Book Review: The Mzungu Boy by Meja Mwangi

The Mzungu Boy by Meja Mwangi is a book originally published in Africa in the 1990s and released to North America in the early 2000s. The novel follows two young boys, an African boy named Kariuki and his new English friend Nigel. Together the two boys explore the forest and the rivers surrounding Kariuki’s village in Africa, getting into a lot of trouble along the way.

Growing up in a village in central Kenya in the 1950s, Kariuki has a lot of responsibilities and not a lot of time for fun. The village is owned and run by a white man called Bwana Ruin, who claims to be a generous boss for allowing the people to live and work on his land. Kariuki has to help his mother with chores, such as fetching water, cutting firewood, and harvesting crops. However, Kariuki’s life is changed after he meets Nigel, the young grandson of Bwana Ruin. Nigel fascinates Kariuki because he provides insight into the life of Bwana Ruin and the other white people. The villagers had always been told that white people were closer to god and that they were better in many ways, including that they could see in the dark. Nigel discredits all of these false claims, and Kariuki comes to realize that Nigel is just a boy like him. The pair start to go off on adventures, even though Kariuki is forbidden from partaking in most of the activities that Nigel enjoys, like fishing and hunting on Bwana Ruin’s land. This does not stop the two young boys from having their fun though.

One day, the boys decide to take on an impressive challenge, hunting Old Moses, the giant warthog that lives in the plains. They gather up the village dogs and set off to lure the beast out. The situation quickly gets out of hand, though, and the two are scared off. However, they do not give up on their quest. A few days later, the boys venture out again, this time with Bwana Ruin’s fierce attack dogs, Salt and Pepper. Unfortunately, the team is no match for the giant warthog. The chase moves into the dense forest, and the boys are separated from each other after Kariuki injures his foot stepping on a thorn. Kariuki tries to catch up to Nigel, but after stumbling upon the dead body of Pepper the dog, he is terrified and runs home. Nigel does not return home though, and the whole village quickly learns of his disappearance. Bwana Ruin’s soldiers gather the people of the village and interrogate them, trying to figure out what happened to Bwana Ruin’s grandson. Kariuki is distraught with worry and guilt and has no idea what happened to his friend, but what could he possibly do to find him?

This novel tells a powerful story about friendship and adventure, an unlikely combination during the 1950s in Kenya. The friendship between Kariuki and Nigel is forbidden by many people, including Kariuki’s parents, who feared losing their jobs if Bwana Ruin found out how his grandson was spending his days. The ignorance of the boys to the feuds of the adults is a theme throughout the story. Neither boy quite understands why any of their actions could be seen as negative. They simply are friends and have fun together. What could be wrong with that?

Throughout the book, Mwangi focuses on this innocence of the boys. The author does a fantastic job of conveying the positivity of their friendship in such a dark time. In a publisher’s note at the end of the book, there is information about the history of Kenya during the time that this book takes place. Much of Kenya during the 1950s was owned by European settlers that exploited the native Kenyans that they had working on their land. This exploitation led to the Mau Mau Rebellion, a battle lasting years and ending with over 12,000 casualties, most of which were native people. While this history is only referenced in the book, the author still is able to convey the troubles of the time in a way that is impactful because he focuses on the effects it has on a young boy. However, even with the negativity, the bond of friendship forged through these struggles remains unbroken.

Overall, I found this book to be very interesting and enjoyable. Mwangi made both of the main boys in the story very likeable, and I found myself worrying for their safety but rooting for their friendship. It would have been easier on both boys to simply end their friendship and go their separate ways at the first sign of trouble, but they stood up for what they wanted and remained friends. The Mzungu Boyis a universal story that could be enjoyed by those of all ages and cultures because it exemplifies the idea of overcoming prejudices to simply do what is right.

Works Cited:

Mwangi, Meja. The Mzungu Boy. Longhorn Publishers, 1990.