Random Things Tours: Soul Sisters by Lesley Lokko

I rarely read historical novels because my standards for this genre are different than in the case of other genres. As a partially historian by training myself (the other part is political science), I prefer the rough nonfiction on historical topics, aware of the difficulties of historical-related reading and writing. There is so much fiction in the so-called historical writing than I better focus on splitting the truth from the fictional material permeating the nonfiction. However, lately I´ve grown interested in using a larger historical context, at a great extent recognizable in its general temporal milestones, like big events or historical milestones, to insert fictional characters and stories.

Soul Sisters by Lesley Lokko has a massive promise. Set between Edinburgh and South Africa, it covers an impressive timeslot: 1921-2010. Almost a century of personal histories on the background of a dramatic political trail of events. 

Two ´soul-sisters´, Jen and Kemi and the challenges of one man Solam Matsunyane, which promises a lot and is keen to upgrade the heritage of his black South-African elite to whom he proudly belongs. Entrailed in love stories and emotional relationships with the two, he is in fact looking for more than a wife or a girlfriend. His aim is to find the wife that will be an asset, accompanying his political ambitions. 

In the geography of the book, Solam is one of the most complex characters, both as a big player in his life and the story, but as a strong complex personality. His actions and endeavours are influencing at a bigger extent the course of the story as well as the life of the other characters, and he is doing it either with grace or through the force of his stubborn nature. 

The other characters are important as well, and do have their own stories to tell, although at a great extent shadowed by Solam. The sisters´ deep emotional versatility is another interesting thread which individualises the storytelling at a bigger extent. What I particularly liked about the characters in Soul Sisters is the reflective nature of the characters who keep asking questions while trying to build their own life.

The writing is charming, taking the reader through different periods of time as a journey through times seen through different eyes. 

The author, Lesley Lokko is a Ghanaian-Scottish architect by training, with a long ist of academic and literary achievements. After this first encounter with this writer, I would definitely be interested to read more books by her. 

Rating: 4 stars

Disclaimer: Book offered part of the blog tour but the opinions are, as usual, my own.