Comments on: Impressive Responses to Valerie Tagwira’s Short Story http://momentsinliterature.com/2008/01/30/impressive-response-to-valerie-tagwiras-first-short-story/ An exploration of world literature Sat, 03 Sep 2011 22:12:15 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: MW http://momentsinliterature.com/2008/01/30/impressive-response-to-valerie-tagwiras-first-short-story/#comment-5 Fri, 01 Feb 2008 08:46:56 +0000 http://mukomana.wordpress.com/?p=9#comment-5 I read ‘Mainini Grace’s Promises’ several weeks ago. I’ve forgotten now what my immediate response was, but I recall that I had a bit of mixed feelings about it. The title, for a start, is a bit awkward, sound-wise. Not the ‘Mainini’ bit; I loved that. But ‘Grace’s Promises’ is a case of too many determined Ss, in a title that ought to be snappy. Tagwira should have considered changing it.

I loved the ending of the story (though I kind of figured out that the Mainini herself must be in some serious health predicament, not to have shown up… The image of her at the door was really powerful. For the first three-quarters of the story, however, too much time was taken, in my view. Tagwira could have tightened things up more, racked up the tension a bit.

My view after reading, was that Valerie Tagwira must obviously be a better novelist than a short story writer. That said, I am yet to read her novel…

]]>