After reading Behold The Dreamers, Imbolo Mbue’s first novel, a few years ago, I was super excited to get stuck into How Beautiful We Were. And I was not disappointed at all, Imbolo Mbue’s second novel is just as beautiful, as heartbreaking, and as brilliant as her first. 

Set in a fictional African village called Kosawa, How Beautiful We Were tells the story of how an American oil company named Pexton arrives in the area with promises of prosperity, and instead, destroys the farm land, the water, the environment in general, killing the population off slowly, constantly promising to make changes, but never actually acting on those promises. Children are dying from the water, and the farmland becomes infertile, and over time the villagers tire of the empty promises and destruction, and decide to stand up for their land and their rights. 

It is the story of oil, of greed, of colonialism, and of racism, but also a story of revolution, of uprising, and of sacrifice. Told through the eyes of different characters in the village, mainly through Thula who we follow from childhood into adulthood, this is not a fast-paced story, but one you need to sit with and read quietly, appreciating the absolutely lyrical writing. An absolute must-read in my opinion.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.