Germany :: Reading Note – Nankap: The First of the Name. :: Germany
Nankap is the first novel by Adrien Nanfah (www.adriennanfah.com), a 36-year-old novelist living and working as a computer scientist in Germany.
Adrien Nanfah would have drawn his inspiration from the legend of Nankap, founder of his native Batoufam, a small village in western Cameroon. According to the summary, the story takes place in an unspecified region of Africa, at the beginning of the 13th century.
The young Nankap, exiled and servant at the Baling palace who grew up in comfort, sees his world turned upside down when Gimé, his guardian, on the verge of death, decides to reveal to him the tragic history of his family. Determined to discover this past, the young man will travel to his country of origin.
He will be confronted with an unknown and legendary world. Eventually, a revelation will break him to the point where he will spend more years seeking redemption. From the beginning, the author immerses us in an African court. The descriptions are simple and pictorial.
We begin a day of hunting with Nankap, the hero, and Tanò, a young character who acts as a cadet. It was on this day that things started to get tough for them.
What I liked: A captivating story. I held on well. The story is constructed and surprising. We are transported to a pre-colonial Africa with conflicts and wars. The themes covered are deep and timeless, the importance of family, the strength of brotherhood, religion and respect for nature to name just a few. The writing is simple and airy.
We don’t stumble over a word or an expression. No need for a dictionary.
What I liked less Some characters are very alive, but others could be better developed. We hope that there will be a sequel to explore these characters in more depth. In summary, it was a great read, a story worthy of an epic film. Adrien Nanfah’s imagination seems never to dry up. My verdict: Read it!
To get the book from Amazon: NANKAP: THE FIRST NAME
