
A Girl Is a Body of Water
Failed to add items
Add to Cart failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
3 months free
Buy for $25.00
No default payment method selected.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
-
Narrated by:
-
Tovah Ott
"Makumbi’s prose is irresistible and poignant, with remarkable wit, heart and charm - poetic and nuanced, brilliant and sly, openhearted and cunning, balancing discordant truths in wise ruminations. A Girl Is a Body of Water rewards the reader with one of the most outstanding heroines and the incredible honor of journeying by her side." —The New York Times
"A mesmerizing feminist epic." —O, the Oprah Magazine
International award–winning author Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s novel is a sweeping and powerful portrait of a young girl and her family: who they are, what history has taken from them, and - most importantly - how they find their way back to each other.
In her thirteenth year, Kirabo confronts a piercing question that has haunted her childhood: who is my mother? Kirabo has been raised by women in the small Ugandan village of Nattetta - her grandmother, her best friend, and her many aunts - but the absence of her mother follows her like a shadow. Complicating these feelings of abandonment, as Kirabo comes of age she feels the emergence of a mysterious second self, a headstrong and confusing force inside her at odds with her sweet and obedient nature.
Seeking answers, Kirabo begins spending afternoons with Nsuuta, the local witch, trading stories and learning not only about this force inside her, but about the woman who birthed her, who she learns is alive but not ready to meet. Nsuuta also explains that Kirabo has a streak of the "first woman" - an independent, original state that has been all but lost to women.
Kirabo’s journey to reconcile her rebellious origins, alongside her desire to reconnect with her mother and to honor her family’s expectations, is rich in the folklore of Uganda and an arresting exploration of what it means to be a modern girl in a world that seems determined to silence women. Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s unforgettable novel is a sweeping testament to the true and lasting connections between history, tradition, family, friends, and the promise of a different future.
©2020 Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi. (P)2020 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.Listeners also enjoyed...




















Critic reviews
“A magnificent blend of Ugandan folklore and more modern notions of feminism.... This book is a jewel.” (Kirkus, starred review)
“This beautifully rendered saga is a riveting deconstruction of social perceptions of women’s abilities and roles.” (Publishers Weekly)
“Makumbi writes with the assurance and wry omniscience of an easygoing deity.” (The New York Times)
"Narrator Tovah Ott provides a warm performance of this coming-of-age audiobook about a Ugandan girl's journey to find her mother. Ott's sonorous voice brings rural 1970s Uganda to life. . . . Ott's impressive modulation provides distinct voices for multiple characters, fully immersing listeners in a patriarchal society full of strong women. The many family secrets and explorations of tradition will resonate with listeners." —AudioFile Magazine
Amazing
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
DC DOI Book Club
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
A powerful story that left this reader in deep thought.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
This book beautifully explores what it meant to be a woman in Uganda, at a time when the social norms were changing dramatically. Different than in America, feminism was still making its presence known.
Makumbi delicately and masterfully balances old ways with new, without opting for easy answers. 4.5 stars - falling short of a perfect five based on the sadness I felt that Kirabo lost some of her magic as she grew into a young woman, and the origin stories were lost for a bit in the middle of the book.
The nardialog. rich and multi-faceted but I wish there was more of an accent in the dialogue.
Feminism comes alive
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
So many life lessons and beautifully weaved ‘through a girls coming into woman.
Staple
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Beautiful Story
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I would probably have enjoyed the story more if I had read it instead of listening to Audible, but that’s true for many books. In particular, I had trouble connecting some foreign words and names with the meanings, which would have been easier if I could have seen them or been able to read more deeply. Some of the voices were a bit odd, but the narration and main character were easy to listen to and connect with.
Beautiful
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Such a gripping story
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
African narrators for African novels!
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Enjoyed
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.