Kololo Hill by Neema Shah

 

Hardback: 343 pages

Genre: Historical Fiction

Publisher: Picador.

Source:  Tywyn Public Library

First Sentences: They'd be back before curfew, Asha was sure of it. She got out of the car and looked, far across the water, to where the Nile flowed into Lake Victoria.

Review Quote: Shah explores the chaos and fear of ordinary people’s lives during Amin’s rule, weaving personal stories of love and betrayal into heightening tension and violence . . . nail-biting. ― Independent

My Opinion: Neema Shah has written a debut novel that exudes compassion for the subject matter. Inspired by not only those who were expelled from Uganda in 1972, but also her own grandparents, Indians that went to Africa in the 1940’s.

The novel is a brief heart-breaking glimpse into relatively recent history, as seen through the eyes of a family that lived through the experience.  The stories of Asha, Jaya, Vivay and Pran are captivating, the author has described the unpleasantness of Amin’s Uganda and the strangeness of 1970’s England for this displaced family in a very emotive way that resonated with me the reader.

Despite the passing of fifty years the questions around identity and culture sadly remain as a barrier in much of society. Recommended to those that like me appreciate learning about the world we live and the events of recent history.

Précis Courtesy of Goodreads: 

Uganda 1972

A devastating decree is issued: all Ugandan Asians must leave the country in ninety days. They must take only what they can carry, give up their money and never return.

For Asha and Pran, married a matter of months, it means abandoning the family business that Pran has worked so hard to save. For his mother, Jaya, it means saying goodbye to the house that has been her home for decades. But violence is escalating in Kampala, and people are disappearing. Will they all make it to safety in Britain and will they be given refuge if they do?

And all the while, a terrible secret about the expulsion hangs over them, threatening to tear the family apart.

From the green hilltops of Kampala, to the terraced houses of London, Neema Shah’s extraordinarily moving debut Kololo Hill explores what it means to leave your home behind, what it takes to start again, and the lengths some will go to protect their loved ones.

Author Profile: 

She was born and raised in London. Her grandparents left India for East Africa in the 1940s. Kololo Hill is inspired by their lives, as well as those who were expelled from Uganda by brutal ruler Idi Amin. Before publication, Kololo Hill won The Literary Consultancy Pen Factor Live, was shortlisted for the Bath Novel Award and First Novel Prize and was longlisted for various other writing awards.

After studying law at university, Neema built a career in marketing, specialising in TV, digital and brand strategy for companies including the BBC. She has always been an avid reader, but rekindled her early love of writing in 2015 while doing a short online course.

                                          

Photographs and Biographical Information courtesy of the following sites:

Goodreads Author Profile    Twitter Profile   Neema Shah - Author Official Website