When It's Your Turn for Midnight

The second YA book from Zimbabwean author Blessing Musari is a rich exploration of modern Zimbabwe life and its complex history. Chiante lives with her sisters, Taren and Tisha, her singer mother and accountant father but when her world is shattered by the revealing of a long held family secret she runs away to her grandmother in Mutare. Here, she finds herself living within a close knit community of older women (and their friend, the eccentric Mr Kinsley Pfupajena) whose bonds were formed when they fought together in the Zimbabwean War of Liberation.

Chianti becomes part of their high energy lives, helping with their successful clothes recycling business and joining in their dancing and partying.  She pieces together their history from boxes of photographs and memories and, as she does so, she realises that everything is a lot more complicated than the high-living, big laughing Gogos make out. As Chianti gets to know them she discovers that their history together informs their relationships and their lives and begins to understand the importance of learning from the past but living in the now.

This is a book of many parts. It is a fun read, there are jokes and laughs a plenty and a fabulous slapstick episode where some nefarious robbers are intercepted and thwarted in their stealing mission. It is also a luscious read with wonderful descriptions of wildlife, food, fabrics and landscapes. There is excitement and mystery as Chianti begins to piece together a history which is hers and not hers. It is also a story of generational trauma, familial love and co-dependency and how everyone has to find their own way, but they need the support of others to do it.