Siphiwe Gloria Ndlovu's The Theory of Flight (2018) tells the story of Genie, a young woman who spent much of her childhood isolated from the rest of her country and the world in a field of dandelions. But The Theory of Flight doesn't tell just Genie's story; it tells the story of previous generations in Genie's family, including her grandfather and her father. Her grandfather had a strong desire to travel the world. To do so, he ironically walked into the Indian Ocean, killing himself. Additionally, it follows Genie's father and mother and shows how the death of Genie's grandfather affected them both. It is a story about family, generational trauma, and the small things in life.
It would be fair to say that The Theory of Flight was well-received by critics when it was published in 2018. The novel, which is the first in the author's City of Kings trilogy, was awarded the prestigious Windham Campbell Prize and the 2019 Barry Ronge Fiction Prize. Further reinforcing these awards, Kate Sidley of Sunday Times wrote, "Ndlovu is a gifted storyteller, skillfully interweaving the real and the magical, beauty and devastation, historical and personal perspectives, simplicity and complexity. She has a vivid imagination and the tale shimmers with magic…A marvelous and unusual flight of fancy. When Genie dies and flies away on huge silver wings, she will take a little piece of your heart with her.”
