Review: Review for short story, 'Zeru'.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 5, 2013
I enjoyed this short story so much that I could not tear myself away from it.A struggle for survival amongst the dumps of Africa is told with detail, allowing one to get an inside view of the refuse dumps and the homeless children who inhabit them, looking for handy scraps and a morsel of food. We see videos on TV of these dumps in rual areas of underdeveloped countries, and quickly forget about them. The written word, with vivid descriptions sticks in your mind.I was curious to know the meaning of 'zeru', which was revealed after the first chapters.I especially liked the way in which Abasi, the protagonist, connected with the baboons, that befriended him in his fight against the hyenas, which belonged to a the witch doctor, and obeyed his commands.This story is filled with action, painful and hard, bringing to knowledge a part of the world we may not know about; of hideous power, hungry boys, mean gangs, and animals, all closely linked to one another.I hope the 'zherus' of Africa will not be considered 'magic' and hunted down because of this myth.I recommend this story for everyone.