Uzamushaka Book Review

Phyllis Rhodes

Uzamushaka Is God's Strength: An African Adventure by Claudeth Williams is a coming of age story and a love affair against the backdrop of the Rwandan tragedy. Uzamushaka is a young girl who witnesses the murder of her father at the hands of Tutsis soldiers during the governmental overthrow. She grows up quickly as she travels to the refugee camps in Zaire with her younger brothers and mother. During the journey she experiences more hardship and trials but her love for family and belief in her name (which means Gods Strength) sustain her through her tumultuous times.

The author has done an excellent job at researching the history of the Rwandan crisis and blends it into the story effortlessly without it reading like a history lesson. She also folds in the native African religious beliefs, customs, and traditions and merges this with modern Christianity. Although the subject matter is somewhat heavy, the author wraps things up nicely in the end (almost to a fault) which makes this a good choice for an easy, quick read.

The Nubian Circle Book Club rating for Uzamushaka Is God's Strength: An African Adventure is 4 out of 5 stars. We welcome your comments and thoughts about this book review. Please e-mail us at this address: NubianCircleClub@aol.com.

3/4/2002