“You cannot have a secret in Kigali, Auntie. Eyes have no curtains here.” – Baking Cakes in Kigali
This novel entertains us with a cast of colorful characters filling up various, vibrant storylines. Many of the stories are embodied by the cakes Angel’s customers order and the festivities they are celebrating – because it’s always a celebration with cake.
Angel is, and behaves like, “a professional somebody” and works very hard to maintain that status. She provides confidentially to all her customers for the stories that unfold over tea, cake and the Cake Order Form. Her persistence on another cup of tea, however, is her compassion and empathy for every person in the story from all walks of life.
“When someone is upset it is only tea that can help, when someone is happy, tea is like a mother’s embrace.” – Baking Cakes in Kigali
“Thank you for being someone who has ears that want to hear my story and a heart that wants to understand it.” – Baking Cakes in Kigali
The book touches on many women’s issues, from traveling in a skirt, feminist volunteers (or were they lesbians?) to cutting & “the change”, things that may or may not be easy to talk about. Angel is wise to know if she cannot teach the children herself about their bodies, sex and HIV/AIDS, at least she can take them to a center where they can learn in a safe place the difference between condoms and cardamom.
“Yes, like bread… I’ve watched the women making bread at the centre. The ingredients do nothing on their own, but when they’re all together, they stick together and rise. They get beaten down and they rise again.” – Baking Cakes in Kigali
Touching but not dwelling on Rwanda’s recent tragic past, the book also presses on into the collision between traditional values and a modern and ever-globalizing world. After entertaining you with a story about converting waste to biofuel, as you leave to say goodbye, Angel may remind you to take a flashlight because there is no full moon to see by tonight. Parkin provides vivid descriptions of daily life in Africa and of how our generosity with our resources, our skills, and our compassion can bring us, different people, together and help drive forward.
“Auntie, in Kinyarwanda we say that a hoe cannot be damaged by a stone that is exposed. I think it means that the truth will hurt us only if it remains hidden.” – Baking Cakes in Kigali
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
1. Which was your favorite character or story from the book?
2. Which topic that she touched on would you like to learn more about?
