Devil on the Cross

by Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o

Book Overview

The great Kenyan writer and Nobel Prize nominee's novel that he wrote in secret, on toilet paper, while in prison--featuring an introduction by Namwali Serpell, the author of the novel The Old Drift

One of the cornerstones of Ngũgĩ wa Thiong'o's fame, Devil on the Cross is a powerful fictional critique of capitalism. It tells the tragic story of Wariinga, a young woman who moves from a rural Kenyan town...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0143107364
• ISBN13: 9780143107361
• Release Date: April 2017
• Publisher: Penguin Classics
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 0.52 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.0" x 7.6"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Breathtaking

One commentor noted that Ngugi's book is good but fails in establishing a reason to care to his audience. The reason for this is because though Ngugi does establish empathy from his audience he does so briefly because he assumes it is understood. Ngugi, in other words, was not writing this book for the European descent population who would need an elaborate explanation as to why to care about the characters. For the commentor, who is likely of European descent, they did not feel the automatic empathy for the characters any person of African descent feels as they read through the first chapter. It's hard for me to think of any book that so elaborately investigates the contemporary Pan-African dilemma due to European exploitation. Other great novels, such as "Home to Harlem", do not directly attack or identify the issues. This book, though fictional literature is more of a nod to the philosophical inquiries of "The Wretched of the Earth." Utterly brilliant.

A Beautiful Epic of Modern Kenya

I really loved this book. I've read a few of Ngugi's books and this is my favorite: lyrical, sad, and yet optimistic and celebratory at the same time. It has a number of strengths. Its poetic verses and style were reminiscent of Kikuyu oral literature; despite this version being in English there was a great translator. I can't read Kikuyu but Ngugi writes in it and says it can convey some of the richness of the stories better than English can. I can't imagine it being better than it was though! It was a great story of true Kenyan heroes, a love story, a scathing condemnation of corruption, materialism, poverty, neo-colonialism and self-hatred in Kenya and all over the world, and a truly feminist story as well. I loved how Ngugi praised women who sought untraditional careers like engineering,and the women who had been the national heros in expelling the British. African women's roles in ousting the colonial powers and the need for them to help develop young nations is often neglected but Ngugi gives special attention to African women and embraces their contributions, equality, and their natural beauty, while expressing deep sadness over how they mutilate themselves by bleaching their skin, among other things. I met Ngugi and he was such a warm and wonderful man. This is a beautiful story.

I am in awe of Ngugi.

For those of whom detest translations, this book is a miracle. Written in Kenya's national language Gikuyu (?), the author also wrote the English version . . . and what a translation it is, too! Ngugi's prose easily surpasses the vast majority of authors alive today, and along with a gorgeously structured, captivating story . . . it actually took my breathe away. Also, most American authors who consider themselves 'political,' strike me as simply preaching to the choir. Not so with Ngugi. You can actually feel some of the grief he bears for the direction his nation has taken, a nation he has an undeniable, unfailing, patriotic love for -and its the country that imprisoned him!If you want the same old romance or adventure the same old way, read a tawdry or action-packed American bestseller. If you want an experience that will last after you're done reading, order this book.

A Must Read for Anyone Interested in World Lit

I read this book 5 years ago and think about it on a regular basis. Obviously, this book has left quite an impression! I have searched bookstores high and low--worldwide--and have not been able to find it. Let's hope the publisher reprints this masterpiece, for it is one of the most important novels of the 20th century. It reflects the spiritual, political, and social confusion in our post-colonial world. My one regret is that so many students of world literature are lead to believe that it is comparable to Achebe's When Things Fall Apart. I tend to disagree. Achebe's work isn't as memorable. Reader's of this book should also read V.S. Niapul's A Bend in the River, which is a modern Heart of Darkness. All three of the above mentioned books are haunting. I think we, Americans in particular, need to realize that there is more to world "affairs" than Bill and Monica. This book will show readers how trivial our daily concerns really are.

One of the most important late 20th century novels

Ngugi has written a detailed and entertaining exploration of life in postcolonial Kenya, looking particularly at the effects global capitalism has upon the ideals of a socialist revolution. But the novel is also much more than that: it is the story of a woman who is unable to see her own beauty for the Western ideals forced upon her, a woman who straightens her hair and bleaches her skin to look more "attractive." It is the story of the devil's appearance to this woman on a golf course and her fervent desire to defeat him and the forces of global capitilism that are looting her country.The novel is also Ngugi's attempt to translate the Gikuyu oral narrative into a written form. It is a surreal, funny, and ultimately disturbing read. If you enjoyed Achebe's THINGS FALL APART, then this is a sequel of sorts, an exploration of how the corruption continues after independence.