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Intruders: Short Stories
Intruders trespassers, interlopers, invaders, prowlers, infiltrators, encroachers, violators Orphan sisters chase monsters of urban legend in Bloemfontein. At a busy taxi rank, a woman kills a man with her shoe. A genomicist is accused of playing God when she creates a fatherless child. Intruders is a collection that explores how it feels not to belong. These are stories of unremarkable people thrust into extraordinary situations by events beyond their control. With a unique and memorable touch, Mohale Mashigo explores the everyday ills we live with and wrestle constantly, all the while allowing hidden energies to emerge and play out their unforeseen consequences. Intruders is speculative fiction at its best.
200 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2018
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 46 reviews
August 21, 2020
She did it again. I had told myself that THIS time I was going to take it slow. Jokes on me 🥴
Mashigo’s book of short stories starts off with an essay titled “Afrofuturism: Ayashis’ Amateki” detailing the need for stories that “predict Africa’s future... a place in our imaginations that is the opposite of our present reality.”
And that’s exactly what she did. I know a lot of people may consider speculative fiction as an escape from reality but personallh I find it to more realistic than far-fetched especially when a black woman is behind the writing. Intruders is filled with fantastical stories so uniquely South African, from reminders of Apartheid and poverty in SA to depictions of nyaope boys and urban legends directly linked to gender based violence.
I’m 100% trying to contain myself with this review especially when it comes to spoilers but I really really really enjoyed it.
Oh and I need more of the untitled’s 😩
Mashigo’s book of short stories starts off with an essay titled “Afrofuturism: Ayashis’ Amateki” detailing the need for stories that “predict Africa’s future... a place in our imaginations that is the opposite of our present reality.”
And that’s exactly what she did. I know a lot of people may consider speculative fiction as an escape from reality but personallh I find it to more realistic than far-fetched especially when a black woman is behind the writing. Intruders is filled with fantastical stories so uniquely South African, from reminders of Apartheid and poverty in SA to depictions of nyaope boys and urban legends directly linked to gender based violence.
I’m 100% trying to contain myself with this review especially when it comes to spoilers but I really really really enjoyed it.
Oh and I need more of the untitled’s 😩
September 8, 2024
Mashigo’s ‘Afrofuturism: Ayashis’ Amateki’ (2018) is one of the most important position statements on the 1994 Mark Dery definition after Okorafor’s ‘Africanfuturism Defined’ (2019). Despite the ‘future’ being implicit in the name, I disagree with Mashigo that afrofuturism has to contain futuristic elements. The weakest stories here are the ones that, reluctantly, attempt a space opera vibe. The best are the ones that slip effortlessly between the cracks of any genre definition. As Samuel R. Delany – who was interviewed by Dery for his original 1994 article ‘Black to the Future’ – states in ‘The Mirror of Afrofuturism’ (2020): “Unless we set up our critical mirrors very carefully, arguably there is no such thing as Afrofuturism.”
September 26, 2018
As far as speculative fiction goes, this Intruders is right there with the Binti series.
Dear girl Mohale, your spin on some of the township folklores was phenomenal. You gave Manoka a strength which was astonishing. How about the ghost busters, so relatable, so IMPOSSIBLE is nothing. All 12 short stories had so much more to give. So symbolic. The pain. The suffering. The othering. So much more to show that even in alternative realities, the woman, the black woman and the black nation, have to fight against societal injustices. Racial profiling. The war against our bodies as women. The brutal legacies of apartheid such as chemical warfare. The fighting within the society. The inability to accept differences and celebrate diversity. The marginalized are given strength and power to stand for themselves against the mainstream. "The High Heeled Killer" was like a phoenix rising.
Such textured and colourful writing celebrating the different, friendships and familial bonds.
Can we ever reimagine a future where patriarchy and its structures are nonexistent???
Compact book. Only 200 pages long BUT will leave you reflecting on so much. Reflecting on why the delivery of some of the folklores were meant to scare us as youngsters...
Dear girl Mohale, your spin on some of the township folklores was phenomenal. You gave Manoka a strength which was astonishing. How about the ghost busters, so relatable, so IMPOSSIBLE is nothing. All 12 short stories had so much more to give. So symbolic. The pain. The suffering. The othering. So much more to show that even in alternative realities, the woman, the black woman and the black nation, have to fight against societal injustices. Racial profiling. The war against our bodies as women. The brutal legacies of apartheid such as chemical warfare. The fighting within the society. The inability to accept differences and celebrate diversity. The marginalized are given strength and power to stand for themselves against the mainstream. "The High Heeled Killer" was like a phoenix rising.
Such textured and colourful writing celebrating the different, friendships and familial bonds.
Can we ever reimagine a future where patriarchy and its structures are nonexistent???
Compact book. Only 200 pages long BUT will leave you reflecting on so much. Reflecting on why the delivery of some of the folklores were meant to scare us as youngsters...
February 4, 2019
I am so addicted to Mohale’s writing and storytelling. Thoroughly enjoyed this one, the 12 short stories explores issues such as belonging, gender-based violence and the outcome of apartheid. A must read
October 11, 2018
The book kicks off with a powerful thought provoking preface that shares the all important plea that, as Africans, we should unapologetically, acknowledge, embrace and celebrate all that is authentically ours and us ; in literature and everywhere else.
We have a rich history, present, and future that does not have to mimic, or undermine itself before others. It does not have to necessarily centre around glamor, popularity ,wealth and materialism.
In quoting Merriam Tlali, Mohale Mashigo reiterates the importance of writing about "things that expose what we feel inside". She cautions against adopting mannerisms, styles and phrases, that may cause us discomfort and or disorientation, or worst still, that may make us look plain ridiculous.
Mashigo then proceeds to explain and to demonstrate the contents of her foreword to us in the explosive 12 short stories that make up "Intruders" . The stories are positioned under three sections titled "The Good The Bad and The Colorful.
We are regaled with multilayered, out of this world (pun intended) stories that include indeginous Black South African folklore coupled with local urban legends.
We get to take a trip to unfamiliar, forsaken and unusual settings, Johannesburg prison, Diagonal Street, dilapidated Carlton Centre in Jhb CBD and Bloemfontein.
It was a marvel to encounter misfits, unpopular characters that are often obscure and hover in the background, like Muzi, who has vitiligo,Steven, the drug addict, Thoko, a Rwandan national trying to pass off as a local, aus Gertrude, a woman secretly in love with another, and the immortal Mam Gladys.
The characters in " Intruders" transcend all realms. It was liberating that they are not confined or limited to Black reserves. Never would I have thought of township mermaids, or of a woman who can hear people think. The Tselane of Intruders being friends with Little Red Riding Hood. The characters reminded me of those of Ntheking Mohlele that deliberately infiltrate unfamiliar terrain.
The discomfort of reading about some of our realities, train surfing, child headed households, mob justice, "proper strong weed", kids that fight a parent for inheritance, misuse of uncle's disability grant, and cat callers, hit home.
The commentary on politics, feminism, mysogyny, femicide, and religion are well informed, daring and on point.
On femicide , the homeless monster hunter, Bell, laments "We would never have to deal with a Vera if men would stop killing women".
On upsent fathers, the teenage piano teacher reflects, during a lesson with Manoka " Do you ever wonder what your father is like? I wonder what mine is like and I've known him since I was born "
One political commentary about democratic South Africa that gave me goose bums was " What makes you so sure that you aren't in line at the post office or supermarket next to one of those apartheid death squad people? In your newsroom or whatever, who's to say that half those people didn't vote for the national party with pride and would do it again? "
Some of the stories may cause confusion in a reader if one is not familiar with local urban legends and African folk lore.
Mohale is neat, lyrical and thrives on structure and a writing style that showcases a brilliant play of words. Short story writing entails a special skill and the author has nailed it.
The distressed youth battling with socio economic factors. The misogynistic men folk. The defensive, unsafe, resilient and avenging women, are a mirror of our troubled society that "Intruders" captures vividly; simultaneously portraying hope that as far as gender issues prevail " Maybe at the bottom, we will finally be free. Together."
I highly recommend the book.
We have a rich history, present, and future that does not have to mimic, or undermine itself before others. It does not have to necessarily centre around glamor, popularity ,wealth and materialism.
In quoting Merriam Tlali, Mohale Mashigo reiterates the importance of writing about "things that expose what we feel inside". She cautions against adopting mannerisms, styles and phrases, that may cause us discomfort and or disorientation, or worst still, that may make us look plain ridiculous.
Mashigo then proceeds to explain and to demonstrate the contents of her foreword to us in the explosive 12 short stories that make up "Intruders" . The stories are positioned under three sections titled "The Good The Bad and The Colorful.
We are regaled with multilayered, out of this world (pun intended) stories that include indeginous Black South African folklore coupled with local urban legends.
We get to take a trip to unfamiliar, forsaken and unusual settings, Johannesburg prison, Diagonal Street, dilapidated Carlton Centre in Jhb CBD and Bloemfontein.
It was a marvel to encounter misfits, unpopular characters that are often obscure and hover in the background, like Muzi, who has vitiligo,Steven, the drug addict, Thoko, a Rwandan national trying to pass off as a local, aus Gertrude, a woman secretly in love with another, and the immortal Mam Gladys.
The characters in " Intruders" transcend all realms. It was liberating that they are not confined or limited to Black reserves. Never would I have thought of township mermaids, or of a woman who can hear people think. The Tselane of Intruders being friends with Little Red Riding Hood. The characters reminded me of those of Ntheking Mohlele that deliberately infiltrate unfamiliar terrain.
The discomfort of reading about some of our realities, train surfing, child headed households, mob justice, "proper strong weed", kids that fight a parent for inheritance, misuse of uncle's disability grant, and cat callers, hit home.
The commentary on politics, feminism, mysogyny, femicide, and religion are well informed, daring and on point.
On femicide , the homeless monster hunter, Bell, laments "We would never have to deal with a Vera if men would stop killing women".
On upsent fathers, the teenage piano teacher reflects, during a lesson with Manoka " Do you ever wonder what your father is like? I wonder what mine is like and I've known him since I was born "
One political commentary about democratic South Africa that gave me goose bums was " What makes you so sure that you aren't in line at the post office or supermarket next to one of those apartheid death squad people? In your newsroom or whatever, who's to say that half those people didn't vote for the national party with pride and would do it again? "
Some of the stories may cause confusion in a reader if one is not familiar with local urban legends and African folk lore.
Mohale is neat, lyrical and thrives on structure and a writing style that showcases a brilliant play of words. Short story writing entails a special skill and the author has nailed it.
The distressed youth battling with socio economic factors. The misogynistic men folk. The defensive, unsafe, resilient and avenging women, are a mirror of our troubled society that "Intruders" captures vividly; simultaneously portraying hope that as far as gender issues prevail " Maybe at the bottom, we will finally be free. Together."
I highly recommend the book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 13, 2019
This is not a bad book, certainly better than most novels I have given 3 stars to. However, every single story felt like the beginning to an amazing longer story or novel. Every one, without exception. This was, no doubt, the intent, but every time I felt I was getting to understand what was going on, the story would end. Not my cup of tea but definitely a writer I will be keeping an eye out for. I think, ultimately, that I am giving this 3 and not 4 stars because it feels like too much of a planned, intentional construction.
March 23, 2021
INTRUDERS: SHORT STORIES by Mohale Mashigo was my #ReadTheWorld2021 pick for February. In exploring lists of fiction for southern Africa, this one popped out at me as it was listed as a fantasy collection which is a genre I’ve been really enjoying of late. I’ll admit that the cover also very much caught my eyes!
INTRUDERS is a collection that includes a lot of variety in the realm of fantasy and a bit of sci-fi as well. The collection features a lot of different people and creatures of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of perspectives. There are twin hunters who seek down killer creatures, sort of reminiscent of the Supernatural series. There is a geneticist working on a way to take men out of the equation in giving birth to a new child. There is also a series of interconnecting stories which I always find as a pleasant surprise when reading a collection.
The book begins with an introduction where Mashigo talks about the idea of Afrofuturism as it relates to her stories. She explains that Afrofuturism is meant to address the experiences of the diaspora of those living outside of Africa. She says that she feels a bit of Afrofuturism in the shadows as she’s writing, but feels that the term doesn’t really apply to Africans living in Africa, but leaves it to others to coin the appropriate term. I found this a very interesting essay to begin the collection, especially as Afrofuturism has begun to appear more on reading challenge lists.
As with any story collection, there were some stories that I connected with more than others and some that I really wished could be blown up into a much longer work, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. I would definitely pick up more from Mohale Mashigo the future.
INTRUDERS is a collection that includes a lot of variety in the realm of fantasy and a bit of sci-fi as well. The collection features a lot of different people and creatures of all shapes and sizes, from a variety of perspectives. There are twin hunters who seek down killer creatures, sort of reminiscent of the Supernatural series. There is a geneticist working on a way to take men out of the equation in giving birth to a new child. There is also a series of interconnecting stories which I always find as a pleasant surprise when reading a collection.
The book begins with an introduction where Mashigo talks about the idea of Afrofuturism as it relates to her stories. She explains that Afrofuturism is meant to address the experiences of the diaspora of those living outside of Africa. She says that she feels a bit of Afrofuturism in the shadows as she’s writing, but feels that the term doesn’t really apply to Africans living in Africa, but leaves it to others to coin the appropriate term. I found this a very interesting essay to begin the collection, especially as Afrofuturism has begun to appear more on reading challenge lists.
As with any story collection, there were some stories that I connected with more than others and some that I really wished could be blown up into a much longer work, but overall I really enjoyed this collection. I would definitely pick up more from Mohale Mashigo the future.
September 25, 2020
Such a good collection!
I would really like more - a lot of the stories would be amazing as novels and novellas, and there were so many I enjoyed but felt I really wanted more out of.
Not all the stories gripped me - as with most anthologies, even by the same author, I don’t always like all of them or some stand out to me more than others. I really did love the overall tone of the collection. I think I wasn’t in the right headspace for a couple with drug addiction themes, and that coloured my perception of the stories when I read them.
Overall, I really liked it.
I would really like more - a lot of the stories would be amazing as novels and novellas, and there were so many I enjoyed but felt I really wanted more out of.
Not all the stories gripped me - as with most anthologies, even by the same author, I don’t always like all of them or some stand out to me more than others. I really did love the overall tone of the collection. I think I wasn’t in the right headspace for a couple with drug addiction themes, and that coloured my perception of the stories when I read them.
Overall, I really liked it.
July 7, 2020
I actually rate this book a positive 3.5 stars. I loved each and every story and how it flirted with the supernatural and a utopian or dystopian future. A full review will be up on my blog www.vuvuvenareads.com.
🥰
🥰
March 31, 2019
This was the second book I read on my recent trip to South Africa. I picked it up in the excellent Book Lounge bookstore in Cape Town, which has a great selection of SA-authored books. I confess that I was swayed partly by the fantastic cover design and art, but also by the content: short stories in the sci-fi/"weird-fiction" genre.
The stories are very quick reads, sometimes almost feeling more like writing prompts or hooks than full stories. For the ones I didn't like as much, it was usually because I felt like the premise wasn't give enough space to breathe and develop. But overall I really enjoyed reading some weird fiction from a black South African perspective (and Mashigo's introductory essay is also interesting commentary). Favorite stories of mine included:
-"On The Run" - Nolwazi Botha / Sister Alterado is the alternate Incredible Hulk I wish we had gotten, rather than Amadeus Cho--the result of chemical experiments by apartheid pseudo-scientists.
-"The High-Heel Killer" - the inspiration for the beautiful cover art and a creative commentary on street sexual harassment of women.
-"Untitled I-III" - a set of three related stories about the apocalypse, sleeper ships and their economic caste systems, and those left behind. Because they are spread over three stories, these ones have the most room to breathe and feel like they have the stirrings of a novel.
The stories are very quick reads, sometimes almost feeling more like writing prompts or hooks than full stories. For the ones I didn't like as much, it was usually because I felt like the premise wasn't give enough space to breathe and develop. But overall I really enjoyed reading some weird fiction from a black South African perspective (and Mashigo's introductory essay is also interesting commentary). Favorite stories of mine included:
-"On The Run" - Nolwazi Botha / Sister Alterado is the alternate Incredible Hulk I wish we had gotten, rather than Amadeus Cho--the result of chemical experiments by apartheid pseudo-scientists.
-"The High-Heel Killer" - the inspiration for the beautiful cover art and a creative commentary on street sexual harassment of women.
-"Untitled I-III" - a set of three related stories about the apocalypse, sleeper ships and their economic caste systems, and those left behind. Because they are spread over three stories, these ones have the most room to breathe and feel like they have the stirrings of a novel.
January 15, 2020
Intruders is an interesting collection of short stories that focus more on voice, concept, character and theme than plot. Some of the stories end somewhat abruptly and feel like glimpses into larger, more complex story worlds rather than complete stories of their own. I particularly liked "Ghost Strain N", "The High Heel Killer", "Once Upon A Town", "Manoka", "BnB in Bloem" and "On The Run".
December 5, 2018
I read about this book, saw the cover (yes, that's right, I judged a book by its cover) and knew I had to read it. It did not disappoint.
I enjoyed the familiarity of some of the settings, although I did expect more South African context, which when you think about it is ripe for Sci-Fi and Fantasy tales. The stories are odd and fantastical, sometimes thrilling and captivating, other times confusing. And always entertaining.
I enjoyed the familiarity of some of the settings, although I did expect more South African context, which when you think about it is ripe for Sci-Fi and Fantasy tales. The stories are odd and fantastical, sometimes thrilling and captivating, other times confusing. And always entertaining.
February 8, 2019
Please don't think of me as a shallow reader when I say that I was sold on this short story collection because of its cover. This is a case where you can tell a book by its cover. I was looking at upcoming events at The Book Lounge (Cape Town, South Africa) and stopped when this cover scrolled up. After reading descriptions about the stories I had to have a copy and was able to have it signed by the author.
Mashigo's audience is Africans living in Africa. She writes in the prefacce;
I believe Africans, living in Africa, need something entirely different from Afrofuturism [see below]. I'm not going to coin a phrase but please feel free to do so. Our needs, when it comes to imagining futures, or even reimagining a fantasy present, are different from elsewhere on the globe; we actually live on this continent, as opposed to using it a a costume or a stage to play out our ideas. We need a project that predicts (it is fiction after all) Africa's future 'post-colonialism'; this will be divergent for each country on the continent because colonialism (and apartheid) affected us in unique (but sometimes similar) ways. In South Africa, for instance, there needs to exist a place in our imaginations that is the opposite of our present reality where a small minority owns most of the land and lives better than the rest.
...
For me, imagining a future where our languages and cultures are working with technology for us in order to, as Miriam Tlali says, 'expose what we feel inside', I had to draw from South African folklore and urban legends.
The author also describes Intruders as “A collection of stories about nobodies who discover that they matter.” These nobodies are "intruders" who, for one reason or another, don't fit in.
But please don't take this to mean that the stories are not accessible if you are not African. They are all excellent, well written stories and I enjoyed all of them. I believe any reader can take something away from reading these stories. I'm certain that what I get from them as an old white guy in the US will be different than, say, what they will mean to an African woman in Soweto but Mashigo is a writer who knows how to tell a story that everyone can appreciate.
One indication to me that I am involved in a short story is that, when I get to the end, I want to know more, I want to know what happened next. And that's what happened with these twelve speculative stories. After each one I thought, there is a novel here. Three of the stories are connected so my desire was partially met.
Here are the twelve stories with notes of mine:
Manoka — a young woman discovers that her destiny and that of her child, lies with the sea.
Ghost Strain N — a sort of zombie story but without the rising from the grave part. I found myself reading it as a metaphor. Here a young man wants to save his best friend from being a Ghost. As you can tell from the title, there are different strains of the virus that turns people into Ghosts.
The Parlemo —This is a story that hits on one of my favorite themes: something that exists among us that most people are not aware of, a hidden world. Here it is a shop, one of many scattered around the world, overseen by a vault keeper, where memories are kept and can be relived.
Untitled i — What would you do when you knew the world as you know it was about to end. What sacrifice would you make.
BnB in Bloem — another story that pushed all my buttons and made me want more. Two sisters, born to the role, hunt monsters of legend and lore. One of my favorites in the collection.
On the Run — a woman is accused of killing her husband in an especially horrible manner. Did she do it? Why? This story has ties back to the days of apartheid.
Little Vultures — a genomicist finds a way to make a baby by two females. She later retreats to the country and creates an eden. I think one reviewer said something along the lines of think Jurasic Park without being eaten. One of my favorites
Untitled ii — continues the story started in Untitled i
The High Heel Killer — a woman, who has had a enough, kills a man with one of her high heels. Should make men think twoce about what they think is only joking. And she is transformed.
Once Upon a Town —two young people with uncommon attributes find love with each other. What attributes? I don't want to spoil the story but let's say in case the moon might be involved.
Untitled iii — final story started in Untitled i and Untitled ii. Definitely calls out for another story.
Nthatisi — a teenage girl discovers that an ancient folktale is all to real and there are people who intend to avenge what happened to their ancestor before she turns sixteen.
In the quote at the top, the author uses the term Afrofuturism. In the preface, the author describes Afrofuturism by quoteing Mark Dery from his interviews with Black author Samuel R. Delany
[Afrofuturism is ] Speculative Fiction that addresses African–American themes and addresses African-American concerns in the context of twentieth–century technoculture — and, more generally, African–American signification that appropriates images of technology and a prosthetically enhanced future — might, for want of a better term, be called 'Afrofuturisn'.
Mashigo sees the term Afrofuturism as applying more to Africans in the diasopora.
Mashigo's audience is Africans living in Africa. She writes in the prefacce;
I believe Africans, living in Africa, need something entirely different from Afrofuturism [see below]. I'm not going to coin a phrase but please feel free to do so. Our needs, when it comes to imagining futures, or even reimagining a fantasy present, are different from elsewhere on the globe; we actually live on this continent, as opposed to using it a a costume or a stage to play out our ideas. We need a project that predicts (it is fiction after all) Africa's future 'post-colonialism'; this will be divergent for each country on the continent because colonialism (and apartheid) affected us in unique (but sometimes similar) ways. In South Africa, for instance, there needs to exist a place in our imaginations that is the opposite of our present reality where a small minority owns most of the land and lives better than the rest.
...
For me, imagining a future where our languages and cultures are working with technology for us in order to, as Miriam Tlali says, 'expose what we feel inside', I had to draw from South African folklore and urban legends.
The author also describes Intruders as “A collection of stories about nobodies who discover that they matter.” These nobodies are "intruders" who, for one reason or another, don't fit in.
But please don't take this to mean that the stories are not accessible if you are not African. They are all excellent, well written stories and I enjoyed all of them. I believe any reader can take something away from reading these stories. I'm certain that what I get from them as an old white guy in the US will be different than, say, what they will mean to an African woman in Soweto but Mashigo is a writer who knows how to tell a story that everyone can appreciate.
One indication to me that I am involved in a short story is that, when I get to the end, I want to know more, I want to know what happened next. And that's what happened with these twelve speculative stories. After each one I thought, there is a novel here. Three of the stories are connected so my desire was partially met.
Here are the twelve stories with notes of mine:
Manoka — a young woman discovers that her destiny and that of her child, lies with the sea.
Ghost Strain N — a sort of zombie story but without the rising from the grave part. I found myself reading it as a metaphor. Here a young man wants to save his best friend from being a Ghost. As you can tell from the title, there are different strains of the virus that turns people into Ghosts.
The Parlemo —This is a story that hits on one of my favorite themes: something that exists among us that most people are not aware of, a hidden world. Here it is a shop, one of many scattered around the world, overseen by a vault keeper, where memories are kept and can be relived.
Untitled i — What would you do when you knew the world as you know it was about to end. What sacrifice would you make.
BnB in Bloem — another story that pushed all my buttons and made me want more. Two sisters, born to the role, hunt monsters of legend and lore. One of my favorites in the collection.
On the Run — a woman is accused of killing her husband in an especially horrible manner. Did she do it? Why? This story has ties back to the days of apartheid.
Little Vultures — a genomicist finds a way to make a baby by two females. She later retreats to the country and creates an eden. I think one reviewer said something along the lines of think Jurasic Park without being eaten. One of my favorites
Untitled ii — continues the story started in Untitled i
The High Heel Killer — a woman, who has had a enough, kills a man with one of her high heels. Should make men think twoce about what they think is only joking. And she is transformed.
Once Upon a Town —two young people with uncommon attributes find love with each other. What attributes? I don't want to spoil the story but let's say in case the moon might be involved.
Untitled iii — final story started in Untitled i and Untitled ii. Definitely calls out for another story.
Nthatisi — a teenage girl discovers that an ancient folktale is all to real and there are people who intend to avenge what happened to their ancestor before she turns sixteen.
In the quote at the top, the author uses the term Afrofuturism. In the preface, the author describes Afrofuturism by quoteing Mark Dery from his interviews with Black author Samuel R. Delany
[Afrofuturism is ] Speculative Fiction that addresses African–American themes and addresses African-American concerns in the context of twentieth–century technoculture — and, more generally, African–American signification that appropriates images of technology and a prosthetically enhanced future — might, for want of a better term, be called 'Afrofuturisn'.
Mashigo sees the term Afrofuturism as applying more to Africans in the diasopora.
May 16, 2023
Wow! Dystopian (sorry author, i know you don’t love this term) short stories with a touch of sci-fi and all the weird and warm. so glad i bought this collection instead of finding it at the library. forever on my shelf (well, after i share it with friends).
January 23, 2024
4.5 stars, rounded up.
I came across this book when looking for a book to fulfill a Book BINGO prompt. (Promp: a book set in South Africa, by a South African author.) The description of this short story collection sounded right up my alley, so I ordered a copy.
The first thing that stood out to me was in the Introduction, when the author talks about Afrofuturism, and how it seems to be more diasporic, and that she believes that Africans, living/writing in Africa, need their own term for their fiction which might get categorized under the Afrofuturism umbrella term. I was instantly reminded of Dr. Nnedi Okorafor's essay on this subject, in which she coined the terms Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism.
"Africanfuturism- a subcategory of science fiction. Africanfuturism is similar to Afrofuturism... the difference is that africanfuturism is specifically and more directly rooted in African culture, history, mythology and point-of-view as it then branches into the Black Diaspora and it does not privilege or center the West. Africanfuturism is concerned with visions of the future, is interested in technology, leaves the earth, skews optimistic, is centered on and predominantly written by people of African descent and it is rooted first and foremost in Africa.
Africanjujuism- a subcategory of fantasy that respectfully acknowledges the seamless blend of true existing African spiritualities and cosmologies with the imaginative." (See "Africanfuturism Defined" on nnedi.blogspot.com)
I would certainly say that Intruders falls into these categories. It is split into 3 parts: The Good, The Bad, and The Colourful.
Part I: The Good
Manoka - Of manslaughter and merpeople. Starts this collection off with a bang.
The Palermo - Of "vaults" which allow people to exchange/remove memories.
Untitled I - A slice of life as the apocalypse looms.
Part II: The Ugly
BNB in Bloem - Orphan sisters-turned-monster hunters. (This one left me wanting more! I would read a whole novel based on this one.)
On the Run - An interview with an infamous fugitive/escaped prisoner.
Little Vultures - Of genomists and genetic experiments, wherein vultures = butterflies of sorts.
Untitled II - A continuation of Untitled I, in which we follow the MC into space.
Part III : The Colourful
The High Heel Killer - Much as the name implies, this follows a killing with a high heel, in which the killer is also transformed. (Unique formatting/style. Each section begins with the last word from the previous section.)
Once Upon a Town - Of werecreatures in love.
Untitled III - Follows one of the characters from the previous stories after the apocalypse.
Nthatisi - In which a teen girl is hunted, her lineage is revealed, and a prophesy is made.
This was a really solid collection. As with any collection, some hit harder for me than others, but standouts included BNB in Bloem, On the Run, and Little Vultures. I would recommend it for fans of speculative and science fiction and fantasy, though it would be best enjoyed by readers who enjoy cliffhangers/ambiguous endings in a short story collection.
I came across this book when looking for a book to fulfill a Book BINGO prompt. (Promp: a book set in South Africa, by a South African author.) The description of this short story collection sounded right up my alley, so I ordered a copy.
The first thing that stood out to me was in the Introduction, when the author talks about Afrofuturism, and how it seems to be more diasporic, and that she believes that Africans, living/writing in Africa, need their own term for their fiction which might get categorized under the Afrofuturism umbrella term. I was instantly reminded of Dr. Nnedi Okorafor's essay on this subject, in which she coined the terms Africanfuturism and Africanjujuism.
"Africanfuturism- a subcategory of science fiction. Africanfuturism is similar to Afrofuturism... the difference is that africanfuturism is specifically and more directly rooted in African culture, history, mythology and point-of-view as it then branches into the Black Diaspora and it does not privilege or center the West. Africanfuturism is concerned with visions of the future, is interested in technology, leaves the earth, skews optimistic, is centered on and predominantly written by people of African descent and it is rooted first and foremost in Africa.
Africanjujuism- a subcategory of fantasy that respectfully acknowledges the seamless blend of true existing African spiritualities and cosmologies with the imaginative." (See "Africanfuturism Defined" on nnedi.blogspot.com)
I would certainly say that Intruders falls into these categories. It is split into 3 parts: The Good, The Bad, and The Colourful.
Part I: The Good
Manoka - Of manslaughter and merpeople. Starts this collection off with a bang.
The Palermo - Of "vaults" which allow people to exchange/remove memories.
Untitled I - A slice of life as the apocalypse looms.
Part II: The Ugly
BNB in Bloem - Orphan sisters-turned-monster hunters. (This one left me wanting more! I would read a whole novel based on this one.)
On the Run - An interview with an infamous fugitive/escaped prisoner.
Little Vultures - Of genomists and genetic experiments, wherein vultures = butterflies of sorts.
Untitled II - A continuation of Untitled I, in which we follow the MC into space.
Part III : The Colourful
The High Heel Killer - Much as the name implies, this follows a killing with a high heel, in which the killer is also transformed. (Unique formatting/style. Each section begins with the last word from the previous section.)
Once Upon a Town - Of werecreatures in love.
Untitled III - Follows one of the characters from the previous stories after the apocalypse.
Nthatisi - In which a teen girl is hunted, her lineage is revealed, and a prophesy is made.
This was a really solid collection. As with any collection, some hit harder for me than others, but standouts included BNB in Bloem, On the Run, and Little Vultures. I would recommend it for fans of speculative and science fiction and fantasy, though it would be best enjoyed by readers who enjoy cliffhangers/ambiguous endings in a short story collection.
September 10, 2021
Intruders is split into three parts: The Good, The Bad and The Colourful and all the stories are singular stories except for untitled i, untitled ii & untitled iii which follows a story of two sisters in each of the sections, although these narratives are still capable of being standalone stories.
The stories are largely all set in a future South Africa and Mashigo starts the collection asking the readers to think about what Afrofuturism can be under a different term (that she doesn't label) for Africans. The stories mix magical realism elements and science-fiction as a couple venture to space realms, whilst still drawing on strong political and social elements of South African life.
Two of my favourite stories were 'BnB in Bloem' which was about two sisters who find themselves rejected from various foster families and eventually take to tracking down 'monsters'. And 'On the Run' which is written by a 'Mokwadi Fela/just a writer' to protect the identity of the author. This follows a journalist interviewing SA most wanted woman who is on the run after she was accused of killing her husband.
The stories are clever I enjoyed the dynamic of her introducing male rights activists and putting the future focus on violence against men, the destruction of the earth, the long legacies of apartheid and how this was all connected with the theme of "intruders". The term intruders being synonymous with trespassers, interlopers, invaders, prowlers, infiltrators, encroachers and violators.
A collection that I overall really enjoyed, although I didn't love every story. I think fans of Irenosen Okojie would appreciate the darkness and vibes of this collection.
The stories are largely all set in a future South Africa and Mashigo starts the collection asking the readers to think about what Afrofuturism can be under a different term (that she doesn't label) for Africans. The stories mix magical realism elements and science-fiction as a couple venture to space realms, whilst still drawing on strong political and social elements of South African life.
Two of my favourite stories were 'BnB in Bloem' which was about two sisters who find themselves rejected from various foster families and eventually take to tracking down 'monsters'. And 'On the Run' which is written by a 'Mokwadi Fela/just a writer' to protect the identity of the author. This follows a journalist interviewing SA most wanted woman who is on the run after she was accused of killing her husband.
The stories are clever I enjoyed the dynamic of her introducing male rights activists and putting the future focus on violence against men, the destruction of the earth, the long legacies of apartheid and how this was all connected with the theme of "intruders". The term intruders being synonymous with trespassers, interlopers, invaders, prowlers, infiltrators, encroachers and violators.
A collection that I overall really enjoyed, although I didn't love every story. I think fans of Irenosen Okojie would appreciate the darkness and vibes of this collection.
Read
October 15, 2019Can I just start by saying that the cover for this book is beautiful.
They say don’t judge a book by its cover but any reader will tell you that’s absolute rubbish. We first investigate new writers and new books by their covers, read the blurb at the back, then decide whether its worth reading. This book picked all the boxes. The cover art is as intriguing as the stories within.
I was blown the fuck away by this collection of short stories. It was another book where I had to lie down for a bit after reading the first story because it was just….all the feels.
You can finish reading my review here: http://anotherdropofink.com/book-7-a-...
They say don’t judge a book by its cover but any reader will tell you that’s absolute rubbish. We first investigate new writers and new books by their covers, read the blurb at the back, then decide whether its worth reading. This book picked all the boxes. The cover art is as intriguing as the stories within.
I was blown the fuck away by this collection of short stories. It was another book where I had to lie down for a bit after reading the first story because it was just….all the feels.
You can finish reading my review here: http://anotherdropofink.com/book-7-a-...
March 8, 2022
This book just got me out of a 1 year reading slump.
Mohale used accessible writing to tell stories that we know and also introduce us to new stories. It was great to read afro-futuristic speculative fiction that fully immersed me into the world of the characters. Reading this, the world Mohale built felt so familiar, yet I still got lost in the stories because the time setting felt like stories felt like a rather distant future. Some of the stories explored are folktales that I grew up with, but Mohale’s storytelling brought something new and unique to every story. I read the book imagining black people, especially women as these futuristic sci-fi/fantasy character, and I’m grateful to the author for making me see characters who look like me in such a light.
Mohale used accessible writing to tell stories that we know and also introduce us to new stories. It was great to read afro-futuristic speculative fiction that fully immersed me into the world of the characters. Reading this, the world Mohale built felt so familiar, yet I still got lost in the stories because the time setting felt like stories felt like a rather distant future. Some of the stories explored are folktales that I grew up with, but Mohale’s storytelling brought something new and unique to every story. I read the book imagining black people, especially women as these futuristic sci-fi/fantasy character, and I’m grateful to the author for making me see characters who look like me in such a light.
March 17, 2019
intruders by @blckporcelain
‘I believe Africans, living in Africa, need something entirely different from Afrofuturism’ — @blckporcelain
This collection of short stories are hauntingly familiar. It is speculative, surreal yet superbly beautiful. Mohale writing is scrumptiously delicious. In one of the stories, she writes : ‘I loved the way he said my name; the boy from KZN twisted it in his mouth and made Manoka sound like music. I preferred it that way: it was a labour of love — music created for me by his mouth and mother tongue.’ This book is a definite @cheekynatives recommendation
‘I believe Africans, living in Africa, need something entirely different from Afrofuturism’ — @blckporcelain
This collection of short stories are hauntingly familiar. It is speculative, surreal yet superbly beautiful. Mohale writing is scrumptiously delicious. In one of the stories, she writes : ‘I loved the way he said my name; the boy from KZN twisted it in his mouth and made Manoka sound like music. I preferred it that way: it was a labour of love — music created for me by his mouth and mother tongue.’ This book is a definite @cheekynatives recommendation
January 20, 2020
Growing up, I might have been an intruder by my teenage standards, but I was probably not. However, I do remember seeing mtv's 90s animation and feel at home with their series about outcasts (the Maxx being my favorite). I believe this books would have been a great fit for a south-african version of these shows. I see a lot of reviews being a bit disappointed on the fact that the stories seem to be cut short to early, but I think that is just a reflection on the incredible world building Mohale Mashigo is doing. I'm really happy I pick up this book while traveling in SA.
March 11, 2021
This book took me on a magical journey! Most are your folk tale one's, which are really familiar, but very much are reimagined. They are afrofuristic and touch on themes of spirituality, justice and feminism just to name a few. One of my favorite story was that of Tselane and also the very first story that involves a mermaid. Mohale Mashigo writes lyrically and in the most simplistic way. However, her writing will challenge your thinking and leaving you wanting more. This is a brilliant book and collection of stories. I highly recommend it.
January 30, 2020
Entertaining short stories. Her particular technique of leaving each story without any resolution became somewhat repetitive - they seem less like short stories and more like random excerpts from unfinished novels. Not sure if she did an intentional shout-out to Children of Time. If she did, big ups. If she didn't, then she's treading a line somewhere between derivative and downright unoriginal. But otherwise, overall, an enjoyable read.
December 31, 2020
I was blown away by this book.
I enjoy reading almost all the stories.
My favorites :
Manoka
On the run
The Parlemo - which gave me vibes of The Receiver of memory from the movie The Giver
Bnb in Bloem
The untitled story.
I'm glad the author ended the book with a captivating Nthatisi, I wished the story was a bit longer, I loved how it was narrated and the familiarity of it from the stories we also grew up being told by our grannies.
I glad I picked this one up.
I enjoy reading almost all the stories.
My favorites :
Manoka
On the run
The Parlemo - which gave me vibes of The Receiver of memory from the movie The Giver
Bnb in Bloem
The untitled story.
I'm glad the author ended the book with a captivating Nthatisi, I wished the story was a bit longer, I loved how it was narrated and the familiarity of it from the stories we also grew up being told by our grannies.
I glad I picked this one up.
February 5, 2023
Just opinion
I basically binge-read this book. These are my favourite types of story—not so far removed from reality so as to feel implausible but removed enough to add an escapist tingle. I really enjoy Mohale Mashigo’s humour. I will definitely be reading these stories again. (This may be unkind but I’ve grown weary of reading romance and “simple” struggle stories from young black South African authors. I appreciate this book so much).
I basically binge-read this book. These are my favourite types of story—not so far removed from reality so as to feel implausible but removed enough to add an escapist tingle. I really enjoy Mohale Mashigo’s humour. I will definitely be reading these stories again. (This may be unkind but I’ve grown weary of reading romance and “simple” struggle stories from young black South African authors. I appreciate this book so much).
November 18, 2018
The stories were captivating, imaginative, everything I want from fantastical tales.
The only thing that hurt me was that there was no closure (a characteristic of many short stories), it left me wanting more every time. Even the quote at the end mocked my desperation for more.
"That's all there is, there isn't any more" -Ethel Barrymore
The only thing that hurt me was that there was no closure (a characteristic of many short stories), it left me wanting more every time. Even the quote at the end mocked my desperation for more.
"That's all there is, there isn't any more" -Ethel Barrymore
March 8, 2019
Wow, the short stories in this book stayed with me for days! It was like reading African Folklore meets Sci-Fi meets Black Mirror, and to have been set in the backdrop of South Africa, a place I actually can visualise, Mohale did THAT!
October 21, 2020
So nice to have a short book to dive in and out of during lock down. Loved the veras, and the space stories. Would very much like to know more about many of the characters, in particular what happens in Untitled.
March 11, 2021
I have a bit of a love/ hate relationship with anthologies, but this is the first anthology that I've loved all the way through.
I think this is a novel for anyone who loves science fiction or just wants a more diverse reading history.
I think this is a novel for anyone who loves science fiction or just wants a more diverse reading history.
May 20, 2021
Short snatches of speculative fiction that explicitly refuses the label Afrofuturism in being thoroughly African. Brilliant flashes that show so much promise for a longer form in this style, which I would buy instantly
December 5, 2022
This was so different to any South African book I have read. My favourite was 'On the run', I could read an entire book based on that story.
Although this was science fiction and fantasy, the South African context added a reality to it, which gave it depth.
Although this was science fiction and fantasy, the South African context added a reality to it, which gave it depth.
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