The Blue Taxi

by: N.S. Koenings

Published by: Little, Brown

Reviewed by Karen Morse

Set in the east African city of Vunjamguu, The Blue Taxi is the story of two isolated characters and a romance that develops under the most unlikely of circumstances.

Raised by nuns in the interior of the unnamed country, Belgian-born Sarie Turner is staid. Now married to an Englishman, who has been unemployed since Independence, she lives in the bustling Kikanga neighborhood with her young daughter, Agatha.

M.G. Jeevanjee, an eccentric better known as "Mad Majid Ghulam," lives in self-imposed exile in his once-fine mansion. Odd man out in a successful Muslim Indian family, Majid never recovered from the death of his wife Hayaam, despite the constant presence of his five boisterous sons.

When 9-year-old Tahir Majid Jeevanjee is hit by a drunk driver, witnesses Sarie and Agatha Turner are drawn to his side. Together they administer emergency first aid--Sarie preparing a tourniquet, while Agatha cares for Tahir's amputated foot--leaving his side only when medical help arrives.

Spurred on by Agatha, Sarie decides to visit Tahir who is recuperating at home. There she meets Tahir's father Majid. When the pair begins to talk, each realizes their utter loneliness. Seeking solace in each other, their relationship becomes both sexual and emotional. As their relationship develops, both Sarie and Majid change for the better, surprising their family members as they begin to self-actualize.

In this dreamy novel, the author demonstrates her understanding of postcolonial east African and its character. Her Vunjamguu is a vibrant town teeming with locals and expats of all sorts. The pacing, however, is slow, but never tedious in this finely wrought debut.

Koenings' ability to make readers intimate with her characters is what sets this novel apart. The Blue Taxi is peopled with individuals who have enough life to step off the page. The only exception is the children, who are rarely in focus.

N.S. Koenings is currently Visiting Assistant Professor of Fiction Writing at Hampshire College. Her short stories have appeared in literary magazines: Glimmer Train and Story Quarterly.

Armchair Interviews says: The Blue Taxi is a fine debut. Expect more literary fiction from this author in the future.