The Fifth Mrs Brink

Title: The Fifth Mrs Brink (Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2017)
Author: Karina Szczurek
Reviewer: Sarita Waller
In her memoir Karina tells of her meeting, courting and marrying her late husband, writer extraordinaire and one of the Sestigers, Andre P. Brink. However, details of her childhood, family, previous relationships and first marriage is also shared. And so this very rich sharing allows the reader a deeper understanding and empathy for the widow as she grieves her deceased husband, the greatest love of her life. Two intertwined lives…sharing communal friends, travels, love of food, literature, reading and especially writing. And yes, it was her late husband who gave the PhD recipient the necessary confidence to call herself a writer. Karina was the one who proposed marriage…as Andre is described as a feminist. And so in a somewhat unorthodox manner two people were united through their common interests disregarding their substantial age and other differences proving that love does conquer all .

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