Book Review: For You I'd Steal A Goat by Niq Mhlongo

The title of this book is quite interesting, and that drew me to it. I was curious. The first story, "The Unwelcomed Guest", cracked me up real good, especially the last part where the rats were falling off the ceiling. In the words of the author, "it was raining rats." I was actually having a bad day, but this book lifted up my spirit and i let it all out. I love to laugh, and I understood the humor. This story also talks about the unity of a family. Against all odds, they were able to fight for what is rightfully theirs. That is the moral of the story. The bond that held the family together through thick and thin, was admirable. How the kids were able to stand up for their parents, the demonstration of loyalty, solidarity and unconditional love. All of these can be seen from this story. 

While reading, i thought to myself, "this author should have been Nigerian." Only Nigerians throw playful banters that hit just right. I loved the title of each short story, they were just perfect. I liked that the writer infused his South African culture, language and lifestyle into the book. However, I did put it upon myself to pronounce the names regardless of how complicated they appeared. As a lover of diverse culture, i was intrigued by the stories and way of life. I loved the narration styles as well. "My Lover's Secret" was brilliant. The style of narration was mysterious, and it was as if i was unveiling more truths as i dived into it. I loved how the author was very vague and how gradually he dropped the whole gist. That too, at the end of the story. The protagonist's name was mentioned just once, and in the beginning of the story, i wasn't sure if it was a male or female. Gina's hypocrisy scared me. It left me heartbroken. Nobody deserves to be treated that way. Friendships are often regarded as sanctuaries of trust, support, and understanding. However, like any relationship, they can be susceptible to hypocrisy. When one friend talks behind another's back, pretends to be supportive but secretly undermines, or acts differently depending on who else is around, that is pure evil and witchery. 

I honestly thought this writer was a woman till I looked him up and realised he was infact a man. Most of the stories had women on the spotlight. It was beautiful and empowering. The stories in this book took me to different points in my life. Childhood, uni, love, friendships, and so on. The book is also very relatable. Again, I'd say that the humour was spot on. Perhaps more writers should adopt this. I love short stories, and I definitely enjoyed reading this as well. One of the best moments I had with this book was actually talking to the author Niq Mhlongo and telling him how appreciative i was of his work.