Nhamo grows up in a traditional Shona village and family. How do her cultural customs and beliefs shape her sense of self? Consider the ways in which Nhamo’s family and community see women, marriage, and social hierarchies.

Nhamo grows up as an orphan and struggles with the nature of family. How do her parents’ absences influence how she understands herself? How do her relationships with her other family members complicate her role in her family and village?

Nhamo is attached to a magazine cover featuring a margarine ad. What role does the cover play in Nhamo’s conceptions of love and acceptance? What is its wider significance in the novel?