This powerful and moving book is a collection of short stories, which are separate but, in a clever and appealing way, are all linked. The book is about the apartheid in South Africa, an unfair and unjust system by which the 'whites' were apparently superior to 'Coloureds' (half 'white', half 'Indian' or 'Black') who in turn were superior to 'Indians' and 'Blacks'.
The first short story is set in 1948 when the Nationalist party instigated the apartheid rule. It features a 'white' girl who strikes up a relationship with her black servant. This is not, at the time, seen as completely wrong as the nationalist idea had not become widespread throughout the country. The girl finds it odd, however, that her black servant is living in terrible conditions and that her nephew was killed by the nationalists. This story was just a starter for the atrocities and sadness that were to come later in the book.
The next story is set in 1955 where the unreasonable government separated groups of people into different townships, just because of the colour of their skin. The story follows a ten year old 'Coloured' boy who is forced away from his best friend because he is 'Indian'. This story also touches on the discriminatory law that was passed that stated that 'Black' and 'White' South Africans were forbidden to marry, to prevent the growth of the 'Coloured' population.
The third story is set in 1960 and is aptly named, 'One Day Lily, One Day Lily'. It follows a 'white' girl whose uncle is 'black'. She cannot understand why she cannot go to the park with him, but she can with her 'white' father. Her uncle replies that he will take her one day, when freedom comes to South Africa.
The stories continue through 1976, then 1985 where the government has instituted anti-black laws to cover most of society. Laws include the Bantu Education Act where 'black' children are taught only for low-grade work. There were marches where thousand of 'black' students protested peacefully that their education system was unfair. Police took no notice and inhumanely opened fire, killing many children. In one of the stories, the main character's brother is taken to gaol for participating in a freedom march and is charged with the death penalty.
By 1990, things in South Africa had reached boiling point as the fight for freedom grew. Eventually in 1994, after almost 50 years of persecution and dictatorship, South Africa held its first free elections. Nelson Mandela's rainbow government was voted in, and the penultimate story, set in 1995, features a 'black' girl who, because of the new government, was allowed into what had previously been a 'white' school. She sadly still had to endure protests and slogans including, 'WHITE AND BLACK DON'T MIX', 'FIGHT FOR A WHITE SCHOOL', 'NO BLACKS HERE' even though apartheid had been officially overthrown. The government could not overnight change the culture of the white population of South Africa which was still, on the whole, violently racist.
The last story is set in the modern era and illustrates that although blatant racism is now illegal it cannot prevent the more subtle racism which is still apparent. It follows a white family, who, when black settlers move into their area, are fed up with the settlers'. This attitude is purely because they are black. This shows that the war against racism is not yet over and there is still work to be done.
This book was moving, powerful, heartbreaking and, most of all, shocking. The writing is exquisitely simple and yet intense. The fact that Beverly Naidoo has cleverly used interlinking stories and has written through children's eyes, just makes the feel of the book more sincere. It illustrates the history of apartheid and shows it for what it is a racist policy with no basis.
