The first Woman by Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi

Set in Uganda in the mid-20th century, Jennifer Nansubuga Makumbi’s second novel, The First Woman, follows a young girl, Kirabo, on her path to adulthood.

Having grown up with her grandparents in a small village, the promise of education draws her to the city, while she deals with first love and the search for her lost mum.

Ugandan society is richly drawn, both in its traditions and the tumults of increasing modernity.

Idi Amin is a looming background presence, but Makumbi keeps the focus on culture and the personal sphere. The focus flickers between different strands of Kirabo’s life, including a detour through her grandmother’s youth.

Events sometimes seem disconnected, but this does help to avoid defining Kirabo through her relationship to any other individual. Ultimately, Makumbi depicts a heroine who is vivid and with many dimensions.