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3.0 

La Bastarda

By Trifonia Melibea Obono & Lawrence Schimel
La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibea Obono & Lawrence Schimel digital book - Fable

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Publisher Description

Honor Book in the Global Literature in Libraries Best Translated YA Book

Chosen for the American Library Association's Over the Rainbow List

Chosen for the American Library Association's Rainbow Book List

World Literature Today's Notable Translations of 2018

"Obono's voice is assured and vital, and her tale of queer rebellion in Fang society is an exceptional take on the coming-of-age novel." —Publishers Weekly

"A unique contribution to LGBTQ literature." —Kirkus Reviews

"A powerful exploration of culture and tradition.” —Asymptote

“The story will stay with you long after you've closed the book.” BUST Magazine

"Compelling." —Lonely Planet

"An invaluable contribution to lesbian and gay literary culture.” —Cheryl Clarke, author of Living as a Lesbian

"A breakthrough novel that tells the world, from an Equatorial Guinean perspective, that there is so much necessary life outside of, beyond, before, and after patriarchy. For those of us who have been told that we do not exist. That we cannot exist. That we should not exist. This groundbreaking story full of love and nurturing is a spell for remembering that we do exist, we have existed, and that we must support each other to exist and thrive as who we are." —Alexis Pauline Gumbs, author of M Archive: After the End of the World

“Though I live a world away from Equatorial Guinea, I saw so much of myself in Okomo: a tomboy itching to be free and to escape society’s rigged game. I cheered her on with every page, and wished—for myself and all girls—for the bravery to create our own world.” —Maggie Thrash, author of Honor Girl

28 Reviews

3.0
Thinking Face“I didn't know going into this I'd love this book this much. Only took me an hour to finish the entire thing. My reading slump was literally cured by this beautiful work of literature. This book contains a very realistic view of homosexuality and attitudes towards unmarried women in African communities. Although not as intense right now, undertones of discrimination are still pretty rampant. I've not read a beautifully written book like this in a long while and I hope everyone who encounters it feels the same. This is might be the start of awakening to read more african literature.”
Diverse charactersLikable charactersMulti-layered charactersBeautifully writtenEasy to readAddictiveUnpredictableRealistic settingThought-provokingHomophobia
Red Angry Face“The writing was plain and simple and it was a short, quick read. The misogyny in the community was internalized and generationally enforced by women themselves, it was sad and infuriating to read.”
Easy to readRealistic settingComing of ageDarkHeartbreakingHomophobiaMisogynyRacismSexual assaultBad writing
“*** 3.5 *** This novella felt like a mix between YA and adult fic. It leans more toward adult fic (imo). I have never read a translated book about Equatorial Guinea and after reading this book I want to explore more. Queerness and finding hope in forests or nature was an amazing blend. I liked how there was so much juxtaposition between the motifs/themes in this story. On one side the main-land or village with its patriarchy and rigid customs, and on another side the forest— a safe haven for queer people, and freedom from societal norms. I didn't like how selfish some people were but this story is grounded in reality and even with all that happened to Okomo, Linda, Pilar, Dina, and Marcelo, they got a happy ending! Which is more than what one could ask for, especially during the early 2000s. I think the author might have intentionally chosen to depict two drastically different settings (forest vs the village), to convey the importance of choosing one's freedom over a caged life. And they beautifully executed topics of identity, queerness, and society. I also appreciated the afterword which explained a lot about queerness and sexuality in terms of African people and their customs. The overall plot might seem to be less engaging, but for me this was totally worth the read!”

About Trifonia Melibea Obono

Trifonia Melibea Obono is a journalist and political scientist who researches women and gender in Africa. She is a professor in the Humanities and Social Sciences department of the National University of Equatorial Guinea. Currently, she is pursuing her doctorate in gender studies and human rights from the University of Salamanca, Spain. Her short story "La Negra" was included in the anthology Voces feministas de Guinea Ecuatorial (Barcelona: Mey 2015) and her first novel, Herencia de bindendee, was published by Editions del Auge (Madrid: 2016).

Lawrence Schimel

Lawrence Schimel is an award-winning author and anthologist, and has been internationally recognized for his queer anthologies, gay and lesbian erotica, and children's books. His writing has been translated into over twenty languages. He served as cochair of the Publishing Triangle, an organization of lesbians and gay men in the American publishing industry, for two years, and also served as the Regional Advisor of the Spain Chapter of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators for five years.

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