The Red Moon

July 23, 2001
First-time novelist Haulsey explores the complex subject of female circumcision in this harrowing, bleakly beautiful tale of the ultra-traditional Samburu tribe of Kenya. Nineteen-year-old Nasarian is an outsider many times over: not just the "half-breed" daughter of a Somali mother and a Samburu father, but also a book-smart student who has (so far) successfully resisted her elders' efforts to circumcise her for marriage. When both her parents die, she is left defenseless, in the "care" of her cousin Lalasi, and given the job of tending to his young daughter, Nasieku, who is neglected by a battered, drunken mother. Despite the apparently lenient terms of the arrangement, Nasarian flees to the forest, where, in the company of two elderly elephant mothers, she meditates at length on the brutal, death-scarred lives of her parents, who eventually found solace in the traditions of Samburu ancestors. But for Nasarian, embracing tradition is impossible—especially after she has to watch helplessly as Lalasi orders nine-year-old Nasieku to be circumcised in a procedure that soon kills her. Writing in a stark but delicate style that seems to mimic the terrain, Haulsey unsparingly depicts the miseries of East African tribal life: routine domestic violence, alcoholism and disease, as well as the complications of polygamy and ritual circumcision. But there are no snap judgments here, as Nasarian's tortured ambivalence gives the novel subtlety and depth. If the ending seems pat—Nasarian enrolls in Columbia University's creative writing program, selling her poems and stories "for a rather reasonable price"—the powerful thrust of the rest of this unflinching tale marks Haulsey as a promising young writer.

August 1, 2001
Haulsey's dramatic and often brutally violent first novel is the story of Nasarian, a scholar and budding feminist reared by the reclusive Samburu tribe in rural Kenya. The racism she encounters as a mixed race childshe is half Kenyan and half Somalianalong with the misogyny of those who denigrate her unwomanly devotion to the written word, make her an especially compelling heroine. While some readers may find the numerous obstacles she confronts and the adversity she overcomes unbelievable, the magnitude of her achievements is nonetheless inspiring. In addition, the window it provides into Kenyan life makes this coming-of-age novel essential reading for anyone interested in Africa and the ways Western ideology has influenced the social mores and ethics of tribal societies. Highly recommended for all public and academic libraries.Eleanor J. Bader, Brooklyn, NY

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2001
Haulsey's first novel is the story of Nasarian, a 19-year-old Kenyan girl from the Samburu tribe. When both of Nasarian's parents die, she and her father's other wives are sent to live with her older brother, Lolorock, who has always hated Nasarian. Lolorock sends Nasarian off to live with a distant cousin, Lalasi, a corrupt government official. Nasarian takes comfort in the fact that Lalasi allows her to continue her schooling, and also in the company of Lalasi's young daughter, Nasieku, a precocious but sweet girl who becomes the most important person in Nasarian's life. But when tragedy strikes, Nasarian finds herself on a different path, attending a university, and falling in love for the first time. When her new love forces her to choose between the ways of her tribe and everything her education offers her, Nasarian realizes she must take a decisive step to take control of her own future. Haulsey has written an absorbing and moving coming-of-age story with a complex heroine who finds more strength within than she dreamed possible.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)