The First Wife: A Tale of Polygamy

Rami discovers after 20 years of marriage that Tony has a number of other girlfriends in town and she sets out to meet them and dissuade them from their relationships with her husband. The plan changes as she learns the life stories of her compatriots and they band together to provide security for the group through a polygamous marriage. Rami spends a lot of time contemplating the fate of women in Mozambique, but also universally and the role of men in creating the state of affairs. In the process, a lot of information on the various groups that inhabit Mozambique is conveyed through descriptions of initiation and marriage rituals. Lovely read in an interesting setting.

The First WifeA fresh look into the African women Mentality and points of view about love, monogamy and polygamy. Although it presents a new paradigm for the white western women. Cooperation and communication between wives, lovers and women in general. It presents the bad, the ugly, the good and the great.It is an in-depth look of the human nature. The story presents the biological differences between male and female. The differences between the wants and needs of a map and a females are masterfully presented and at the end leaves us with more knowledge and question that will automatically surface into your mind.Paulina Chiziane is a master storyteller. A heavy weight of the African and World Literature that chapter after chapter will leave you wanting more.

I can't remember what put me onto this book but I was captivated by it. The writing (English translation), the perspective Mozambique culture cast on our awkward attempts to make sense of the complications of being men and women and trying to work out life together. My wife liked it but it was the barn=burner for her it was for me. Whether that is the difference between different genders reading it I can't say. I'm a compulsive reader, always have four or five books going, but I put every other book aside when I got into this one.

This is a terrific book and I like the writing style a great deal.

Wonderfully narrated story by "the first wife".Although set in MOzambique, large parts of the story could have been from anywhere in Black Africa; the Funeral Rites for Widows, the "Vulture" practice of the Man's family in stripping assets the moment their "brother" dies, factors which push some women into polygamous relationships.Very Captivating. It was difficult to stop reading once I started

Beautiful sad poem to the pain and strength of being a woman in love to a man in lust. And to the women who survive it.

Highly underrated book. The writing was fantastic; the author and translator made a great team. This is set in Mozambique culture but goes over many of the same feminist issues we face in the west. The cultural norms are just different. An exhilarating read.

Necessary for any spouse African / black. Not to generalise but to give perspective on the heritage / baggage, and why one lifetime is not enough to change it.

A fantastic and important book.