Book Review: Confrontations by Simone Atangana Bekono (translated by Suzanne Heukensfeldt Jansen)

Rating: 3.75⭐️

"Here the idea persists that if you admit that you’ve done something wrong and then show remorse because you’ve had a difficult childhood, or a trauma, or are different from the rest, you will rehabilitate better. That’s a word I find really ridiculous, rehabilitate. As if there’s such a thing as a possibility that you could ‘return to a former condition.’ That’s what it says in the dictionary. Return to a former condition. As if time allows, as if time pauses and will wait for you while you get your shit in order. Time does what it wants and you fight against it.”

Confrontations by Simone Atangana Bekono (translated by Suzanne Heukensfeldt Jansen) revolves around sixteen-year-old Salomé Atabong, daughter of a Cameroonian father and a Dutch mother, living in the Netherlands sentenced to six months in juvenile detention for a violent act, the details of which are gradually revealed. The narrative follows Salome as she comes to terms with the consequences of act of the violence she committed, her resistance to being “rehabilitated”, her equations with her family members, and her friction with the psychologist she perceives as racist on account of insensitive remarks made while a participant in a reality show some years. Complicating matters further for her are her father’s terminal diagnosis and the treatment meted out to her and her fellow detainees by the authorities of “the Donut” as they refer to the detention facility.

With sparse yet poetic prose, sharp writing, and complex characters, this novel is an intense read. The author does a remarkable job of depicting Salomé’s complexity and confusion. Her underlying anger toward the world around her is palpable, as is her pain. In the course of her journey of self-exploration, Salome ponders over the circumstances that led her to act the way she did, attempting to analyze her motivations, her sense of self-worth and her plans for the future. The story touches upon themes such as racism and racial identity, societal expectations and stereotyping, bullying and violence, detention and rehabilitation of minors and terminal illness, among others. The narrative is a tad disjointed and constantly switches between past and present (often abruptly), which takes a bit of time to get used to but overall, I found this to be a powerful, thought-provoking read.

Many thanks to Bloomsbury USA for the digital review copy via NetGalley. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.