Obligations to the Wounded is a collection that explores familial bonds and highlights the complexities of human connection. The collection starts strong, setting the tone for what follows. ‘Azubah’ is a story that will forever be etched in my mind. Mubanga Kalimamukwento’s writing is persuasive, and her use of language is sparing. Kalimamukwento hooks the reader without saying too much—just enough to make the reader reflect. A wound runs across all the stories: a language unspoken/forgotten, a love unrequited, a mind scattered, grief everlasting, humanity denied, the pursuit of freedom, unforgiving diseases, and haunting voids. In these stories, Kalimamukwento shows that the state of life cannot be ignored, ugly as it is at times, and no matter how much we may want to look away. At the core are the experiences of Zambian women and at the beginning of each story is what I view as a declaration of the importance and honour of the mother tongue. It's a brilliant collection, and I highly recommend it.

Zambian women are centered in this ambitious collection of short stories. The often stunning style of writing addresses issues such as gendered violence and intergenerational trauma without coming across as patronizing to the reader.

Obligations to the Wounded by Mubanga Kalimamukwento is a fresh and original short story collection, set in Zambia, which explores womanhood, sexuality and queer relationships. Kalimamukwento's writing is well-paced, poetic, and unique in how it seeks to tell these stories both in a traditional format and in ways contemporaneous to the technological age. From a Twitter interview exposing White saviourism, to the heady descriptions of girlhood and discovering your body, to the deeply melancholic and solemn first person narrative of a new mother struggling in the wake of her own mother's death, while confronting her partner's sexuality.

The collection pays homage to the interconnected suffering of women in Zambia; drawing keen attention to how simply attempting to be contends with racial discrimination, intimate partner violence, and religious expectation. Kalimamukwento's stories are multifaceted and will no doubt find common ground in many reader's lives. Obligations to the Wounded is brave as it is honest, beautiful as it is grief-stricken, and broken as it is triumphant.

Obligations to the Wounded is a collection of short stories about girlhood and womanhood in Zambia, focusing in on family, gender roles, identity, immigration and levels of privilege.

Each tale follows its own theme, each heart wrenching in its own way. Every one is written beautifully, and every time I finished one, I wanted to learn more about the protagonist. They are important stories to tell and leave you with plenty of opportunities for reflection.

In my eyes, the use of the word “obligations” in the title of this book summarises it well, in terms of the expectations surrounding obligations, as well as which are and are not carried out.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a lovely collection of short stories. I think the author handled some of the dark and heavy topics that were discussed in this book with the utmost care. Whilst giving attention to some of the characters in a very nurturing way. The author has a wonderful way of words, there were many bits i felt like i connected to.

4.5 stars

This collection of short stories, which explores the lives of Zambian women and girls through time and space, lives in the spaces in-between. Between poetry and prose, between nature and nurture, between culture and family, between explaining and condemning. There are no easy answers, and each short story felt like an invitation into someone's life, not to gawk at or pick apart or figure out, but just to see, just to bear witness.

Particular themes came up repeatedly throughout these stories—family and generational trauma, the effects of colonialism, queer and trans oppression, gender roles, privilege and the lack thereof—but at no point did I feel like I was being beaten over the head or lead through the same circles over and over. Each story, each character, each perspective brought something new, a new way to challenge me, a new angle to think about an old problem. Even though some of these stories were rather short, just a few pages, by the time I got to the end, I felt like I was being ripped away from someone I'd only just begun getting to know, and I wanted to go back and ask a thousand more questions. I do not by any means believe myself to now be some kind of expert in Zambian history or culture, but Kalimamukwento, in relatively so few words, made me feel like an expert in each of her protagonists, and the skill involved in communicating so much in so little time is staggering.

Kalimamukwento's language in this book is breathtaking. I have long been a huge fan of the use of poetic techniques and styles in prose writing, but this story takes that to an entirely new level. The opening story, "Azubah," sets the stage for an entire collection that pushes the boundaries of the English language, that uses words to both paint a picture and create a soundscape, that brings other languages in unapologetically and without the use of clumsy explanatory commas. The reader is brought into an existing world, and it is the reader's responsibility to find their way through it.

As I read through this collection, I kept coming back to the title, and how wonderful the choice of "obligations" was. This is a book that had me chewing on the notion of obligation, and who we are obligated to, and why, and when. None of us comes from nothing, and the not-nothing we come from is never perfect or sterile or ideal. I don't think I know more now that I did at the beginning what or who I am obligated to, but it's a question I know I've been afraid to ask, and the women in these stories have pushed me in a way I never could have expected going in. Many of these stories will be living with me for a long, long time, and I know that the next time I revisit them, I will find and learn so much more than I did my first time around.

While some stories were very good this book didn't work for much as much as I thought. the writing is good but I just felt the story telling was too all over the place

This was a lovely collection of short stories. A few of the shortest stories felt a bit rushed and/or inconsequential but overall this was a delight.

Mubanga Kalimamukwento’s Obligations to the Wounded is a bold collection of short stories. Focusing on Zambian women, the stories explore motherhood, daughterhood, immigration, gender, cultural expectations and much more. Like in all short story collections, there are ones you connect to more than others, but Kalimamukwento’s voice is so present and her touch is light and deft given the seriousness of some of the themes. Thank you to #netgalley and University of Pittsburgh Press for this ARC.

Thanks to NetGalley & University of Pittsburgh Press for the ARC!

Mubanga Kalimamukwento’s "Obligations to the Wounded" is a crackling collection of short stories about Zambian women, defined by an impressively light touch for such heavy themes.

These stories focus on characters who are surrounded by people who feel no obligation to care. Whether it’s a daughter navigating the fractures of her own family history through her mother’s dementia or a girl exploring her gender identity in the wake of her father’s death, these are stories of cultural constraints and the way they are navigated.

Obviously, there is some really dark subject matter, but I think it’s telling that the book’s title refers to “the wounded,” not “the victims.” Kalimamukwento treats her characters with such care, ensuring that that while they may be injured, they are never objects—these stories are told vibrantly but never graphically. The author’s writing style feels richly lived-in, and she has an amazing ability to situate characters believably in history and culture, whether we’re reading about a young, queer girl forced into polygamous marriage, lifelong favoritism toward sons, or impending deportation from the United States.

Personally, I think the first half of the book feels more developed than the latter half, but there are some notable exceptions—“#BaileyLies” is an incredible online back-and-forth between a Zambian journalist and a white, opportunistic memoirist who writes exactly the kind of exploitative, “humanitarian” book you would expect. It’s difficult to write believably about online discourse because it’s already such a heightened space, but Kalimamukwento does so with a steady hand, and this piece is a great example of how she is able to craft thematically knotty stories that never feel dense or clumsily blunt. This is such a meaningfully intentional book.

All in all, "Obligations to the Wounded" is excellent, and I look forward to reading "The Mourning Bird" as soon as I get a chance.

This book was not what I expected it to be, and was all the better for it. The collections of stories written inspired fear, sadness, understanding and a lack thereof. The heaviness of certain stories within will be felt for some time. I know this is a work of fiction, but the words ring true in so many ways. I am thankful to have read this and look forward to purchasing this book for my own home library.

Thank you, #NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of #ObligationstotheWounded by #MubangaKalimamukwento ! #review #NetGalley

4.25/5*

Long Story Short: Based solely on feelings, each story should have its own book.

Obligations to the Wounded by Mubanga Kalimamukwento is a short story collection centered on motherhood, migration, and how everything in between builds family dynamics. That is, Kalimamukwento explores the rift created by the separation of those who stay in Zimbabwe and those who leave for the US. Hers are show-don’t-tell stories where the role of Zimbabwean culture and traditions is never forgotten and is positioned against the backdrop of external elements. Therefore, questions such as the US treatment of migrants or parental expectations are brought up to demonstrate a need to perform a role that justifies one’s existence in society, thus avoiding alterity.

The author does an amazing job of capturing moments frozen in time and space and sustained by emotions. A great care for word choice and cadence is noticeable, making each story feel distinct from the others, its own experience.

Some of them, however, need a little more polishing. This is the case of “#baileylies,” which, despite being a bit confusing, has an interesting idea behind it and focuses on cancel culture and social media.

Overall, and taking into consideration that this review was based on an uncorrected version, there is no denying the potential of Obligations to the Wounded, which at its best will likely be comparable to some great names within the field of migration literature.

I’m glad I took a chance on this short story collection from an author born in Zambia. I knew nothing of Zambia and couldn’t place it on an African map. I most certainly had preconceptions (prejudices, let’s be honest) on the types of stories that I would find in this collection. But instead, it extended far beyond the clichés of African hardships and highlighted different aspects of the female experience.

Speaking of prejudices, I really laughed at the story where a Zambian woman stalks an all-American girl-influencer online for selling a book about her experience in Zambia, which proves not only fake, but also full of clichés, and with all the facts wrong!

Of course I didn’t love each of the stories equally. Some were quite violent, and others emotional. Some I didn’t quite get, some made me feel anger and sadness about some traditional prejudices impacting the life and well-being of women still today. I also liked the balanced view on Zambian women wishing to emigrate to the United Stages, and the immigrant experience in the US itself, fraught with other difficulties and dangers. The 16 stories are quite rich and well worth exploring.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley. I received a free copy of this book for review consideration.

Really liked these short stories. each story felt like a gut punch while reading it. cried a lot tbh. I was not expecting that. I also love the writing and how the characters have their own voice and really came to life. I enjoyed it a lot.

This is a rich and wonderful collection of stories showcasing the diverse experiences of women and girls in Southern Africa.

Whilst interrogating many of the traditional attitudes faced by Zambian women, the stories also look at the situation from a globalist perspective, incorporating many of the everyday aspects of modern life, including social media and relationship issues.

Offering insights into a cultural landscape that many will be unfamiliar with, this is a collection well worth reading.

One of the most eye opening pieces of writing i’ve ever read.

Really enjoyed reading this as it allowed me to a different cultures practices and struggles that I otherwise would not have.

This was beautiful and at times difficult to read which I feel only builds on how wonderful of a collection of short stories it was.