Penguin African Writers Petals of Blood, Book 1, (Paperback)

from KrisR

This is the first book I have read by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o, and I was swept away by it. Written in 1977, Petals of Blood recreates many of the tensions in Kenya at the time. Although the book is anchored by investigation into the murder of three highly placed Kenyan officials, it is at heart a sweep...

from EBT1002

Set in Kenya immediately following independence from the British empire, Petals of Blood takes place primarily in the village of Ilmarog. It's the story of four people, each suspected of some involvement in the dramatic murder of three owners of a local Brewery. As the narrative moves among these...

from Mercury57

Some novels can make you laugh; some can make you cry. Just occasionally they can make you angry. There was little to laugh at in Petals of Blood by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o. This is a book designed to evoke quite a different set of reactions, a book it would be difficult to read and not feel frustrated...

from kaitanya64

This is a classic of African post-colonial literature. Written as a sort of parable, but with realistic characters, the book traces some of the disappointments and failures of independance in Kenya, seen largely through the characters in a small central Kenyan town who long to participate in the ...

from ageoflibrarius

This is not a light read.But it's good. It is a political novel, and you can tell, but the writing is beautiful and most of the characters rich.