Who Will Catch Us As We Fall

(Paperback)

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Description

Growing up in the Nairobi of the 90s, a seething boiling pot of racial tension and conflicting cultural taboos, Leena and Jai are raised to believe in a Kenya full of possibility and potential. But as they come of age and venture into a world of underground activists beyond the confines of their tight-knit East Asian community and closely guarded, gated compound, they start to see a country divided by deep ethnic allegiances and on the brink of something very sinister. Soon Leena and Jai find themselves entangled in a shady world of crooked policemen, seedy salesmen, prostitutes, and bohemian artists. As the city tightens its grip, so begins a dangerous game of corruption and conspiracy, where rebellions simmer, and a tangled web of power unravels as dark forces collide and disturbing revelations surface. A powerful tale of love and politics in contemporary Nairobi, Who Will Catch Us As We Fall depicts a Kenya on the cusp of change in all its complexity. Through two of the most memorable and remarkable characters in contemporary African fiction, Iman Verjee has penned a moving portrait of a family torn apart by national politics and prejudice, yet still painfully tethered together.

Reviews

A unique, powerful voice in African literature.

* Kirkus *

'Assuredstrikingthe storys message of hope, resilience and redemption is as important as it is timely.

* Economist *

A vibrant picture of a country in turmoil. An unforgettable and ultimately hopeful tale.

* Booklist *

An unusually gifted young writer.

* Margaux Fragoso, author of Tiger, Tiger *

An epic story of politics, love and how self-examination can heal wounds cutting deeply in a flailing contemporary communityVerjee's characters are captivating; their personalities come through amid amazing descriptions of a system that profoundly and catastrophically affects both nation and family.

* Library Journal *

A rich book about life in Nairobithe narrative explores politics, corruption and tradition in contemporary Nairobi through a sweeping family epic.

* Toronto Star *

Author Bio

Iman Verjee won the 2012 PFD City University Writing Prize for Fiction for her debut novel In Between Dreams (Oneworld, 2014), which she wrote while completing an MA in Creative Writing at City University. She lives in Edmonton, Canada, having emigrated from Nairobi, Kenya, in 2014.