I received this book as a free ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I will first say read the book and skip the audiobook. The reader’s voice and cadence was droll and not a good fit for this book. The rating below is for the audiobook and not the written book.

This book follows the independent then overlapping journeys of Black American Jude, adopted at birth by a white couple in a small Washington State town, and Quadir, a Somali-born Kenyan who was raised by his uncle and aunt. Jude embarks on a journey to Kenya to visit the graves of long dead white men that were revered by his adoptive father. He encounters both incredible people and real dangers along the way.

I enjoyed this book overall. The writing held my attention and moved me in simple ways through the interactions of the characters and descriptions of Kenya. Jude is impossibly naive, and I believe that this was intentional. As a Black American, it was painful for me to read his experiences navigating the world even in America, but I could see how it could happen with his idyllic upbringing.

I do feel that this book was rushed. I believe that more detail could have been given to the lives of both men. I also felt jarred by some of the time jumps in between chapters.

The book is quick read and worth the time it takes even if it leaves you wishing for more.

This was a nice book to listen to. I enjoyed getting to know the main characters. All were likeable. The writing was strong and articulate. I did not care for the abrupt ending and a revelation that, I felt, needed more attention. I gave this a 3 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

3.5 stars. It was a very sweet story but I felt sometimes it was a little obvious and predictable what was going to happen.

While I really enjoyed the concept of the book, the totally unrealistic dialogue used by young people throughout made it nearly impossible for me to actually enjoy the reading process.

Jude Wilson and his family were big on Boy Scouting in the lord who started the Boy Scouts was revered and respected in his family and the captain of one of The first Boy Scout troops with a personal hero of Jude‘s dad who shared his same name Tom Wilson. So as an adult Jude made it a personal goal to go to Kenya to see the graves of the man he’s looked up to all his life. Unfortunately on his vacation one thing happens after another but in the end all the misdirection and mishaps may just lead him back home. Let me just say I listen to this book all in one sitting I press play and if I had to go somewhere I carried my phone with me so I could continue to listen. It not only had an awesome narrator but I found the story innocent sweet funny the characters were lovable well except for the cab driver of course! My point is I love this part that has adventure intrigue but not gritty seedy intrigue. It is a sweet story that I thoroughly enjoyed. I received this book from NetGalley and a publisher but I am leaving this review voluntarily please forgive any mistakes as I am blind and dictate my review.

I just finished this audiobook.
A coming of age and finding oneself on the trip of a lifetime to Nairobi.
Jude, an African American child, adopted by a Caucasian family in Minneapolis. It takes us on a good background of Jude's history, parents, and friends. Do not skip the prologue!
He is very drawn to scouting as his father, Tom Wilson, is head Scout Master of his troop. His scout troop included his best friend Connor, with whom he keeps in touch with.
The untimely death of his best friend and an unexpected health condition with his father, sends Jude on a self-journey of a lifetime to Nairobi to discover and pay homage to the gravesite of Lord Baden-Powell, who wrote the 1st scouting handbook.
However, during his travel, he had some unexpected events that almost cost him his life.
In the end, it was still the trip of a lifetime, and he made a wonderous and heartfelt discovery.
My only regret, I needed closure on the ending.
The narrator was not monotone, conveyed enthusiasm, sorrow, and delight were needed. Kept it upbeat and easy to follow.
Overall, 3.5 stars, rounded up to 4!!
Thank you NetGalley and Bon Esprit Books for advanced audiobook access. Review also posted on Goodreads, but the editions have not been updated yet, so I had to use "kindle" copy to submit.

Place of Cool Waters is a beautiful story of grief, family, race, and identity.

Githaiga is a wonderful writer that gives vivid descriptions that help you dive into the beautiful story that is woven. Early on in the book I predicted the ending but it didn't take anything away from the journey to get us there. The main characters felt real and were compelling. And the descriptions of Washington and Nairobi were both so vivid that I could clearly imagine them. The book is fast paced, and the narrator was easy to listen to, so it felt as though it was all over too fast. I was ready for more adventures of Jude and Qadir.
I didn't give five stars because it was over too fast. Not because the story was done, but because it felt rushed, and there was a major event that, despite driving the story forward, seemed to be handled too easily. There was a lack of high stakes so the event didn't seem impactful, when it should have been. The story wraps up nicely, but maybe too nicely. I was left wanting more; wanting to know what came next.


Audiobook provided by Netgalley and Bon Esprit Books in exchange for my honest review.

“I see you’re one of those people who feel they have to be able to reciprocate any kindness they’re about to receive. But what if you have nothing to give yet still need help? What then?”

Thank you to Netgalley and Bon Esprit Books for early access to this ALC (audiobook listening copy). And a big thank you to the author, Ndirangu Githaiga, as well.

Below is my honest review. I have formatted it into a couple primary lists of things I liked and things I disliked, and close by summarizing those thoughts.

Rating: 3.75/5 stars

Things I liked:
- Prose was clever and had fun phraseology throughout
- Both Jude and Qadir’s individual stories were interesting, and the book did a good job of making you eager to keep reading so you could find out how their stories intertwined
- Most of the characters were mature and thoughtful, even outside of the main characters. I found there were many nuggets of wisdom provided throughout the story as the main characters received help from others
- In addition to to wisdom and maturity, there was plenty of good natured humor throughout
- Explores racism in both America and Kenya.
- I was on the author’s website after reading the book to look into some of his other works, and the following was written in his ‘about’ section: “He guides his readers to examine the shades of gray that exist between our unique challenges, triumphs, and perspectives.” This is entirely accurate and I think a great depiction of what the author achieves in this story!

Things I disliked:
- The storytelling style I don’t necessarily dislike, but it isn’t a favorite of mine. It’s very matter of fact and straightforward, and the character POVs don’t necessarily feel like they have their own distinct “voice”
- The narration also wasn’t one I preferred; I felt more like I was being read “at” versus feeling like I was fully immersed in the story
- The “disastrous taxi ride and ensuing case of mistaken identity” were mentioned in the book synopsis, but the book doesn’t get to where these events start to take shape until ~70% through the story. I think this worked for the way the story was written and paced, but because it was mentioned in the synopsis, I unfortunately spent much of my time reading wondering when these events would take place, pulling my focus from the excellent setup being built along the way by the author.
- I found it a little unrealistic that Jude did all the research he did leading up to the trip but didn’t somehow learn about the ongoing terrorism within the country he was planning to visit as well as general international travel safety tips. It felt as though he didn’t know of these things solely for the purpose of moving the plot forward with his travel faux pas. This would be less glaring to me if the book didn’t emphasize how much he researched his trip ahead of time.

Overall, this was an engaging story that drew me in quickly and made me care about the characters and their journeys. I really appreciated the author’s clever writing and the maturity his characters portrayed. It felt like I was learning something every few chapters as various characters dispensed pieces of knowledge and personal truths, causing me to stop to jot things down and mull over later. While the big “action” of the story doesn’t appear until much later on, the build up to these climactic events is thoroughly enjoyable. Looking back, I probably would have preferred to read this book instead of listening to the audiobook, just as a personal preference for a different narration style.

I very much enjoyed the storylines in this novel, which I listened to as an audiobook. Unfortunately, I did not care for the narrator and feel that I may have enjoyed the book more if I had read it instead. The character development was very good and I liked the relationship-building between many of the characters. I am only giving it 3 stars because of some of the language choices. The dialogue between characters did not seem natural to me - everyone spoke very formally regardless of who they were talking to. I also noticed throughout the book that there were a lot of big words peppered in where simpler words would have worked well and been less distracting. Despite that, I did like the book and am interested to read more from this author.

I've read all of the books Ndirangu has written so far and I can definitely say that they all have in common some concepts that in this book are expressed with clarity, namely that biases are everywhere and, even if they often shape our lives, there are always people who will stand up for others and so those biases can be fought and vanquished.

This book is basically a coming-of-age novel that intertwines the lives of several people and different continents. The characters are beautifully crafted, they seem real people, like those you would meet at work, at the gym or at a supermarket, you can easily feel sympathy for them even if your life experience is different.

Thank you to NetGalley for access to this audiobook

Set between the Washington and Nairobi this story brings us to Jude Wilson who decides to travel halfway across the world to visit the graves of his childhood Boy Scout heroes. Growing up in the placid little Pacific Northwest town of Clarksville could never adequately prepare him for what he encounters in the vibrant, mercurial streets of Nairobi, where context defines meaning and words alone are not always sufficient to communicate across a cultural gap.

I never really got drawn into the story, it could have been in part as I didn't feel the narrator fit the story. In times I got lost between where the story was and who was telling it, particularly in the first quarter as I was learning the story, i feel a lot of the back story was unnecessary. I did enjoy the friendship between Jude and Qadir and Jude learning about the customs and practices in a new country, most people who aren't living with the call to prayer always recall their first experiences in the early hours of the morning as Jude does. It's hard to remember back to my first solo travel trip but I can imagine a lot of Jude's experiences would have been familiar.

This is a beautifully written book, and in audio form it's wonderfully lyrical. The characters are exceptionally well rounded and I really felt immersed in their experiences. In particular the setting of Nairobi was so well described I could visualise it clearly. This author definitely excels in the creation of settings which really complements the quality of the writing.
The undercurrent of racism that these characters endure, encourages the reader to consider their own experiences of white privilege. I feel this is an important book, and will definitely be recommending it.

Faced with his own mortality for the first time, Jude Wilson travels to Kenya to visit the graves of his Boy Scout founders.

Place of Cool Waters begins with the story of Jude. From a baby abandoned in strange circumstances, to his adoption into a loving family in the rural Pacific North West. Adult Jude is content in his life, until a sad encounter with a childhood friend and an incident at work force him to consider what he wants to achieve. For Jude, it’s not to swim with dolphins or see the pyramids in Egypt, but to fulfil his father’s dream to visit the grave of the founder of the Scout movement in Kenya.

Interspersed with Jude’s story is that of Qadir, a Somali living in Kenya. Working hard in whatever job he has, Qadir is the manager of the YMCA when Jude arrives. A naive traveller, Jude’s plans inevitably to awry. But, due to his unexpected hardships and the kindness of new friends, Jude and Qadir find an unexpected connection.

The details of Jude and Qadir’s lives are beautifully written, with just enough suggestion of impending danger to keep the reader unsettled. Pace of Cool Waters is an interesting story, although then convenient ending is quite jarring.

Unfortunately for me the narrator of this audio book did not do justice, to the extent that it did spoil the experience for me. I found their tone quite old-fashioned and perhaps more suited to a classic or children’s book.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. I thoroughly enjoyed the description and was excited to begin listening but the audio narrator did not hold my attention so after a few attempts I was just unable to finish. I still would read a hard copy to see how exactly the two worlds of Qadir and Jude come together. #NetGalley #PlaceofCoolWaters

Thank you NetGalley & publisher for providing ARC of Place of Cool Watersby Ndirangu Githaiga & narrated by Lee Goettl.

The story follows Qadir Mohamed (manager of a youth hostel) and Jude Wilson (travelling from the US) as they meet in Nairobi, Kenya. Both seem to have very little in common and lead lives vastly different & separate. Racism, relationships and more universal experiences trump all though. I enjoyed the dual POV - however I would have preferred a little more of Qadir and a little less of Jude (for some reason most reviews seem to tip him as the default protagonist).

Thoroughly enjoyed the setting - the story did it a great justice and I look forward to expanding my literary horizons to include it in future books.
I will say - I wasn't a huge fan of the narration for the audiobook, as it made it hard to focus.

3.5! I really loved the main two characters in this book, Jude and Qadir, and found the story consistently compelling. I enjoyed the writing style a lot (although some of the dialogue felt a little stilted to me) and the exploration of culture and race was really interesting. The plot was believable and interesting but it was the characters that really held my attention. I wish we’d learned more about Qadir, and I felt like the ending came a bit out of nowhere and felt a little unsatisfying to me, which is the only reason I haven’t rated this 4*.

Listening to the audiobook, I found the multiple POVs a little confusing but I do think that’s a me problem! I also didn’t enjoy the audiobook narrator at all, his breath pattern landed in awkward places in sentences and I found the delivery a little stagnant in places.

Thanks for the free audiobook copy!

I didn't like the narrator so I did not finish the book. Having a good narrator is important for an audiobook. The voice actor carries the story and keeps the listener engaged. I was immediately turned off by this narrator - he sounded like a 1950's documentary voiceover, and I just could not stay engaged.

Place of Cool Waters was an interesting book that mostly comes together in the end. The plot follows two young men in different parts of the world. Jude in Washington state and Qadir in Africa.

Jude was adopted and had a good life filled with great memories. He experienced a lot of loss with his father having a stroke and his friend Connor passing away. With that, he decided to go to Africa to see a grave of a famous scout his father would talk about. It’s here where Jude meets Qadir and the story starts to come together more.

The first half of the book through Jude’s eyes was very well written and had a lot of difficult topics such as race and death. It was all handled well through the great writing. Unfortunately, these parts felt almost like small vignettes instead of being part of a larger story.

Once Jude is in Africa the story feels more cohesive and flowed a lot better. I really loved the friendships Jude was able to make in such a short amount of time and the “praying mother” was something that hit very hard. I don’t want to give more detail on that so it can be experienced in the story but it was a wonderful part.

The narration by Lee Goetti was fantastic. He speaks clearly and does more than just read a story to you. His voice sounded familiar and I discovered I listened to another book he narrated. In that book I also credited him for excellent narration.

A review copy of this book was kindly provided by NetGalley.

Place of Cool Waters is a good take on the idea of returning home, a recurring motif in African American literature, be it fiction or non-fiction.
Githaiga uses two perspectives: Jude, who has lived in the USA with his foster family since he could remember, and Qadir, who now works in Nairobi. They provide different standpoints, influenced by their distinct social and cultural backgrounds. Story-wise, this was a clever choice, allowing readers to learn more about the contexts surrounding these characters. It seems, however, that Jude gets more "screentime" than Qadir, which is unfortunate considering how interesting his perspective is.
Broadly, this book is a love story to Kenya and to the communities and individuals whose history was rewritten by the power imbalance that characterizes colonialism.

3.5 ⭐️

Thank you to Netgalley and Bon Esprit Books for a pre-publication audiobook copy of this book, this is my honest voluntary review.

The plot follows a 3rd person account of Jude and Qadir at different points in their life. Jude grew up in Clarksville, Washington (state) after being adopted, with a good childhood and memories spend in the boys scouts as his father Tom was the town’s scout master and middle school principle. Tom and his mother Doris both loved Jude lots as wasn’t able to conceive a child naturally. He got on well in school and moved to Seattle for university, staying to work and settling. He reconnects with a school friend, Connor, who pushes him to pursue a childhood dream as “the one thing that’s become clear to me in all this is that if you have any big plan that you hope to accomplish in life, don’t put it off for later” so he sets out to Kenya to visit the grave of the scout founder Lord Baten Powell and captain Tom Wilson. Interspersed are chapters with Qadir at the centre, who grew up under the supervisor of his uncle Hussain and family after his dad died in Nairobi, Kenya. He too was smart but because of being from Somali heritage, faced discrimination in his life which is worsened after a Somali terrorist attack. I won’t say how but when Jude travels to Kenya, the two men meet and there is more to the story but I don’t want to give any spoilers away.

The characters I would say were the best part, there is nuance and you do like them. Development and complexity can be seen as the story unfolds and you feel for them at certain points. Connor I think was my favourite character and his storyline just agh my heart. The writing is also quite good, eloquent and well crafted in places but nothing that stands out in all honesty. I liked the split character narrative but it’s about 70/30 (or even more) from Jude’s perspective so I would have liked a more even division and to have explored Qadir’s life more so. The plot is once again okay but not that gripping - it’s definitely not boring and I was intrigued but like I dunno, pretty average. There is kind of multiple plot lines and the book takes a few too many tangents as well, for the first 50% and some I was unsure exactly where it was going or trying to do. It does come together better towards the end but I was left with questions and other plot lines not fully being rounded off - I don’t think ambiguity was really intended, it’s more like other parts were forgotten in an attempt to bring the central plot line to a close.

Audiobook only: I didn’t like the narration, just wasn’t very engaging and slightly boring.

Would recommend this book but I do have reservations. Good and intriguing but not great.