All That It Ever Meant

When Mati, her two siblings and her father experience the devastating loss of their mother, her father Baba, decides to return to their homeland of Zimbabwe. The family packs up and takes an expedition/road trip across the country to visit some of the amazing sites that the country holds. Within such a confined space and with a lot of travelling time on their hands, the family are drawn ever closer together to confront the shattering loss of their mum, and Baba's wife.

During the trip, family secrets unfold and truths are told. However, unbeknownst to everyone on the trip except Mati, they are also joined by the enigma/ghost-like figure that is Meticais. Only Mati can talk to and see this ethereal presence. Meticais is a gender-neutral, larger-than-life character, who appears to Mati throughout the novel. They ask her to tell them their story. Whilst telling Meticais their family story, she is confronted with having to face many obstacles which include confronting her own grief.

With Mati as the narrator, and as her story unfolds, we begin to understand not only the devastating loss that she is facing, but also some of the issues that her family faces on a daily basis, living between two cultures and the impact this has had on their lives. Mati tells the story of her family with such authenticity. Her grief at the loss of her mother is tangible, but also the relationships she has between her siblings and her father are so genuine.

In All That It Ever Meant, Blessing Musariri skilfully uses the premise of the family road trip to build the story, slowly shaping the novel to its shocking and revealing climax. There are no spoilers here, however; as you read the novel you are compelled to understand how the family feels about their British and Shona identities and how this plays out in their everyday lives. Musariri really gives the reader an insight into the characters' inner-most thoughts and feelings.

Musariri's novel is also interspersed with magical realism in the shape of the larger-than-life, gender neutral, enigmatic figure that is Meticais. Mati is the only person who can see them and you never know exactly when they are going to appear in the novel or why she is the only person that can see them. When Meticais does appear, Mati is able to tell her story and reflect on her family history. As she does so she begins to see her family and their experiences in a different light.

I loved the element of magical realism in the book, it really adds to the story. At the beginning this may be confusing for some readers who have not come across this before, but Blessing Musariri's use of this device really does enhance the story to its shocking end.

I would recommend this book to readers aged 14+ due to the themes of loss and the young adult issues that are explored in the book.

192 pages / Reviewed by Julie Broadbent, school librarian

Suggested Reading Age 14+