3 out of 4 stars
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Quite often, traditional practices fail to adhere to the rules of gender equality or constitutional law. But people are reluctant to let go of their beliefs and standards in order to serve justice. Set in the African subcontinent, Beyond Shattered Dreams by Caroline Nampaso is the story of Sidai Sena, a young lady who manages to escape the dreadful practice of female genital mutilation prevalent in their tribe and also approaches the court to re-establish women's rights in her country.
Sidai Sena was born in Masai Mara, a tribe belonging to rural Kenya. Sidai was twelve years old when her father decided it was time to mutilate her genitals. When Sidai refused her predicament, Mr. Sena sold her to Mr. Polycarp, his friend. Abused and sexually assaulted at the hands of Mr. Polycarp, Sidai is later rescued and sent to Nairobi Women’s Hospital in the capital city. From there she is taken under the care of Jake and Leanne, who belong to an influential family. Leanne treats Sidai like a beloved sister, allowing her to pursue her interest in painting. Sidai files a complaint against her abuser through her lawyer Jayden, in an attempt to let go of her past traumas and lead a happy life.
It was horrifying to learn female genital mutilation is still prevalent in many of the rural nations. The trauma and abuse Sidai encountered at a young age and the courage she displayed in overcoming her fears and overthrowing the traditional norms is really inspiring. Sidai’s story urged me to rethink my views on the society I felt was overly conservative. Even now, a girl child is considered a burden in many countries. As it happens at our place, the biggest worry of parents is to marry off their daughters. Though I haven’t seen female genital mutilation being practiced anywhere near me, I deeply resonated with Sidai and the other girls. It disturbs me how traditional practices are still being considered ‘right’ even when they are immoral. The Masai Mara tribe has been practicing FGM, or female genital mutilation, since ancient times. Many of the young girls and women suffer from fistula but are ashamed and unwilling to expose their torment fearing isolation. One of the best things about this book is how it represents a nation of young girls forced to endure heinous crimes in silence.
The book also portrays rape and calls out rape culture for its violence. Mr. Sena, who readily gave away his daughter, is ridiculed for his criminal actions. Mr. Polycarp, the rapist, is also an influential politician. Nampaso does a good job of displaying the grim side of Kenyan politics. I also liked the strikingly realistic portrayal of a rape victim’s mindset. Even when there is a possibility of engrossing the readers with a romantic sub-plot, Nampaso keeps it real and succeeds in showing how rape haunts the victim for years.
If there wasn’t something I liked about the book, it was the saintly portrayal of the protagonist. Sidai is courageous and brave, but there was no need for someone to remind us of it every now and then by telling her the same. I also felt everything happened very conveniently to Sidai; like meeting Jake and Leanne, and her lawyer being an ex-boyfriend. Jayden’s sudden swerve of emotions for a woman who had nearly ruined his life felt a bit unrealistic too. The timelines were confusing, jumping around events and scenes without much explanation.
Sadly, the writing of this book was underwhelming. There were several grammatical errors and spelling mistakes throughout the book, which hindered the reading process. It is clearly not edited professionally. Because of this reason and because the book failed to have an emotional effect on me, I rate it 3 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to adults who’re strongly opinionated on feminism and to victims of sexual assault who’re looking for motivation. People sensitive to descriptions of harassment and rape should avoid this book. If you are looking to diversify your reading by including books on different cultures, you might want to give it a try.
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Beyond shattered dreams
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