A Girl Is A Body Of Water by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

“…every woman resists. Often it is private.” — Pg 541 (Why Penned Hens Peck Each Other, Chapter 13)

Makumbi’s Sophomore novel is a tale of loss, friendship, kinship, and rebellion, but most importantly, it is about a young girl👧🏿 — Kirabo—navigating life as a youth. In the five chapters of the book, the author beautifully explores the importance of women and Ugandan/African patriarchy using Kirabo's life. Although the book is hefty, it’s a great read that gives insight into Ugandan culture.

Whilst this book has a strong feminist message, I personally believe the underlying message is the protagonist navigating and understanding her lineage and herself.

“All she wanted was to get rid of the flying, to be a good girl, and find her mother” – Pg 101 (The B*tch, Chapter 10)

(L) The First Woman is the UK Edition of the book. (R) A Girl is a Body of Water is the US Edition of the book.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The reader is taken on a journey through Kirabo’s life from ages 13 to 19, where we see her going through her ups and downs. The reader is first introduced to Kirabo during her “rebellious” phase of life; however, the book closes with a more “diplomatic” and reserved Kirabo.

Note: because this was a long book (over 500 pages), I would give a two-sentence synopsis of each of the 5 chapters:

1. The Witch: Although Kirabo is showered with love by her grandparents and sometimes sees her father, she begins questioning where her absentee mum is. With no answers from her family, she meets the alleged village witch — Nsutta — who tells her about her lineage and that her mother is alive.
2. The B*tch: Tom, Kirabo’s father, abruptly takes her with him to Kampala. Kirabo is stunned to discover she has a stepmother (Nnambi) and 2 stepsiblings. (Unfortunately, her stepmother embodies the stereotypical evil archetype, but her Aunt Abi lives in Kampala to look out for her.)
3. Utopia: After a tragic incident with her stepmother, Kirabo goes to the girls’ boarding school renowned as “a haven for girls.” She soon realizes her school was also driven by the patriarchy and men’s gaze like the outside world — and unfortunately, so was she with Sio (who betrayed her).
4. When the Villages Were Young: in this flashback to the origin and history of Nsutta and Kirabo’s grandmother’s friendship, it was revealed that these women made a pact to marry the same man. Sadly, this didn't go to plan due to unforeseen circumstances, leading to rumors spreading, but these women still had trust and genuine love for each other despite all they had been through. (Unlike Kirabo and Giibwa's friendship— however, I would say their difference in socioeconomic status does play a factor. But I don’t believe Giibwa was ever a good friend).
5. Why penned hens peck each other: after the completion of the burial rituals of a loved one, her vim for finding her mother was reignited. She eventually found out where she lived and worked, but ultimately found out those who loved her were those who had always been around.

While this novel highlights the issues women face, at the heart of it is a Ugandan/African coming-of-age novel.

“I thought you would fly. I thought you would break rules, upset things, laying waste to everything right and moral. I guess you really clipped your wings and buried them” — Pg 540.

CONCLUDING THOUGHTS

• Loves: I love the varied look of what a woman can be, and the most important thing is that how they live their lives is their CHOICE. We see this, especially with Gayi.
• Rate: 4.5/5; it was a great book. It is missing .5 because I wanted a definite conclusion on Kirabo and Sio's situation and a different outcome with Kirabo and her mum.
• Question for the author: Why did Kirabo’s love for story-telling diminish after the first chapter?