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A review by lanitabrandt
Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton
challenging
dark
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
“I have never thought that a Christian would be free of suffering, umfundisi. For our Lord suffered. And I come to believe that he suffered, not to save us from suffering, but to teach us how to bear suffering. For he knew that there is no life without suffering.”
“He pondered long over this, for might not another man, returning to another valley, have found none of these things? Why was it given to one man to have his pain transmuted into gladness? Why was it given to one man to have such an awareness of God? And might not another, having no such awareness, live with pain that never ended? Why was there a compulsion upon him to pray for the restoration of Ndotsheni, and why was there a white man there on the tops, to do in this valley what no other could have done? And why of all men, the father of the man who had been murdered by his son? And might not another feel also a compulsion, and pray night and day without ceasing, for the restoration of some other valley that would never be restored? But his mind would contain it no longer. It was not for man’s knowing. He put it from his mind, for it was a secret.”
I am glad I read this book to have a better understanding of the historical context of apartheid in South Africa. I think this is an important read especially today because it navigates the complicated tensions of race relations in a very nuanced way - avoiding the current tendency to oversimplify the situation by victimizing one “side” while vilifying the “other”. The fact of the matter is that it’s not so clear cut. Paton also does an excellent job of character development by highlighting that these characters (on both “sides”) had real flaws and brings out their real suffering. Having said that, I struggled with the poor writing style and lack of editing. A few places and themes jumped the shark.
“He pondered long over this, for might not another man, returning to another valley, have found none of these things? Why was it given to one man to have his pain transmuted into gladness? Why was it given to one man to have such an awareness of God? And might not another, having no such awareness, live with pain that never ended? Why was there a compulsion upon him to pray for the restoration of Ndotsheni, and why was there a white man there on the tops, to do in this valley what no other could have done? And why of all men, the father of the man who had been murdered by his son? And might not another feel also a compulsion, and pray night and day without ceasing, for the restoration of some other valley that would never be restored? But his mind would contain it no longer. It was not for man’s knowing. He put it from his mind, for it was a secret.”
I am glad I read this book to have a better understanding of the historical context of apartheid in South Africa. I think this is an important read especially today because it navigates the complicated tensions of race relations in a very nuanced way - avoiding the current tendency to oversimplify the situation by victimizing one “side” while vilifying the “other”. The fact of the matter is that it’s not so clear cut. Paton also does an excellent job of character development by highlighting that these characters (on both “sides”) had real flaws and brings out their real suffering. Having said that, I struggled with the poor writing style and lack of editing. A few places and themes jumped the shark.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Gun violence, Murder