The Red Moon

by Kuwana Haulsey

Book Overview

Raised in a culture in which women are regarded as property, Nasarian, an educated young Somali/Nigerian woman, has always felt like an outsider, even among members of her own family, but when she is... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0375505571
• ISBN13: 9780375505577
• Release Date: August 2001
• Publisher: Villard Books
• Length: 267 Pages
• Weight: 2.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.8" x 8.6"

Customer Reviews

Harsh Tradition

Nasarian is an outcast within her Kenyan tribe. She is even despised by several of her family members. Nasarian's only crime was being born to a Samburu father and his fourth wife, a Somalian. Considered a "half-breed" because of her Somalian blood and looked down upon because her mother was the last wife, Nasarian is however, shown great love and adoration from both her parents. Developing a sense of pride and independence from her mother, Nasarian continued to raise eyebrows within her community by choosing to be formally educated and refusing to be circumcised for marriage. Instead, Nasarian read books of poetry and dreamed of going off to far away places to become a writer. Soon her protective world crumbled around her. First her father dies leaving all the women in her family vulnerable to the actions and decisions of the males in the family. Then Nasarian's mother wills herself to death rather than be given away to one of her husband's cousins. Left alone and defenseless against those in her family who wish her ill will, Nasarian must leave her home and go live with her brutal elder brother. Disgusted that she will not be circumcised therefore, forfeiting being married, Nasarian is given to a cousin to help raise his youngest daughter. Nasarian is forced to come face to face with the brutality of female circumcision when she watches helplessly as her young cousin is forced to endure the procedure, only to die soon after. Witnessing the tragic death pushes Nasarian further and further away from wanting to engage in the traditions of the Samburu. Now seeking a life she only dreamed of, she must endure further trials and tribulations to become the woman she wants to be. RED MOON by Kuwana Hausley is a tale that is both heartbreaking and triumphant. RED MOON speaks volumes of the brutal tradition of female circumcision. In Nasarian it also gives a feminist approach to the topic. Hausley brings the Kenyan countryside to life for her readers. The contrast between the modern world and the ancient traditions of the tribes are strikingly displayed. Nasarian plight as well as those of all the women in the novel, tugs at the heart strings. The traditional tribal ways subject the women to a status of nothing greater than third class citizens. It is shocking that in this day and age much of the world has yet to catch up to the ideal of equal rights for women. Reviewed by L. Raven James of The RAWSISTAZ Reviewers

A beautifully written sorrowful tale

Kuwana's tail of Nasarian's coming of age in Kenya is beautifully written. She describes the sights, sounds and textures of East Africa wonderfully. I loved the way she depicted the culture and traditions of the people and the story itself was very engaging. It begins with an immigrant Nasarian in Harlem, having a flashback to East Africa. From there it moves quickly through her trials and tribulations after being orphaned and moved from place to place. It then follows her through her college years and love affairs. There are many sub-plots of alcoholism, depression and identity crisis that make the story very rich and compelling. However, this is not a light-hearted tale and is filled with death and dying, grief and regrets. I was teary-eyed quite a few times as I read it. I highly recommend it for its poignant accounts, but make sure you are in the mood for a tear-jerker.

This book should be on the Bestseller?s List!

Hausley's "The Red Moon" is one of the best books I have read in a long time. If you ever wanted to know the difference between literature and fiction, you need to read this book; "The Red Moon" is literature at its finest. Hausley is an expert storyteller. Her writing is superb, lyrical and captivating. I picked this book up on a Saturday and finished it by Sunday night. Anyone who has fantasized about the African way of life will be smacked with a dose of reality. Nasarian, the main character, is strong woman, a feminist without being radical or negative. I was surprised to learn that Hausley was not from Africa, but African-American, and that she knew very little about African culture. She was educated at the NY Performing Arts H.S. and Rutgers U and has captured Africa's landscape, its people and everyday life as if she had been born and raised there. My only criticism is that I would have liked the chapters from Nasarian's perspective and those from her father's perspective divided in some way. Other than that, I rarely say this about books but---"THIS is a great book!"