Son of Woman in Mombosa by Charles Mangua

About Charles Mangua

Son of Woman in Mombosa by Charles Mangua

Published in 1990, Son of Woman in Mombasa is the sequel to Charles Mangua's notorious 1971 bestseller. Picking up where the first novel left off, it follows the exploits of Dodge Kiunya as he embarks on a career as a blackmarketeer and contemplates running for a political seat. Chock-full of Mangua's satirical humour, the novel presents a fictionalised portrayal of Kenyan maleness in the post-independence era. (Booksafricana) The shift to Mombasa gives the novel a fresh setting — the Swahili coast with its distinct culture, its Arab and Indian merchant communities, and its proximity to the sea — which Mangua uses to comment on the diversity and contradictions of Kenyan identity. Dodge remains as morally flexible and entertainingly roguish as ever, making this sequel a satisfying and sharp continuation of one of Kenya's most beloved literary characters.