The Hairdresser of Harare: A Story of Love, Loss, and Redemption

Nsinga: The recent death of former Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe shines a light on the homophobic policies of his leadership. This book highlights the way these policies affected one man and those around him. It is a good read, though a bit clunkily written, and with all of the books that I read by my African brothers and sisters, I would be enhanced by a translation of the italicized terms. Well worth the read, even if there are parts that could stand a good edit.

United States on Sep 08, 2019

Stephanie Jane (Literary Flits): I had seen The Hairdresser Of Harare positively reviewed on other book blogs so jumped at the chance to purchase my own copy when the ebook was discounted recently on Amazon. It's a fairly light-hearted story - although with violent episodes towards the end - and I thought Huchu portrayed modern day Zimbabwe in a lively and entertaining way. I liked his characters, all of whom felt real although perhaps slightly larger than life, and the potentially bitchy atmosphere of the hair salon was great fun. Vimbai is a deceptively complex woman. Initially I thought her rather vain and shallow, but as I discovered more about her life and her choices I found myself really rooting for her to succeed.

Huchu describes Harare in a way that made the city appeal to me, but he doesn't shy away from its negative aspects. I was shocked by the aggressive male behaviour that women endure daily - unwanted and uninvited chat-ups repeatedly being followed with abusive language when refused or ignored. Ingrained cultural attitudes towards homosexuality were also difficult for me to accept. Dumi's 'secret' is telegraphed from fairly early on in the novel so I wasn't surprised by the revelation -...

United Kingdom on Sep 12, 2017

Edith C.: I'm a fan of African fiction writers. There seems to be a new crop emerging lately, and I have read many of their works. The Hairdresser of Harare is pleasing to read, and one wonders if it might be semi- auto biographical, but don't wonder about this too long or hard as it doesn't affect the book. I feel Huchu did a great job writing this novel. Although the plot is predictable, the story is none the less heart wrenching. Even in 2015 people are not free to express and be themselves. There is good character development, and a great immersion into the culture of the city and lively beauty parlor banter. A fast but pleasing and enjoyable read

United States on Nov 06, 2015

npiero45: Simpatico scrittore. Ho letto il libro in lingua originale e così lo consiglio anche a chi non sia espertissimo della lingua inglese. Leggendolo mi è venuto in mente il film Caramel, stesso ambiente e simpatia, ma problemi e situazioni certo più gravi. La scrittura corre sciolta e veloce, ma non per questo è sciatta o superficiale. Da premio alcune pagine che descrivono le passioni e le emozioni della protagonista. Non dico di più per non togliere il gusto della scoperta anche se che il parrucchiere sia gay noi lo capiamo dopo tre pagine. Il romanzo rivela la parte più interessante nella descrizione della vita in Zimbabwe, ai suoi costumi, alle sue difficoltà, alla precaria democrazia e alle violenze, alla vita di tutti i giorni, insomma è come essere stati nella capitale Harare ospiti di un amico.

Italy on Aug 26, 2014

Yolisa: I'm just disappointed in the ending.
There are no future prospects for either of the two.
I would have appreciated a more conclusive ending. But that's my personal opinion.
Otherwise I thoroughly enjoyed it and the way the writer used all the real street names and places in Harare accurately.
It felt like I was living my own hairdresser's life for a week and realized that the average Zimbabwean is really a jack of all trades and a fighter.
It felt real. The politics, the lack of tolerance for homosexual behavior and Sam Levy's Village.

United States on Jun 24, 2014

C. Melcher: I couldn't tell if the problem was with the book or with me. The main character, a single mother, is building a life for herself and her child. A person enters her life and I understood almost immediately that things were not what they seemed and why. I couldn't tell if the main character was just so inexperienced and naive to not see it or if there was a bigger point I was missing. (So was the author saying, "Ah, reader, you and I know what is going on but she does not"?)

Other than that, however, it was a great opportunity to see what daily life in Zimbabwe is like, including the significant differences in class.

United States on Apr 30, 2014

Robert: This feels like the sort of book that would be destined to be a Richard and Judy Book Club read (if that book club still existed). It's short, has easy flowing prose, and it's easy and unchallenging. It's got just enough culture shock to offer an interesting flavour and put the reader in a new place, but not enough to overwhelm or alienate anyone.

The story starts when our narrator, the best hairdresser in a stylist's in Harare unexpectedly gets competition for the crown when a male hairdresser is hired. Male stylists are totally unheard of, and he's much more talented than her, quickly relegating her to lower rank in the pecking order. Their relationship changes from being pure competitors to becoming people who use and rely on each other.

All plot developments are heralded well in advance and unsurprising to European / American readers, which helps the book retain a certain sweetness even when bad things happen. There's a major plot point which is fairly obvious from the first page, but still treated like a giant surprise revelation, which makes me think the reader was always supposed to know more than the book's narrator (it's all told through the eyes of the...

United Kingdom on Dec 25, 2013

Kath: I entered the world of Vimbai and deeply felt with her. That is a great achievement of the author to make this happen.
The story couldn't be more alive, more realistic. There is always the tension lingering how things can turn around from heaven to hell, how everything changes. I loved the characters and feared for them so much I wanted to stop reading in the middle to avoid their pain. But of course I didn't.

United States on Dec 01, 2013

Rusty the Reader: This came recommended to me and I'm glad he did because this is out of my normal remit of reading. But it's nice to come across something different and this was a pleasing read.

We see the story through the eyes of top hairdresser Vimbai and her relationship with male hairdresser Dumi in modern day Zimbabwe. We also experience what life is like in modern day Zimbabwe, including the corruption, the raging inflation and prejudice we find unacceptable these days.

I found this a simply told story, which was one of the reasons I liked it so much and one of the small problems I had as well. The characters were easy to understand and engage with, and the Minister was menacing enough to be a frightening villain. One of the characters I felt sympathy for was Maidai - Vimbai's put-upon house servant - the poor girl was destined to a life of servitude, and not seen as an equal human being. Which was probably the point. I saw the ending, I knew what would be revealed but I would have liked to have seen more of this and the other's prejudice examined in more detail. However, this is still a gripping and interesting tale and I would recommend downloading this.

United Kingdom on Oct 30, 2013

Ralph Blumenau: The story is told by Sisi Vimbai, a single mother, who is the leading stylist in a Harare hairdressing saloon until the handsome Dumisane Ncubi turns up who is an even better stylist than she is, and whom the saloon's owner appoints as the saloon's manager. Sisi is mortified; but Vimbai has a spare room. Dumi moves in, and in the course of time, he and she become "an item", and Sisi's little daughter Chiwoniso also becomes very fond of "Uncle Dumi". Dumi's wealthy parents and siblings treat Vimbai as a member of the family, though she is a single mother and from a lower social class than they are. All this is told in a leisurely manner and in pleasant and simple prose in the first two-thirds of the book.

The first two sentence of the novel read, "I knew there was something not quite right with Dumi the very first time I ever laid eyes on him, The problem was, I just couldn't tell what it was." It is only in the last third of the book that Sisi discovers what was "not quite right" with him. It devastates her, and her reactions have terrible consequences.

This central story is set against the background of life in Zimbabwe under Mugabe: terrible shortages for all...

United Kingdom on Apr 30, 2013