Becoming The Muse

Weeping Tomato Book Review

Weeping Tomato is a 2024 Afrofuturism, magical realism novel written by Samantha Rumbidzai Vazhure, a multi-award winning author of The Mire Painting A Mirage, Starfish Blossoms and other bodies of work. It was published by Carnelian Heart Publishing on 29 November 2024.

The premise of the story revolves around an online romance between souls caught in a cosmic tide which ripples across time and tradition…

The Good

I am a huge fan of African Fantasy tales and Weeping Tomato dips into the rich wealth of African Mythology to create a body of work that not only honours and celebrates our roots but quests for answers and equality. The cover art and title are thought provoking without giving much away and neither does the book summary.. so I shant either, you read the book blind as it was meant to be.

Samantha weaves a gripping narrative that draws you in from the prologue which paints a vivid picture of a futuristic Zimbabwe, re-imagining ancient lore of the Great Zimbabwe fused with Chikaranga traditions to the tumultuous passion of twin souls.

I was pleasantly surprised and honoured to find a central character make mention of the Afrobloggers Wednesday Poetry Evenings, a prompted poetry session hashtagged ABWPE which I curate every Wednesday night on @Afrobloggers (subject to electricity blues and internet connectivity of course) on the platform formally known as Twitter.

Those familiar with Afrobloggers and the poetry prompts, might find that it gave the tale a certain relatability as connections and relationships have been forged around the community of storytellers. If you have never heard of the community perhaps this is your sign from the universe that you can find your digital tribe maybe even twin soul on the interwebs…. Naturally the novel is stitched together with shapely poetic musings punctuating the atmosphere.

A compelling fictional story blends historical fact, with truth and personal experience, Weeping Tomato, does just that and even though it states that it’s a work of fiction you cant help draw parallels and wonder if certain characters represent certain characters.

Weeping Tomato is a tale aspiring authors, poets, and anyone feeling trapped in circumstance; be it colonial heritage or immigration, can see pieces of themselves, where all you want is an easy life and maybe create something impactful but the world, society and culture are black holes that just take and take and take….  Leaving you stuck in a circle where the grass looks greener on the other side.

Its an unashamedly Zimbabwean tale, that incorporates ghetto lingo and Chikaranga giving a local perspective of Zimbabwe and a diasporian perspective for those who have pursued the Zimbabwean dream; to leave Zimbabwe… It also comes with a rich glossary that defines words and phrases used making it great for one curious to immerse themselves into a Zimbabwean cultural experience.

The Bad

I felt click baited by the prologue which was steeped in magical realism, only to find myself in a mundane, present day, whirlwind online romance tale which kept me wondering how it all connected… it eventually adds up… but I still felt cheated and would have preferred more time spent on the other side…

The switch up between worlds and time frames can be a bit jarring and the ending will have you wanting to have words with the author on that what did I just read tip, yes it’s a fictional tale but whats really real and whats not…

Fair warning: do not start reading this book if you have deadlines or need to sleep early because once caught in its swirling tide you might not be able to put it down till the last page.

The Ugly

Fiction allows truth to be coloured outside the usual lines and Weeping Tomato is a roller-coaster ride that lays bear some ugly truths on culture and society… From marriage, patriarchy, feminism and infidelity to racism, classism, addiction and the lies people tell not only others but themselves.

Weeping Tomato is a hard hitting quest for answers we can only find within and its an uneasy ride for one to be confronted with a mirror with a sliver of their soul in it… is that why the tomato is weeping?

Final Thoughts

Weeping Tomato is a bold and poetic quest reimagining the African narrative, a curious tale about twin souls, soul mates and a world where there is something for everyone…