A brilliant book by the writer of 'Cry, the Beloved Country.' This one is told from varying viewpoints, sometimes as letters, sometimes as conversation, sometimes as newspaper reports, and from all sorts of narrators. There's the "Proud Christian Woman" who writes nasty letters to anyone she disapproves of. There's the Afrikaner civil servant who stick to the party line as long as possible. There's the Indian family whose daughter is making a stand against discrimination which will certainly end in violence.

I knew almost nothing about South African history before I read this book, but I found myself swept up in the story and the emotion. Compelling storytelling and a heartbreaking setting make this one of my top reads for the year.

CMB ( )