- Hardcover: 389 pages
- Publisher: Ecco (Sep 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0060554266
- ISBN-13: 978-0060554262
- Product Dimensions: 23.1 x 16.5 x 3.6 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 3,587,187 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Description
Victoria Glendinning, Ondaatje Prize judge 2005
Poignantly brings alive the profound affection and the conflict between an Afrikaaner farmer's wife and her black servant
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
The National Post
An admirable offering … finely rendered, vital and moving.
--This text refers to the
Paperback
edition.
Inside This Book
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First Sentence
FIRST SHE MUST wash the seeds. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
FIRST SHE MUST wash the seeds. Read the first page
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Concordance
Browse Sample PagesConcordance
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
12 of 12 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
This is a beautiful, "unputdownable" book, exploring, in the most seductive and enthralliing of prose the relationships of two women - one black, one white - somewhere in South Africa in the context of war, racism, class and violence to women. Its triumph is the way it explores the characters of the two women, Marit, the young white widow whose husband has been killed by the "rebels", and Tembi, her young black "servant" who decides to stay with her and fight to save the farm. The writing - always in the first person - is quite beautiful so that one can really smell the forest, see the vast rolling veldt, feel the hot sun and absorb both the determination and the terror of the two women, who come close to each other - only to later deivide- in spite of such huge differences in their orgins and orientation.
It is the sort of book that one both hastens to read, rushing to turn over every page, whilst at times, dreading what one fears to read as the story unfolds, dramatically and skilfully.
This book won an international prize when first published in Canada. Now, published by that excellent small new quality publisher, the Maia Press, Lewis de Soto's novel is on the list for the Man Booker Prize. Its been barely reviewed in the UK since it came out, since small publishers cannot afford the pricey advertising that the broadsheets...TLS and LRB ..demand in return for a review. But Amazon readers should rush to order this amazing novel. Its the best book this reviewer has read for years. Its everything fiction should be - totally beguiling, absorbing, moving (yes, one cries), and also instructive about how war impacts upon women and their hopes and dreams.
I wish it would win the Booker and it would make a superb film!
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
A new and upcoming African writer. DeSoto brought out a lively story about Africa. It portrayed the people through lively characters, and gave a vivid picture of the landscape. His insight into the human relationships that were prevalent in the era was perfect. The tragedies are relayed in a somber but heart strengthening way. DeSoto's picture of South African apartheid portrays the mixed emotions of the characters, of love, hate, sorrows, regrets and sufferings. He made it possible for anyone to relate to the story. I always like books about Africa since I want to get a good account of many of the untold stories about what happened during the last century of the continent's turbulent history. And in DeSoto's descriptions that are so evocative of the bush and the characters, I had a great insight.
Also recommended: DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, CRY THE BELOVED COUNTRY, THE USURPER AND OTHER STORIES, TRIPLE AGENT, DOUBLE CROSS,DUSKLAND
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I always like books about Africa and so many are not very well written. This is though, although it loses the plot halfway through a bit, I am sure it is probably an accurate rendition of what did happen in some areas of Southern Africa during the border wars. The descriptions are very evocative of the bush and the characters are almost believable. But .. don't read this book if you are feeling a bit down. Like Coetzee's Disgrace, it is blooming depressing and had me almost reaching for the Stanley knife and the aspirin
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