The Ties that Bind
Praba Moodley (Kwela Books)
***
Book fling
Gaya is a 40-year-old single mother of three boys. Her life revolves around her family and friends, and a bitter divorce she’s trying very hard to forget. She finds a sliver of happiness in her friendship with Rupa and Suhina – but something terrible happens that threatens her world, and forces the women to keep a secret. The Ties that Bind tells of a friendship that strengthened under a dark shadow, at the same time revealing the intimate scars left on women by the apartheid regime.
- Kholofelo Maenetsha @KMaenetsha
The First Rule of Survival
Paul Mendelson (Quercus)
*****
Book thrill
Astonishingly well-plotted, with enough twists to keep you in thrall until the jaw-dropping end, this thriller opens with the discovery of two teenage corpses in a dumpster. The bodies are traced back to a disturbing cold case of child abduction. South Africa’s current political and socio-economic morass is cleverly elucidated through the shenanigans of the investigators, their superiors and the wide range of suspects. Mendelson has created a couple of unorthodox protagonists who find common ground of mutual respect, while reflecting the enduring tensions of urban Mzansi society, warts and all.
- Ayesha Kajee @ayeshakajee
The Woman Who Stole My Life
Marian Keyes (Penguin)
***
Book fling
Keyes usually writes well-rounded women who have a notable peculiarity – and a dark sense of humour. Not so much Stella Sweeney, who doesn’t really hit a groove. We are given glimpses into two periods of her life: her sad and dejected return to Dublin after achieving fame and fortune as a self-help author in New York; and her life in hospital when she is struck with a debilitating illness. Her awful hipster son, disengaged daughter and smarmy ex-husband give pause: what did Stella do in a previous life to deserve these creatures? An enjoyable book but not Keyes’ best.
- Jennifer Platt @Jenniferdplatt
Book details
- The Ties That Bind by Praba Moodley
Book homepage
EAN: 9780795706691
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- The First Rule of Survival by Paul Mendelson
EAN: 9781472111364
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- The Woman Who Stole my Life by Marian Keyes
EAN: 9780718155346
Find this book with BOOK Finder!