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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Beautiful writing. And what an amazing story of forgiveness and compassion.
Somehow I never got around to reading this decades ago when it was popular. It is so beautiful, and such a sweet, sad story of Africa and the deep, deep wounds of colonialism.
In addition to capturing the cultural catastrophe that led to apartheid, Mr. Paxton illustrates the heartbreak of fathers who realize they don't really know or understand their sons: a native priest whose prodigal son is arrested for murder, and a white rancher whose son is murdered.
I could have done without the religious themes, but tomayto, tomahto. Steinbeck used them, too.
I could have done without the religious themes, but tomayto, tomahto. Steinbeck used them, too.
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Complicated
challenging
emotional
informative
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Slow moving until the very end.
Interesting to read an ut the unique aspects of South African apartheid, but also the similarities to oppression everywhere. Especially the role of "radical" activists vs moderates and the challanges of addressing oppression with justice and love, attempting to balance truth and peace.
Interesting to read an ut the unique aspects of South African apartheid, but also the similarities to oppression everywhere. Especially the role of "radical" activists vs moderates and the challanges of addressing oppression with justice and love, attempting to balance truth and peace.
A deeply thoughtful and poignant book. The writing is beautiful and definitely earns its place as a classic. The humanity it portrays and complexity of that humanity is vivid and intense. Alan Paton paints an incredibly detailed picture.
I couldn’t help but notice how most of the problems came from the colonialization and a departure from the land and the tribe. When the native people there lost their connection with the land (mostly because the white people took it away from them) they could not recover. I see the divine feminine deeply seeded in all of this.
I had some questions while reading the book about the white people “saving” the black people. It seemed unfair to paint them as the heroes when really they were the ones that caused the problems in the first place. But perhaps that was why Jarvis decided to give as much as he could; he saw the damage the colonialization and wounded the native people so he tried to make anything right that he could.
This was definitely a thought-provoking and heartbreaking read but there were moments of true human experience that resonated deeply with me.
I couldn’t help but notice how most of the problems came from the colonialization and a departure from the land and the tribe. When the native people there lost their connection with the land (mostly because the white people took it away from them) they could not recover. I see the divine feminine deeply seeded in all of this.
I had some questions while reading the book about the white people “saving” the black people. It seemed unfair to paint them as the heroes when really they were the ones that caused the problems in the first place. But perhaps that was why Jarvis decided to give as much as he could; he saw the damage the colonialization and wounded the native people so he tried to make anything right that he could.
This was definitely a thought-provoking and heartbreaking read but there were moments of true human experience that resonated deeply with me.
challenging
emotional
fast-paced
challenging
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No