collection, but I highly recommend you read it yourself. Makumbi’s ability to write about how people perceive the UK and having that perception blown to pieces when they arrive really did it for me. I particularly loved how realistic the depiction of the characters were. I really appreciated that the author did not tell a one-dimensional story but something that really moved and stayed with you, after finishing the story. Themes of immigration, identity, racism, colonialism, colourism, fitting in, displacement, sadness, regret and shame are explored and done in a very layered way. Makumbi even included the point of view of a dog who got kidnapped from Uganda and was brought to Manchester- yes! That happened. Makumbi treated their experience with compassion and vulnerability and that is why I felt so hard for this collection. I really do enjoy stories that tells of the experience of those who leave their country, for whatever reason, to go a try and make a better life elsewhere.
Yes, yes, I know I basically listed out the entire table of contents but that is just how much I really enjoyed this collection. While we all know that everyone’s immigration story is different, Jennifer Makumbi was able to give the readers a diverse and nuance look with these twelve stories. The collection is separated into two sections, the first journeys with those who decided to leave and the second section takes us on a trip back with the characters who decided to visit Uganda after spending a significant amount of time in the UK. In Jennifer Makumbi’s collection of stories, Manchester Happened we meet Ugandans who journey to England, specifically Manchester to make a life for themselves. How do I put into words how this collection of stories made me feel? This book absolutely stole my heart and its now one of my all time favourite books.
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