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An Apartment Block in Angola In Transparent City (Biblioasis) by Ondjaki (and translated by Stephen Henighan) an apartment block with a magical burst water pipe is a microcosm for post-war Angola coming under the grips of the transnational corporations and agendas to privatize public goods. This is a refreshing addition to the sub-genre of apartment block fiction (i.e., Tales from Firozsha Baag by Rohinton Mistry and Uhuru Street by M.G. Vassanji). The way Ondjaki weaves together people struggling to live in urban Angola is reminiscent of the way Rohinton Mistry or M.G. Vassanji deliver rich portrayals of subcultures by exploring hyperlocal relationships. But beyond the illuminated relationships is an absurd yet realistic portrayal of a country transitioning from civil war into a world where water can be privatized, and oil profits can be made anywhere, even from under the city itself. The story begins and ends with the city of Luanda in a raging blaze, but in t ....