Reader Comments:

Very well written story of a woman living in a male dominated society. Themes are friendship, loyalty, and greed. It could have ended badly but the main characters are left with hope.

… a simply written story about two women and their families living in a rural area of Namibia. i liked the glossary in the back to look up words from the author’s native language. Good overview of customs, social structure and living conditions.

It was easy to imagine spending time with these women. The book immerses the reader in Namibian society in a way that’s accessible to a foreign reader. It deals with issues that deeply impact the characters and their community, but that have global relevance as well. I particularly appreciated Ali’s confusion and frustration at the way others seem to expect her to worship the ground her husband walks on simply because he doesn’t beat her and supports the kids – yes, that’s important, and she loves her husband for more than just those reasons, but are you really going to fawn over someone for meeting minimum standards for a decent human being? How do you respond when your minimum is unattainable for others?

Set in a small Namibian village, The Purple Violet of Oshaantu gives us insight into this African culture, while sharing the universal struggles that women around the world face. It also reflects the strength and power that women have, especially when they work together. This book is not available on most book store shelves, but definitely worth the extra effort to obtain it. Good read.

What a sobering read. While the plot makes one question in the humanity of our people and exposed our rapacious, hoarding, and selfish ways, the author takes me into the fascinating world of the aaWambo people, particularly from the perspective of women living in a deeply patriarchal society, where we do not have exposure to is such a raw manner.