For a good story to live up to its full potential, it should always be paired with great storytelling. The tale is as important as how it's told. The writing style, the pacing, the vocabulary and even the punctuation.
In Aquilina we find ourselves absorbed by a mystery that binds together real world issues and the mythical. The novella casts a spell of intrigue that is bound together by Musodza's captivating writing. Inspired by age old folktales in its nature, Aquilina has the story and the storytelling working in tandem to rope you in right from the first word until the last.
The tale is told as an epistolary, utilising correspondence to shape the narrative. At its heart is Hatifari Maforimbo, a man who confesses to a murder that baffles not only the authorities but everyone who knows him. He is a troubled son, a problem student at multiple institutions and a psychiatric patient consumed by misogynistic ideologies.
"I decided to forget about picking up in Chizanje. There were other places I could go, or I could forget about picking up altogether. However, I was a little irked that someone like me could be rejected by a mere prostitute! Who has ever heard of such a thing, that a hooker can stand near a beerhall, advertising herself, then run away from clients when they step up to her?" - excerpt from Aquilina
Aquilina is the victim, clouded in mystery and disappearing in a puff of smoke. From letters, to emails, to statements of guilt and medical assessments, we explore mental health, love and heartbreak, while getting a vivid picture of 90s Zimbabwe. We begin with an investigation by the authorities, and end in a mystery fit for those whose powers are more spiritual.
"It turns out Maforimbo left us just last year. He never got better, unfortunately. He was discharged from the mental hospital and went to live with his sister, here in Harare. His brother in law is into the church thing, so he tried to dispel what he believed to be evil spirits haunting Maforimbo. In fact Hatifari's picture is still on the church website..." - excerpt from Aquilina
A case of real world experiences revealing long held beliefs in Shona mythology. Musodza delivers just enough hints for us to fill in the gaps. The characters in the novel raise questions similar to our own and that wondering the novella inspires within us is where its most brilliant. It deserves a place on the reading list of every Zimbabwean and it is relatable even beyond that.
Title: Aquilina
Authors: Masimba Musodza
Genre: Fiction
ublisher: Carnelian Heart Publishing
Aquilina is available across all major book selling platforms and locally from Book Fantastics.