The Sunday Mail
Andrew Moyo – Beyond the cover
Upcoming writers should take a leaf from writers such as Chipamaunga if they are to scale greater heights in the art of storytelling.
| “The love of money is the root of evil” sums up Edmund Chipamaunga’s novel “Chains of Freedom”. |
While this book is not new, having been published in 1998, the storyline is intriguing and certainly stands the test of time.
Set in the early ‘80s, just after Zimbabwe’s Independence, Chipamaunga showcased his imagination by creating interesting scenarios and characters in this masterpiece.
While the country is still in celebratory mood, another storm is brewing in the background with the former colonial masters plotting to destabilise Zimbabwe by manipulating corrupt, influential former revolutionaries.
The main characters in the book are Tapi and Gono, a hero and heroine of the liberation struggle, whose relationship is on the brink of collapse as conflicting world-views arise.
While Tapi remains committed to the principles that guided her during the war, Gono is on a quest to get rich and famous at all costs — even if it means breaking the law.
Gono’s ambitions make him a target of people with destructive political agendas who wish to lure him with wealth and then manipulate him.
Intent on acquiring a farm owned by white farmer “Boss” Grey, Gono does not have the monetary means to carry out this move but the likes of Lucifer, a lieutenant in the criminal underworld, provides him with a way out by offering him a loan.
“Gono was in a hurry to secure the farm but he had neither the twenty million dollars cash, nor any collateral of the kind required to secure a loan from the bank.
“What he did have though, was the influence that went with his position, and his association with the recent liberation war,” reads one passage.
After being initiated into the world of crime, Gono realises that he has crossed the point of no return but is also reluctant to change his ways since he needs the money to maintain the luxurious lifestyle he is enjoying.
On the other hand, Tapi is pursuing a different path, furthering her education to complement the top Government position she has been given. She is out to prove that women can also carry out duties in high offices just like men or even better.
As the events in the book unravel, the reader’s expectation also rises as many burning questions begin to spring up. While I was reading, I started wondering if there would be an opportunity of redemption for Gono or if the jaws of the law would soon catch up with him.
There are many interesting twists and turns in the book that brings out the writer’s brilliance in arrangement of events.
The author manages to create suspense, which keeps the reader flipping the pages so as to find out the final outcome.
The characterisation is also on point, with each personality adding value to the story.
Upcoming writers should take a leaf from writers such as Chipamaunga if they are to scale greater heights in the art of storytelling.
Combining, heroism, crime, manipulation and love, this book is not only brilliant but also refreshing in many ways.
