Books I read in May

Funny enough, one of the most searched items on my blog is still, after all the years "Afrikaans Book Review". So I will continue to review the Afrikaans books I read as obviously there is a silent readership for those. I managed to read my target 3 books in May for the first time in a while.

False river/ Valsrivier by Dominique Botha

False river was originally written in English and then translated into Afrikaans but the story is about and Afrikaans family farming in the Free State near the end of the Apartheid era. I realized about half way that Paul and I would have been almost the same age - soon that level I could identify with the being a teen during that era. Dominique tells the story of her family and in particular of her older much loved brother Paul. A young man caught in a world that does not understand his talent and his soul, his thinking.

Other than most of the farmers in the area their parents are openly opposed to the government and Apartheid in an almost innocent way they leave their children open to weather the consequences of being the cast outs in their society. Sent to prestigious English schools in Natal, things keep falling apart for Paul, but if you read carefully also for Dominique.

Nostalgic - I could see my Oumas' farm house in her description of her Oumas' - heartbreaking and at times brutally honest it may not be a book for the faint hearted. It won quite a few awards and is an excellent book - but not an easy read.



My Groot Vet Griekse Egskeiding van Pat Stamatelos

'n Heerlike lees - Pat Satmatelos het die talent om karakters te skep wat sommer baie vinnig diep in mens se hart kruip - of jou dadelik ontstig. Hierdie boek is propvol van albei soorte met 'n heerlike storie waarin hulle leef. Baie op die trant van haar vorige ligter boeke (4 Begrafnisse en n troue en Madeliefies van Staal) word onderwerpe wat tog ernstig is op 'n ligte manier hanteer. Pat is een van my absoluut gunsteling skrywers in Afrikaans en een na wie se boeke ek altyd uitsien. Haar boeke is ook baie gewild onder die dames van die boekklub en word gretig gelees.

Wat my egter werklik ontstel is dat so 'n goeie boek 'n lelike redigering/uitgewersfout het. Dit is baie duidelik dat een van die karakters, Neo , aanvanklik Leo geheet het met die skryf van die boek want op ten minste twee plekke is nagelaat om die verandering aan te bring.

Beslis die lees werd - geniet, en lag met 'n traan. As jy nog nei haar ander boeke gelees het nie - doen so. Jy sal nie spyt wees nie.

The Rosie Effect by Graeme Simsion

I adored his first book about Don Tillman "The Rosie Project" - review here.  It is truly one of my favorite books read in 2015 and I always recommend it if I am asked for a great funny read. The Rosie Effect however dulls a bit in comparison for me. Don is still quirky, Rosie is still way too independent and a good cast of original characters fill the book. The story is funny and has a good few very funny episodes. But in the end, it did not leave me with the excitement to recommend as "The Rosie Project " did. Still a good read though.

Any books you read in May you need to tell me about?