So, I love finding books at the library. I found this book on display at my local library. I was immediately drawn to the picture on the cover. Whoever was the librarian who put out those featured books that day was on point! MashaAllah I found quite a few books that day and this particular find led me to many others. This book, The House of Unexpected Sisters by Alexander McCall Smith was the first that I had read from the author. It is actually part of a series about the main character, Mma Precious Ramotswe, the owner/operator of Botswana’s fictional No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. This book series actually inspired a short-lived television series with the same name starring Jill Scott as Mma Precious Ramotswe.
This book, like other books in the series, follows Mma Ramotswe on her adventures solving a few cases or problems that her clients bring to her. The stories of these adventures are interwoven with mundane tidbits of daily life as well as numerous mentions of Mma Ramotswe’s African Red Bush Tea habit. In this particular book, we are delighted by finding out more about Mma Ramotswe’s past and joining her on a journey of unexpected revelations of her own. I really enjoyed this book. Much of the book is sort of an ode to the old Botswana, as are other books in the series. The author’s ability to put you in the main character’s mind with simple language and clear descriptions gives the reader a longing for Botswana. I find it refreshing to read a book set in Africa that is down to Earth without being depressing or overly political.
Her Solitary Musings 