"Magisterial."—The New York Review of Books
"With a novel that is inventive in scope, masterful in execution, she does for Ugandan literature what Chinua Achebe did for Nigerian writing."—Lesley Nneka Arimah, Guardian
"Kintu is a masterpiece, an absolute gem, the great Ugandan novel you didn't know you were waiting for."—Aaron Bady, The New Inquiry
"A masterpiece of cultural memory, Kintu is elegantly poised on the crossroads of tradition and modernity."—Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
"Makumbi takes a sniper’s aim at the themes of virility and power across time. Over the course of six rich sections, she fires not a single gratuitous shot."—Public Books
"Postcolonial literature is often thought of as a conversation between a native culture and a Western power that sought to dominate it . . . Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s marvelous Ugandan epic, Kintu, explodes such chauvinism."—Guernica
"Reminiscent of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, this work will appeal to lovers of African literature."—Library Journal (Starred Review)
"Passionate, original, and sharply observed, the novel decenters colonialism and makes Ugandan experience primary."—Book Riot
"With crisp details and precise prose, Makumbi draws us into the dynamic and vast world of Uganda—its rich history, its people’s intricate beliefs, and the collective weight of their steadfast customs."—World Literature Today
"Some authors set the bar high with their debut work. Then there are authors like Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi whose first novel succeeds on such a stratospheric level it’s nearly impossible to imagine—or wait for—what she’ll write next."—Iowa Gazette"Jennifer Makumbi’s Kintu is a charming fable, a wide-ranging historical fiction, and a critical historiography . . . fresh, intelligent, critical, and ambitious."—Bookwitty
"Makumbi’s characters are compelling as individuals, but it is their shared past and journey toward a shared future that elevate the novel to an epic and enigmatic masterpiece."—The Riveter
"This is an extraordinary novel about a family bound together by love, betrayal, and an age-old curse, told in gripping language that continually surprises. A literary triumph.”—Maaza Mengiste, author of Beneath the Lion's Gaze
"A work of bold imagination and clear talent."—Ellah Allfrey, editor of Africa39
"An ambitious modern epic that takes in family saga and the history of Uganda, fusing the urgency of the present with the timelessness of myth."—Jamal Mahjoub, author of The Drift Latitudes
"Kintu is not just the story of a family, but a story of Uganda, a country whose history begins before colonization and encompasses far more than just that chapter."—Mary Pappalardo, New Delta Review
"Our histories and our names have stories that we cannot afford to keep quiet about."—Nyana Kakoma, Africa In Words
"Makumbi is clearly a creative genius."—Tope Salaudeen-Adegoke, Wawa Book Review
★ 03/01/2017
This ambitious multigenerational tale of the cursed bloodline of Uganda's Kintu clan begins in 1750 with the treacherous journey of Kintu Kidda, who travels with his men through the o Lwera desert to prove his loyalty to the Bagandan kingdom, though his lineage differs. He has a number of families across the kingdom, but in an act of kindness, he adopts Kalema, son of Ntwire, a worker who tends his land. During one trek, Kintu hits Kalema for breaking custom, inadvertently killing him. He and his men refuse to share the details of the death with the village, but Ntwire senses that something is amiss and curses Kintu before leaving to search for his son. The narrative then chronicles the history of various clan members until 2004, when the author began writing this epic tale. Published in Kenya in 2014, this book won the Kwani Manuscript Prize and was long-listed for the Etisalat Prize for African Fiction. What is most impressive is the interwoven history and language of Uganda within the fictional narrative. VERDICT Reminiscent of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart, this work will appeal to lovers of African literature.--Ashanti White, Fayetteville, NC
