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Confession of the Lioness: A Novel Paperback – October 11, 2016

by Mia Couto (Author), David Brookshaw (Translator)
3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 129 ratings
Editors' pick Best Literature & Fiction

A dark, poetic mystery about the tribal women of Kulumani and the lionesses that hunt them

Told through two haunting interwoven diaries, Mia Couto's Confession of the Lioness reveals the enigmatic world of Kulumani, an isolated village in Mozambique whose traditions and beliefs are threatened when ghostlike lionesses begin hunting and killing the women who live there.

The young Mariamar, whose sister was recently killed in an attack, has been imprisoned by her father in his home. Meanwhile, a marksman, the outsider Archangel Bullseye, has arrived to track the deadly lionesses, but as he pursues them in the wilderness, the hunt proves deadlier than imagined. As the predators continue to close in, and the village confronts the forces of modernity, it becomes clear that the lionesses may not be animals at all, but the spirits conjured by the village women’s ancient witchcraft.

Both a riveting mystery and a poignant examination of women’s oppression, this darkly poetic novel combines reality, superstition, and magical realism to startling effect.

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  1. Print length
    208 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Picador
  4. Publication date
    October 11, 2016
  5. Dimensions
    5.15 x 0.51 x 8.04 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    1250097266
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1250097262
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Editorial Reviews

Review

“Masterfully wrought . . . Confession of the Lioness sings with the musical nuance of a poem.” ―Heather Scott Partington, Los Angeles Times

“Couto's work doesn't so much blur the generic and stylistic boundaries we normally draw as explode them . . . Confession of the Lioness reads as a parable of human savagery and its consequences. It shows how humans might transform, literally and metaphorically, into animals; how violence, once committed, takes on an independent and inexorable life.” ―Anthony Domestico, The Boston Globe

“Myths, magic, tradition and reality intersect to the extent that it becomes difficult to tell them apart. . . [Couto's] magical realism is never too cute, instead leaning toward a dispassionate, documentary portrayal of unlikely interpretations of ugly events” ―Dave Burdick, The Denver Post

“It's an old-fashioned tale whose earthy wisdom and shimmering magic will make you want to discover more of Couto's work.” ―Nicole Jones, Vanity Fair

“A meditation on the nature of memory . . . [Couto is] a brilliant aphorist. There are countless sentences that, in David Brookshaw's clean-cut translation from the Portuguese, have the weight and wisdom of ancient proverbs.” ―Sam Sacks, The Wall Street Journal

“A rich tale in which the spirit world is made real, animals are controlled by people, and dead ancestors are feared for their power to destroy cities. Couto also manages to explore the clash of disparate belief systems-tribal, Islam, Christian-in postcolonial Africa and deftly weaves in a critique of the embedded patriarchy” ―Kirkus Reviews

“Couto weaves a surreal mystery of humanity against nature, men against women, and tradition against modernity.” ―Publishers Weekly

“Both a riveting mystery and a poignant examination of women's oppression, Confession of the Lionessexplores the confrontation between the modern world and ancient traditions to produce an atmospheric, gripping novel.” ―Carolina Matos, Portuguese American Journal

About the Author

Mia Couto, born in Mozambique in 1955, is one of the most prominent writers in Portuguese-speaking Africa. After studying medicine and biology, he worked as a journalist and headed several Mozambican national newspapers and magazines. Couto has been awarded the Camões Prize for Literature and the prestigious Neustadt International Prize for Literature, among other awards. He was also short-listed for the 2017 IMPAC DUBLIN Literary Award and was a finalist for the Man Booker International Prize in 2015. He lives in Maputo, where he works as a biologist.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Picador; Reprint edition (October 11, 2016)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 208 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1250097266
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1250097262
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 7.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.15 x 0.51 x 8.04 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.6 3.6 out of 5 stars 129 ratings

Customer reviews

3.6 out of 5 stars
129 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers praise the writing quality as beautiful, poetic, and easy to read. However, opinions differ on the narrative quality - some find it dual-narrative and easy to follow, while others feel confused or lost in the first few chapters.

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4 customers mention "Writing quality"4 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing quality of the book. They find the prose beautiful and poetic. The book is described as an easy read with a unique, mystical story about women struggling with issues.

"...The book is short and an easy read. Just don't expect everything to be explained and make complete sense." Read more

""Confession of the Lioness" is a beautiful, dual-narrative tale that recounts the issues in modern-day issues in Mozambique using the guise..." Read more

"Slow to get into but a beautifully written, poetic piece about women struggling with their power and lives. Especially in an oppressed village." Read more

"Great book" Read more

6 customers mention "Narrative quality"2 positive4 negative

Customers have different views on the narrative quality. Some find it engaging with a dual narrative, while others feel the story is confusing and difficult to follow.

"Interesting cultural. A bit hard to follow the story. We thought there was a lot of metaphor." Read more

"...The story is presented in two separate narratives, one being the hunter, Archie, and the other is Mariamar, a young woman of the village who has..." Read more

"...Sadly, the two "viewpoint" narratives were at best tedious and I found the overall "dark mood" of the book to be depressing rather..." Read more

"It is a confused story. I was not always clear which character was talking.What part of the local culture is the lion ?..." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Gettysburg Girl
    4.0 out of 5 stars Unique and Well-Written Mystical Story - How Many Lionesses Are There?
    Reviewed in the United States on July 28, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I have never been to Africa, but apparently the people there have many more strong and mystical beliefs than I would have thought possible. There is a serious connection between them and the animals that roam their lands.

    It's rather hard to describe this book because I felt much of it was left to my own interpretations which is certainly based upon my personal beliefs and upbringing. The culture of the Western Hemisphere is so vastly different, you must ignore your own experiences and imagine yourself in a country where you don't speak the language and scientific knowledge is somewhat ignored or rejected in people's everyday lives.

    The story is presented in two separate narratives, one being the hunter, Archie, and the other is Mariamar, a young woman of the village who has been in love with him since she was sixteen...while Archie has no recollection of their previous meeting or "relationship". Mariamar's sister is the most recent victim of the lions and the reason Archie is hired to return.

    Their village in Mozambique seems to be a patriarchal society, but the most fascinating characters to me are the women - Mariamar, her mother, Hanifa, and particularly the administrator's wife, Naftalinda. It's worth the read for the writing and to meet these women. The book is short and an easy read. Just don't expect everything to be explained and make complete sense.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Nicole M. Means
    5.0 out of 5 stars "Confession of the Lioness" is a beautiful, dual-narrative tale that recounts the issues in modern-day ...
    Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    "Confession of the Lioness" is a beautiful, dual-narrative tale that recounts the issues in modern-day issues in Mozambique using the guise of a lioness. Much of the plot can definitely be left up to the reader's interpretation, but the underlying themes is the same--the plight of the powerless to gain their voice. In the case of the story, the women of Mozambique often are left out of political, social, and even familial discussions. Many of the characters struggle with their past, so much so that they stifle their memories. It isn't until the characters feel power within themselves that their memories resurface, and they can come to terms with their pasts. Many of the characters feel dead in the living world, but it isn't until they embrace how powerful they really are that they can truly live.
    Although this book was translated from Portuguese into English, the prose is beautiful. I found myself up late at night reading and contemplating this beautiful and sad story. However, this story is not black and white--their are many shades of gray that are up to the reader to interpret. Mia Couto is an acclaimed author from Mozambique, and this book, although not his first, will definitely put him on the literary map in America!
    3 people found this helpful
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  • Sarah
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting cultural. A bit hard to follow the story ...
    Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2017
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    Interesting cultural. A bit hard to follow the story. We thought there was a lot of metaphor.
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  • T. Hall
    2.0 out of 5 stars I really wanted to like this book...but,
    Reviewed in the United States on July 27, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    I didn't. Having spent time in southern Africa, I have an affinity for the people of the region, their customs and beliefs - and have an interest in the complex relationship between the indigenous people and the wild animals with whom they live. I had hoped this volume would help me understand that dynamic even more. Sadly, the two "viewpoint" narratives were at best tedious and I found the overall "dark mood" of the book to be depressing rather than illuminating. So, even though it was shortlisted for a distinguished prize, I found the work to be mostly uninteresting and a very difficult read.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Oona Rokyta
    4.0 out of 5 stars Pace yourself here
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2020
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    Slow to get into but a beautifully written, poetic piece about women struggling with their power and lives. Especially in an oppressed village.
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  • Weiser
    5.0 out of 5 stars I confess: I loved it!
    Reviewed in the United States on August 4, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    You just have to read it for yourself. This one is different.
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  • J. Goddard
    3.0 out of 5 stars Hoping for more
    Reviewed in the United States on November 14, 2015
    Verified Purchase
    The book never took off despite a fascinating collection of conceits.
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  • myrtleturtle
    1.0 out of 5 stars Gibberish and Fat shaming
    Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2017
    This is a very odd book. The story is very difficult to follow--I honestly couldn't tell you what happened. There are flashbacks with no connection to the plot and allusions that are never filled out. The parts that I did understand are too heavy-handed The prose doesn't flow and is way too flowery, which may be due to the translation, but they needed to cut back on many an adverb. The characters are barely one-dimensional and the dialogue is not anything a person would say in real life. They have grand epiphanies every couple of paragraphs. At least it's short?

    The main element that turned me off is the author's unnecessarily cruel treatment of the character Naftalinda. Naftalinda is FAT. We know this because every time she enters Couto gives a lurid description of her size: She's waddling into the room, she's voluminous, she's eclipsing the sun, she's causing a car to groan on its suspensions. On the possibility of her being attacked by the lions, he writes, "She is so fleshy that the animals would feel sated and leave the village in peace for many a moon." No other character's physical traits are treated this way.

    Apparently this book was nominated for some awards? Hard to believe.
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Christopher
    3.0 out of 5 stars Interesting for those highly interested in Mozambique
    Reviewed in Canada on December 17, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    An interesting read and a nice supplement to any Mozambique-focused non-fiction reading list. While the real-life material the story is based on is interesting, I didn't find the book particularly compelling. I had really wanted to like this book but I found myself struggling to get through it.
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  • Vigilantius
    5.0 out of 5 stars compellingly real and highly imaginative at the same time
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 12, 2016
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    This is a great act of imagination, a bit like a fairy tale in which a series of protagonists are stuck between worlds, and can only survive if they can reconcile the two. The story is complex and realistic. It is about the aftermath of civil war (1977-1992) in a semi-destroyed Mozambican village - while also being marvellously surreal. We are shown the twilight grip of witchcraft, which sits uneasily with the mental disintegration of girls suffering from sexual abuse.

    The African perspective is delicately and respectfully handled, while only the merest of hints are given about the catastrophic decades of war- bred brutality from which everyone is trying to recover. The human beings at the centre of the story are vulnerable and tentative, compellingly real.

    There are a number of narrators but chiefly Mariamar, a young girl who fears being devoured by a lioness (like her sister supposedly was); and the 'Hunter', a white man brought in from the capital to rid the village of the jungle killer.

    The hunter gradually finds that his own past and the shadowy present are intertwined in unexpected and dangerous ways. The story enfolds from within the minds of the main narrators, giving us the flavour of their shattered lives and the bravery of their tentative steps to acknowledge truths and rebuild human relationships.
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  • Jerzy Sikorski
    4.0 out of 5 stars The Lioness within
    Reviewed in Australia on November 22, 2015
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    Is the threat within or outside us? Is the hunter a failed attempt at purification? The village is under threat and the women suffer, but it is a lioness, not a lion that has killed. An engrossing story.
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  • Amazon Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Captures rural Africa and the spiritual link between man/woman and lions
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 2, 2016
    Verified Purchase
    I know the are it is set in, and spent much time in Mozambique - I also met Mia professionally (as a biologist).

    This is a lovely book and a great story. I'm in no way spiritual but the mysticism in Confessions was perfect for the story.
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