South Africa in the 1990s, political unrest and opposition to apartheid form the core here but the novel is so steeped in history I must recommend it to all lovers of historical fiction as well as those who appreciate a powerful, well-written, human tale. It follows two families, one black, one white, unknowingly linked and it is simply beautiful. Hard-hitting, authentic, distressing and unexpectedly touching, it is a ‘must read’ gem.
Grahamstown, South Africa. It is the 1990s, the height of political unrest. This is the bittersweet story of two people whose lives intertwine without them ever knowing each other – one a heavy-drinking white man and the other the young daughter of a black activist.
Reuben Cohen van Tonder’s battle with unresolved grief and his search for hidden peace and Vita Mbuli’s innocent resolve to remove the bad luck which has troubled her family for generations, climax together in a wondrous resolution of personal and national triumph.
The harsh and brutal realities of South Africa’s past with its raw and sore racism, are brilliantly interlaced with enchantment, tenderness, forgiveness and hope.
Patricia Schonstein grew up in Zimbabwe and now lives in South Africa. Her first novel SKYLINE won the Percy FitzPatrick Prize 2002, was long-listed for the International Impac Dublin Literary Award 2002 and came second in the South African SUNDAY TIMES Literary Award for Fiction 2001. She has a masters degree in creative writing from the University of Cape Town.
