Orange for the Sunsets

Part of Ugandan President Idi Amin's Africanization policy included ordering Indian residents to leave Uganda within ninety days. Brought to the country in 1895 as laborers, Indians eventually became a privileged class, to the resentment of some native Ugandans. The story of twelve-year-old best friends Asha and Yesofu takes place during the expulsion period in 1972. Asha's family is wealthy, educated, and Indian. Yesofu's family is poor, uneducated, and black. While Asha doesn't see the distinction ("We're Ugandans. Just like you"), Yesofu can't ignore their differences. Asha receives superior medical care; Yesofu is prohibited from entering certain places. Author Athaide (who was born in Uganda of Indian descent) probes questions of nationalism, poverty, and privilege in original and compelling ways. The novel examines how institutions built on the oppression of a native population can change a culture, and it asks: who is African? Eschewing a saccharine conclusion of reconciliation, Athaide explores Asha's recognition that some differences cannot be easily bridged. Anchored in historical research and autobiographical remembrance, with additional context provided by an author's note, childhood photographs, a timeline, and additional resources, this is a heartbreaking and resonant tale. julie hakim azzamMarch/April 2019 p 75