I want to read a fictional take on colonialism. Despite being born in a country that suffered western colonialism and oppression for centuries, I realize I have never actually read a whole lot of fictional works that deal with the subject. I'm looking for something that properly tackles themes of cultural conflict, the machinery of dehumanization, enslavement, and resource extraction, as well as the roots of these practices in religious imperialism, human greed, and good old racism. Colonialism doesn't necessarily have to be the main theme of the plot, but should feature somewhat prominently and shouldn't just be a passing mention of some far away land.
I am expecting recommendations mostly in historical fiction or fantasy because they are the most well suited to depict these narratives, but I'll be happy with any genre.
by IdaSukiShwan
3 Comments
The Legendborn Cycle by Tracy Deonn – book 1 is called Legendborn
Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Gods Bits of Wood by Ousmane Sembene, about the Senegalese Railway workers strike of 1947 and how French colonialism dehumanized and starved the Senegalese.
House of hunger by Dambudzo Marechera, experimental and brutal novella that doesn’t so much directly talk about colonization, as it does show the violent experience through the protagonist’s alienating experiences of life. But CW it’s very violent, can be quite depressing to read