Seasons in Hippoland

Victoriana is a land of truthful lies, where reality has uncertain meaning. Ruled by an Emperor for Life, who is dying from an illness not officially acknowledged, the elite goes along with the charade and children are conditioned to conform.

Mumbi, a rebellious child from the capital of Westville, and her brother are sent to live in rural Hippoland. But what was meant to be a punishment turns out to be a glorious discovery of the magic of the land, best captured in the stories their eccentric aunt Sara tells them. Most captivating to the children is the tale of a porcelain bowl supposed to possess healing powers.

Returning to Westville as an adult, Mumbi spreads the story throughout the city and to the entire country. Exhausted by years of endless bleak lies, the people are fascinated by the mystery of the porcelain bowl. When word of its healing powers reaches the Emperor himself, he commands Mumbi to find it for him – with dramatic consequences for everyone in Victoriana.

Captivating and enchanting, Seasons in Hippoland plays with the tradition of magic realism. Every image in this novel is a story, and every story is a call for resistance to anyone who tries to confine our imagination or corrupt our humanity.

Praise for Seasons in Hippoland

‘Magical realism spirals into political resistance in Seasons in Hippoland, a clever and charming novel from Kenyan author Wanjiku Wa Ngugi…’

— Sydney Morning Herald/The Age

‘Part fairy tale, part political parable, Seasons in Hippoland is a powerful novel whose women are resilient and creative in the face of oppression.’

— Foreword Reviews