Reviews by Alison (22)

A little gem, gentle and heart-warming

How do you live

A Japanese classic, a sort of ethics for teenager, tells via a series of essays how 15 year old Copper learns how to live a good and honourable life with the guidance of his kindly uncle. Having finished the book I was browsing through Karen Dudley’s “Another Week in the Kitchen”. She talks about grilling aubergines on a quiet day and says, “My heart was full of gratitude for my shop and my people and those whose lives I get to share in every day. I considered how small acts of devotion and care can have an effect so much bigger than we can imagine”. I think that Copper has learned that. A delightful read.

Poetic and beautiful

The Safest Place you Know

A powerful story about two very different characters, written in beautiful and at times densely poetic prose. Hennie is 17 and leaves the family farm in the drought ravaged Free State and by chance ends up on a wine farm near Paarl, taken in by Antoinette who recently inherited from her father. Both have abusive fathers and are searching for connection and redemption. Other characters flesh out the complexities of life in South Africa. A great read and a writer to watch.

Brilliant but dystopian

Klara and the Sun

The story of Klara, an AF or artificial friend, and her relationship with teenage Josie who has been genetically “uplifted” to enhance her academic abilities. He writes like a dream, spare, seductive. Really it’s about the ethical implications of technological advance....lots to think about.

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