Responses and Reviews

Back of the book

Erudite and engaging. The characters are drawn with empathy and compassion. The tension between the exigencies of justice and the demands of bureaucracy is aptly depicted. The protagonist, Anjali, is a complex, multidimensional character, admirable for her attempts to put principle ahead of pragmatism.

- H. Nigel Thomas, author, shortlisted for the Hugh MacLennan Prize for Fiction, 2013 & 2015

The story hit many of those bitter sweet moments you have when trying to make a difference against all odds. I know anybody who has worked in a developing country or with an NGO will love the book.

- Andra Tamburro, Former Director at Water Advocates

Interviews

Radio interview by Jeffrey Mackie on The Literary Report, CKUT 90.3 FM, Mc Gill University campus and community radio, Montreal, 21-8-2018

Radio interview by Doug Miller on Amandla, CKUT 90.3 FM, News and Analysis on Africa.

Interview by All Lit Up, a compendium of Canadian Literature.

Interview by Toronto author Mayank Bhatt, on his blog Generally About Books.

Reviews

... a powerful tale about land ownership, dispossession, power, and poverty told through the eyes of four women..."

"Masterfully weaving an important global narrative about the consequences of colonial, corporate, and governmental greed with a more personal story of working in an NGO in a foreign land, Land for Fatimah is a must-read.

- Cecilia Keating, Hunger for Land, Montreal Review of Books

... a story that is exposing issues that many don’t consider in the name of progress: the people that are most directly affected by changes that take their traditions, homes, livelihoods and futures...

All four of the voices here have a different view and priority, and these will clash often... An interesting and thoughtful story that should be on your shelf, for these issues will become more prevalent world-wide as progress in the name of profits continue to rule – and seeing the impact, small and large, is important in informing your stance.

- Gaele at I am, indeed

Veena Gokhale’s [...] novel is a bridge spanning cultures and languages across South Asia, Africa and Canada...

Whereas on the one hand, Land for Fatimah is about the poor and the dispossessed, it is also about the plight of foreign or local NGOs...

Land of Fatimah provides a rare insight into the day-to-day challenges faced by these organizations. Set against the backdrop of busy city streets with swarming Matatas (privately-owned mini-vans) and the all-consuming dust of African countryside, this novel makes a great read.

- Nilambri Ghai at Montreal Serai

Foreign aid is very much in the news. Questions about its effectiveness abound... The news we hear is usually from the outside... Land for Fatimah tells a story from the inside and is therefore truly welcome... we are left with an empathetic picture of how it must be for the poor in Africa who have been displaced, and who look for assistance wherever they can get it.

- Barbara Lingens at Bookloons