Nervous Conditions: 'With its searing observations, devastating exploration of the state of "not being", wicked humour and astonishing immersion ... is a masterpiece.' Madeleine Thien

Tambudzai dreams of education, but her hopes only materialise after her brother's death, when she goes to live with her uncle. At his mission school, her critical faculties develop rapidly, bringing her face to face with a new set of conflicts involving her uncle, his education and his family. Tsitsi Dangarembga's quietly devastating first novel offers a portrait of Zimbabwe, where enlightenment brings its own profound dilemmas.