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Cruel City
Cruel City: A Novel | Mongo Béti
3 posts | 2 read
Under the pseudonym Eza Boto, Mongo Beti wrote Ville cruelle (Cruel City) in 1954 before he came to the world's attention with the publication of Le pauvre Christ de Bomba (The Poor Christ of Bomba). Cruel City tells the story of a young man's attempt to cope with capitalism and the rapid urbanization of his country. Banda, the protagonist, sets off to sell the year's cocoa harvest to earn the bride price for the woman he has chosen to wed. Due to a series of misfortunes, Banda loses both his crop and his bride to be. Making his way to the city, Banda is witness to a changing Africa, and as his journey progresses, the novel mirrors these changes in its style and language. Published here with the author's essay "Romancing Africa," the novel signifies a pivotal moment in African literature, a deliberate challenge to colonialism, and a new kind of African writing.
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review
Simona
Cruel City: A Novel | Mongo Béti
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Mehso-so

Bama, is a slightly naive character who wants to get married - he has to sell a year-round cocoa crop to pay the bride price. The sale doesn‘t go as expected … Most of the story is his inner monologue about the injustices of colonialism, corruption, unfairness, observations of the clash between traditional and modern ... but the most he is thinking about the money, what eventually brings him to some morally-ethical dilemma. Story was written … 👇

Simona … in 1954 and from literary POV this story is shift in narrative line of portraying Africa, but otherwise … just so-so … 3y
Librarybelle Yay for checking off another country from the list! 3y
46 likes4 comments
review
Currey
Cruel City: A Novel | Mongo Béti
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Mehso-so

#readaroundtheworld #cameroon The stress and irritability that exudes from the main character due to cultural pressures really permeates this small book. Our MC Banda struggles with self doubt as he attempts to navigate village traditions versus urban expectations and white colonial capitalist corruption. This does not make him an enjoyable character, which is probably the point. His “younger sister†and ailing mother are good though.

Simona It was so-so read for me too… 3y
20 likes1 comment
quote
Simona
Cruel City: A Novel | Mongo Béti
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I just finished reading the Beti‘s critical essay about his thoughts on African literature with the title Romancing Africa written in 1955 … and now I‘m starting his novella Cruel City.
#weekendReading

Andrew65 Sounds interesting. 3y
37 likes1 comment