The Maestro, The Magistrate and The Mathematician

Tendai Huchu

 

  • amaBooks
  • Bulawayo
  • 2014
  • English
  • Paperback
  • 312 pages

Synopsis

Three very different men struggle with thoughts of belonging, loss, identity and love as they attempt to find a place for themselves in Britain. The Magistrate tries to create new memories and roots, fusing a wandering exploration of Edinburgh with music. The Maestro, a depressed, quixotic character, sinks out of the real world into the fantastic world of literature. The Mathematician, full of youth, follows a carefree, hedonistic lifestyle, until their three universes collide.In this carefully crafted, multi-layered novel, Tendai Huchu, with his inimitable humour, reveals much about the Zimbabwe story as he draws the reader deep into the lives of the three main characters.

Review

I am reminded of Julius's contemplative observations of New York City in Teju Cole's Open City. Even with all its beauty, Huchu depicts [an Edinburgh] where people die alone and lonely, and live in the same way; a place where a shared nationality forms tenuous ties that do not necessarily equate to loyalty or kinship. - Fungai Machirori

Author

Tendai Huchu is a Zimbabwean novelist based in Scotland. His work has been translated into German, French, Spanish, and Italian. He was shortlisted for the 2014 Caine Prize.