The True Sources of the Nile

I read this book in two days and immediately purchased three more to give to friends. I highly recommend it. Stone weaves history and the immediacy of life in Brundi into a compelling narrative about one woman's search for who she is, where she has come from, and what she wants out of life. The narrative moves between Brundi and Northern California, and although this may be jarring at first, it makes perfect sense as Anne's various dilemmas and challenges unfold. Anne's relationship to her family, her mother in particular, is integral to the overall story. The ending is both unsettling and satisfying; Stone didn't flinch from letting some of Anne's issues remain unresolved --this is not a book with easy answers, or even many answers about family, history, violence, love, duty. Perhaps what impressed me most was Stone's ability to convey the exurberance of love, the delicacy of life, and the utter horror of violence unleased.

First of all, this was one gripping read--I'm usually too busy to devour books in one weekend, but this one had me. And although Sarah Stone knows how to write a compelling love story, she doesn't stop there--she uses the love affair to investigate the nature of war, and the flawed but universal human qualities responsible.I've read newspaper accounts of genocide in other countries, and have never been able to wrap my mind around it. It's always seemed impossible to understand the motivation for holding on so tightly to longstanding traditions of hatred and brutality. And I have to admit that, like some of the American characters in this novel, I haven't really wanted to think about it. The True Sources of the Nile put faces on the abstract numbers, and helped me understand. I found the characters complex and fascinating--not just the American protagonist, Anne, and her California family, but also the Burundians, especially Anne's lover Jean-Pierre and his sister.I was fascinated by Burundi, by its culture of secrecy, by its landscape, by Jean-Pierre's attempts to elucidate his country with stories and the occasional folktale. I was also impressed by the convincing portrayal of the world of Northern California--the author is able to convey its New Age quirks without making it just a caricature (for example, a past-life regression scene serves a surprisingly serious purpose). The way the Burundi and California plotlines shed light on each other and weave together thematically is nothing short of amazing. Two things become utterly clear: Burundi's culture is utterly alien to our own, and yet human nature is the same everywhere.Another thing I like about this book is that its characters are smart people who are genuinely trying to figure out the world and explain their worldviews articulately. The book goes some dark places, especially in the latter half. The violence never struck me as gratuitous, though. And ultimately the novel doesn't leave you feeling bleak. The author clearly understands the worst of human behavior, our endless capacity for self-deception, harm, and betrayal. But she also knows we're equally capable of insight, healing, and loyalty.

The True Sources of the Nile is a beautiful novel that explores love, sex, grief and denial with unflinching candor and depth. As was said in the review of the novel in O Magazine, no one is writing better about the nature of female sexual desire than Sarah Stone, and this is also true of how she handles dysfunctional family dynamics, sibling loyalties, and the truth that what you are worried about is never that which you should actually fear. The True Sources of the Nile is a compelling, evocative and ultimately satisfying read that I strongly recommend.

Wow, what a pageturner. This is a love story set against the backdrop of war that won't allow for any easy or romantic answers. I love it when a book makes you stay up late till your eyes hurt. The True Sources of the Nile immediately sucked me in. The characters have such depth, such complexities to them. You think you know a character and then you get a little surprise, half-way through the book, or at the very end. Sarah Stone completely captures the nuances of family relationships, with old loyalties and grudges. I highly highly recommend this book!