I am glad I read "Innards" by debut author Magogodi oaMphela Makhene (thank you to Bookbrowse for introducing me to this work of fiction!)  This collection of twelve stories captures a country and history I am not familiar with other than some very brief …more mentions in long-ago history classes.  Makhene is a gifted writer, weaving words and descriptions to evoke a culture and traditions and creating empathy for a people and civilization different in many ways from my own, but also similar in the basic human aspirations of survival and love and family and hope and humor (though I appreciate and acknowledge the humor within, I must admit it is unique and didn't actually make me laugh-but it is an integral part of the strength of the stories that all humans find joy where they can.)

Soweto, South Africa is the setting for the characters that interconnect throughout the stories.  They are brutally subjugated by those in power and their extreme poverty creates memorable individuals and families trying to survive and hoping for a better life.  Black men without money or power lose their lands and their lives and the women and children fare even worse.  But there are traditions and laughter and I found each and every story spoke of  something that will resonate with me for a long time.

The title story, "Innards" tells the saga of a patriarch who earns a paltry living selling the bits and pieces of animals that most people shun.  His customers are the poorest of the poor, but his family is embarrassed by his actions and his friends and neighbors ridicule him. But our lives are messy.  We constantly rewrite our history (if only to ourselves) even as we live it, to better make it fit our preferred narrative.  However, the reality and the cold hard truth is our existence is not shiny and gold and perfect.  Our heart is not a pretty red cutout, it is a muscular organ that is bloody and unattractive to most, with the possible exceptions of those in the medical profession.

Who will enjoy this book?  Anyone who wants to be engrossed and educated and feel strong emotions.  This is not a light summer beach read.  It took me a minute to get into the flow of the stories, but the writer's thoughtful opening letter to "Dear Reader" was a valuable assist.  I would actually give it a rating of 4 1/2 stars if that option were available to me.  I will disclose that some of the cultural references were totally unknown to me and I could have benefitted from some footnotes. I did not want to put the book down and do research on the internet as I prefer to remain enveloped in whatever I am reading. I look forward to more from this new and modern author!! (less)