La Bastarda by Trifonia Melibea Obono

The English language version 
of La Bastarda was published
by Feminist Press in 2018

Trifonia Melibea Obono is an Equatoguinean (yes, that's the right word I looked it up) writer, teacher and researcher in the field of gender studies and equality. It is not unexpected then that La Bastarda deals with the systematic misogyny in Spanish speaking sub-Saharan Africa (of which there is only one country - Equatorial Guinea). It is equally unsurprising that the English language version is published by Feminist Press - a small publishing house whose aim is "move the feminist conversation forward".

La Bastarda is Obono's second Spanish language novel - and I think her only one to appear in an English language edition thus far (2025). It was the first book by a female Equatoguinean author to be translated into English.

Trifonia Melibea Obono at the
Spanish Cultural Center in Malabo

According to several online sources Obono is "considered amongst the most brave and avant-garde of modern African writers". However, although many websites make this claim, I can't find anywhere who actually considers this, and (based off La Bastarda alone) I would have to disagree. Not with the brave part. To fight against societal norms
anywhere in the world takes guts. To do so in a country with a shocking low Human Rights Index of 0.19 - and which the US Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor says suffers from amongst other things): murders of civilians by security forces; violence and discrimination against women; government-sanctioned kidnappings; systematic torture of prisoners and detainees by security forces; life threatening conditions in prisons and detention facilities; impunity; and arbitrary arrest and detention and incommunicado detention, is unquestionably brave. 

The flag of Equatorial Guinea features the
national coat of arms in the centre, repleat with 
a delightfully clip-arty tree

But avant-garde? I found La Bastarda to be very straight forward. Actually to the point were it became diminished as a piece of literature. The contents of the book are undeniably powerful, as journalism it works very well, shining a light on the discrimination faced by millions of women - gay and otherwise - in west Africa. But as a novel, it fell short for me. Each character (with the possible and slight exception of the grandmother) is two-dimensional and serves a obviously exists to serve a specific purpose. Even Okomo's realisation of her sexuality (a fact that puts her life in danger) is related as straightforwardly as if she had just decided to have lamb chops for dinner.

Ultimately the novel is interesting and important - but just too simplistic to properly engage.

★★★☆☆