Dust

Micheline Ntiru tells us about Yvonne Owuor’s ability to demonstrate unique writing in ‘Dust’ – her second novel.

Dust is a palpable and soul-stirring microcosm of modern Kenya. Yvonne Adhiambo Owuor had me hooked from the first sentence. As the protagonist, Odidi, runs and eventually meets his destiny and I marvelled as to how effortlessly rich and luscious Owuor’s writing style is. I particularly loved how she sprinkles onomatopoeia with phrases in Kiswahili, or Turkana, bringing colour and authenticity to the characters.

From the sludge of Nairobi River and the sounds of ‘traffic-busting, police avoiding matatu breaks’ to the acacia trees and ubiquitous camels of pastoralist, northern Kenya, Owuor’s descriptions are delightfully expressive. I can smell Nairobi, feel her hard working tempo and the hustle of ‘the passersby…false policemen, murderous gangs, double-tongued politicians and priests of sorrow’ jostling and hustling for a better life for themselves.

The chaos and violence following the 2007 elections, the tensions among ethnic groups, the finger pointing and frustrations, cheating, stealing and power hungry crooks are all part of the dust that the key protagonists must reckon with. Whether it is Ajany patching together her brother’s life and fate or Isaiah Bolton returning to find the truth behind his colonial father, the characters are so real and vivid, revealing the intricacies of the people of Kenya.

Owuor’s tale of family woes, sibling- and family- relationships, love and loss will move you viscerally as you both find affinity with, or affection for the characters as I did, and get closer in understanding the layers and complexities that make up Kenya.

Micheline is a global citizen, business innovator and linguist obsessed with great stories, African-Latin American connections, bougainvillea and fabric.

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