Week Three of Butterfly Burning

We are in week three of Butterfly Burning.

Mary and I are neck and neck at the end of chapter 3, and I have heard from a few others who are further along.

The feedback I have received from readers is that the language the author uses seems overly "flowery" or ornamental.  My feeling at the end of chapter three is the author is painting as dark a word picture as she can of a subjugated people living in poverty and perhaps even slavery.  That will determine the cultural context of any characters she presents going forward in the novel.

The author, Yvonne Vera, is one of Africa's most esteemed writers. Her themes include many controversial subjects including the travails of escaping colonialism, the people of Zimbabwe's suffering during civil war, the plight of women in Africa particularly incest and rape, and feminism.

Vera's work is richly praised with literary prizes from African, European, and western literary organizations, so her use of language and choice of topics is apparently conveying something important to these audiences.

I challenge our reading group to temporarily suspend negative judgement on the unfamiliar structure of language and imagery Vera uses to describe the culture and action in Butterfly Burning.  Instead, read in the context of the cultural suffering and pain of her native Rhodesia and Zimbabwe, and consider whether the language she uses to express herself conveys something of her attitudes and perceptions, or brings us an improved understanding of her chosen literary subjects.  There are two perceptions to consider when crafting any message, after all: the sender and the receiver.  If we are going to read "the world" I think we should approach books originating outside the boundaries of our own western cultural experiences with an idea to both understanding the message that is being originated, and in determining whether there is value in the message that can be "brought home" so to speak, by improving our own attitudes and understanding.

There is, after all, cultural conflict here in our own neighborhoods, communities, and nation, along with rape, incest, and pain among the dispossessed in our own culture.  Does Vera help us understand? Can we take anything from her work that would be actionable on our part toward improving ourselves?  That would be the mark of a great literary work, if we happen to find that in Butterfly Burning.

On the other hand, the book could simply be over-wrought crap. Having that discussion is why we are in a reading club, after all.