The story of Hanna Renstrom is a poignant adventure into the unknown.A A fictional account about a young woman rags to riches named Hannah. She is a fictional character in history that if a real person, people would be in awe of, or think she's a liar. I truly enjoyed this story. I read some reviewers say it was slow, didn't go anywhere, was muddled. To me, it was reflective writing. To stop and image how that might be for a young, uneducated country girl from Sweden who left home uncertain and afraid of her future life. Would she ever return to the only home she ever knew? How could she exist in a world she knew nothing about? We follow her from the cold countryside to the sweltering heat of Africa where a new life is created for her by chance. This is not a "who-done-it" mystery, a cop killing detective story like some of Mankell's other books. It's a story of chance, of adventure, of one woman's life. It is not a quick read unless the reader wishes it to be.This is what makes Hening Mankell a most talented writer. A master of his craft. He can entertain, teach and provoke thought as in "A Treacherous Paradise" where one looks the bold face of racism and greed. The story is includes the history of European exploits of Africa early 1900's (and before) and then again, we must remember, fiction comes from the eyes, ears and mouth of the author. To quibble over "facts" in a fictional story is like thinking your take of a piece of poetry or artwork is right and anyone how doesn't see it your way, is wrong. It's a fictional story but could it have been otherwise? I leave that to the imagine of the reader.My own gripe is the ending where I had to think for myself. Darn! Kudos to Mr. Mankell. Troubling novel from many aspects. Racism, gender inequality, social caste ideology, and proverty were on sickening display. The protagonist, Hanna Renstrom, is based on a character that did exist in the early 1900's but very little is known about her. The author creates the story and Hanna searches for her identity. Hanna never establishes who she is or wants to be. It is indeed a treacherous paradise.
Do You like book Ricordi Di Un Angelo Sporco (2012)?
Review to come after HNS Review released in August.
—girl_a_blaze
Very good one - sad and brutal though ...
—sanjorie
