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Our Missing Hearts

11/27/2022

Author: Celeste Ng
Publisher: Abacus books
Reviewer: Nancy Richards
It was Lauren Beukes who first unpacked the word ‘dystopian’ for me following the release of her first book, Moxyland in 2008. As you know she’s stayed on that trail with a few more titles, and I’m still reeling from the latest, Afterland, described by some as feminist dystopia. But whilst I appreciate the creative foresight that goes into writing dystopia (imagined state or society in which there is great suffering or injustice, typically

one that is totalitarian or post-apocalyptic), I have to say that with the global here-and-now being so ghastly, dipping into the future to find worse, often leaves me depleted.
So on that basis, ‘Our Missing Hearts’ by Celeste Ng presented a bit of a challenge. Set in the US a decade or so into the future, the ‘authorities’ have declared PACT– Preserving American Culture and Traditions - to be the defining ethic, or law. They’ve also decreed that the offspring of anyone defying that law, are to be removed and relocated. Most especially children of PAO, People of Asian Origin (and don’t we know that when you become an acronym, you’ve pretty much lost the battle. Don’t we also know about racial bigotry and fear).
Having said all that, I found this to be a beautifully written book, something that kept me going when I felt I might be missing, or losing, the plot. What I did get though, loud and clear, was a reverence for folk tales and sharing them, the fragile value of libraries and the agony of a mother torn between her beliefs and caring for her child.
I wish I had read the Author’s Note before instead of after reading the book. It details how children have been used as pawns in discriminate thinking across the world and over generations. Amongst other things, it also explains the extraordinary guerrilla art protest that features here, but most importantly it reveals that this is not just futuristic fantasy – but a cautionary tale.
I haven’t read Celeste Ng’s other books, ‘Everything I Never Told You’ and ‘Little Fires Everywhere’ – but I believe they have had people talking, and thinking.

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The Soft Life

11/25/2022

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Author: Lebohang Masango
Publisher: Tafelberg
Reviewer: Hazel Makuzeni
Let me come clean. At first glance, the title of this book and the picture that accompanies the cover conjured opulence and frivolous living in my psyche. I was surprised then to read the back cover and discover that it is non-fictional. The book is by feminist thinker and anthropologist, Lebohang Masango, and features real lived experiences of five motivated and educated women. The author earned her Master of Arts degree from the

University of Witwatersrand in 2019 after submitting the qualitative research thesis that this book is based upon. To quote the author; “This book is about five different women and what their truths, stories and insights can reveal to us about love, choice and modern dating in South Africa and how exactly these aspects contribute to ‘the soft life’ moment that we find ourselves in…” So dear readers, as the old saying goes, don’t judge a book by its cover.
The book focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in the lives of these women, their dating experiences, the influence of social media, the women’s vulnerabilities and their political beliefs.
Lihle is a 31-year-old entrepreneur from Alex, Joburg. She is the life of the party with her make-up always done. Her relationships have been characterised by men loaded with cash – a man seeking love has to be contented with being the one to spend on her. The COVID-19 restrictions created turmoil in her love life.
Jolie is a career focused 29-year-old-old living between Joburg and Tshwane. She’s also engrossed in establishing herself as a singer. Her Senegalese upbringing has instilled in her that boyfriends and husbands are the providers of the home. She expects men to take the financial lead in relationships. Three months into the pandemic, she ended her relationship of five years.
Nomonde is a 33-year-old devoted traveller with many years in the advertising industry. She left her career as she was unfulfilled and blissfully left Joburg for Cape Town. During COVID she had online relationships. Her pressing concern is that young women are impressionable and unable to correctly weigh the consequences of pursuing soft lives at all costs. Now armed with adulthood, she hopes that in her current relationship material things will manifest later.
Warm and lovely Bongi, is a 27-year-old entrepreneur and a Joburg resident. She has recently earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in marketing and established an online handbag store. She once enjoyed having multiple partners but is now in a steady relationship with one man.
Friendly Camilla is a 28-year-old junior publicist with a three-year-old son. She associates having a soft life with not having to spend her own money. She has no qualms about a man spending money on her. She tells the author that she’s in pursuit of a life where she can have nice life problems. She once met a man at a restaurant who asked for her number. She gave it to him. The next thing, the man sent her R3 000 and never spoke to her again. Talk about being #blessed!
The women in this book identify themselves as feminists and share some of the ways this takes shape in their lives. The book gives valuable comprehensions and motivation of the young women who want a soft life. Women who defy society’s expectations of respectability and often vilified, ridiculed and accused of being prostitutes on and off line. If we are to be honest, since time immemorial, women have been using dating and marriages as channels to a better life. As the author says, “Soft life is simply an articulation of aspirations inherent to all human beings. It is just actualised differently according to our personal circumstances.”
What I notice from women living the soft life, the slay queens and blessees is that one has to be immaculate to be desirable. The women are always perfectly made up and well-groomed. The nails are well-manicured, the hair is flawless and the clothes are outrageously expensive. And, let me not forget, the dolls’ eyelashes. Those astonishing eyelash extensions. With a great sigh, I’m afraid this leisure and lavish lifestyle is out of my radar range. Instead of upgrading my looks and femininity, I’m constantly on a spiralling downgrading mode. There’s always the Lotto though…I also want a life free of hardship damn it!

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Stellenbosch: Murder Town

11/23/2022

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Author: Julian Jansen
Publisher: Tafelberg
Reviewer: Hazel Makuzeni
I have a confession to make. As someone who readily enjoys reading and watching horror and crime stories, I’ve been taken aback by the murders I have read in this book. The sheer madness and brutality of it all is astonishing. The fact that they are true, has sent chills down my spine and left me disturbed. South Africa is a rough place with crime and mayhem off the charts. One would think I should not be shocked by this book,

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TEST

11/16/2022

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Author: Saray Khumalo
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Reviewer: Nancy Richards
There was a point at which I could relate to Saray Khumalo’s story. It’s when, on an early climbing expedition, she wonders why she is doing this. Half way up a precipitous slope on day one of my first ever hike, I wondered the same thing. I also understood what she meant when she regretted packing a solid fruit cake for a friend’s birthday when they reached the top. On my trip, a fellow hiker carried not only a pot of proving dough to

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Payback

11/13/2022

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Author: Priscilla Holmes
Publisher: Modjaji
Reviewer: Nancy Richards
‘You can’t possibly be serious.’ said the voice in my imaginary conversation with author Priscilla Holmes. ‘It’s completely OUTRAGEOUS!’ ‘Yup’ came the reply. Guess she’s not wrong – if you’re going to write a killer-thriller, what for to hold back. Certainly not on detail, and in Payback, Ms Holmes has spared none.
Quick catch up, if you’re not familiar with her

first Thabisa Tswane novel Now I See You, you should know that the intuitive investigative Detective Inspector Tswane has recently been promoted to Major in the Eagles, a South African crime-fighting unit (bird of prey similarity intended). But while the Major, her muscular and intriguing husband Zak (another force for good in remote and secret places) and her twin sons Kwezi and Langa are key to this stand-alone story, the real outstandingly outrageous protagonist is Julia McEwan aka Eloise du Pont whose ‘couverture’ is not blown so much as completely over le top. ‘In this job you will have to play many parts,’ says the couverture coach, ‘you stand out because you’re tall, so sometimes you must learn to stoop, tu comprends?’
Francophiles will love this book with its linguistic segues. Fashionistas also indulged with much dress detail hot from the style avenues of Paris, and for those with cultural curiosity, there’s a visit to a rural red ochre valley with precious, protected beadwork, traditional dancing and the revered if terrifying utatomkhulu. For good measure there’s quite a bit of steamy sex, infidelity, suspicion and revenge too.
The big fromage however, is the obscenely wealthy and less-than-scrupulous Victor Maseko whose prime objective is to create and launch an uber-opulent shrine to his ego, The Maseko. Forests of trees and flowers are brought in for the opening bash, sushi and frosted flutes of champagne are served, the Mamelodi Youth choir and Nkosazana the people’s princess sing, presidents, press and personalities are invited and all are treated to a dazzling ‘carrieres de lumierers’ sound and light finale. Did I mention outrageous?
The first Thabisa Tswane title came out eight years ago, since when it seems Ms Holmes has been amassing some pretty meaty material for this one and, one suspects, delving into her own well-travelled experience and memory bank.

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The Swim Team

11/11/2022

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Author: Catherine Jarvis
Publisher: Tafelberg
Reviewer: Hazel Makuzeni
This book review has been dense to say the least. Very much necessary though in the world we live in. It’s about the protagonist

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Notes on Falling

11/5/2022

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Author: Bronwyn Law – Viljoen
Publisher: Umuzi
Reviewer: Beryl Eichenberger
‘Notes on Falling ‘ by Bronwyn Law-Vijoen is a rich novel if sometimes a little confusing, or maybe challenging is the better word as the reader is required to concentrate, to follow the threads even when they appear to unravel.
What it gives us though is a creative arc and a lens through which to view the turbulent creativity of the 70s in New York and the lives of those who pursue the arts as a career, as it intersects with the challenges of 90s South

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Our Missing Hearts

The Soft Life

Stellenbosch: Murder Town

TEST

Payback

The Swim Team

Notes on Falling

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