Book Review: Hope Is Our Only Wing by Rutendo Tavengerwei

Shelly's Book Corner received a review copy from Amazon Vine and voluntarily provided an honest review. This does not affect the opinion of the book or the content of the review.

Set in Zimbabwe, Rutendo Tavengerwei’s unforgettable novel offers a beautiful and honest look at adolescence, friendship, and the capacity for courage.

For fifteen-year-old Shamiso, hope is nothing but a leap into darkness. Grief-stricken and confused after her father’s mysterious death in a car crash, Shamiso moves with her mother from England to Zimbabwe in order to pick up the pieces—returning to an extended family and a world she hardly remembers. For Tanyaradzwa, a classmate whose life has been turned upside down by a cancer diagnosis, hope is the only reason to keep fighting.

As an unexpected friendship blossoms between them and the two girls navigate the increasingly uncertain political situation in Zimbabwe, Tanyaradzwa helps Shamiso confront her fear of loss. In opening herself to someone with a potentially fatal illness, Shamiso knows that she might be opening herself to more pain. Yet Tanyaradzwa is the only one who gives her the strength to ask the burning question: What really happened to her father?

Review

This was my first reading this author and it wasn’t a bad read but I felt like something was missing while I read. The chapters are really short so I don’t know if that affected my ability to connect to the characters. In my opinion, all the characters had the same personality throughout the book. I did enjoy the different point of views but I needed the characters to stand out and be brought to life. I also didn’t really feel the friendship and bond between Shasimo and Tanyaradzwa while reading. The ending of the book was good but I felt it was rushed and would have liked to have read more fallout from the prior events. Overall it wasn’t a bad read but it didn’t blow me away either. I am not against reading another book by this author.