I have a bit of an interest in South Africa as a friend of mine lived there for several years, and I have recently aquired a South African penpal.
Each is integral, and everyone grows in some way. In fact there are no weak characters in this story. Emily is young enough that her emotions are raw and on the surface and Linzi Glass writes her voice perfectly. He is the only person who can make Emily feel whole as her family splinters apart. Emily spends her evenings with Buza, listening to his Zulu stories. The family's night watchman, Buza, has a bad feeling about these visitors. Emily immediately takes to Streak, and sister Sarah is so kind and gentle that Otis' ways do not seem to bother her. It's plain to see that Otis is simply not right in the head, and Streak is a bit of a wild one himself. Jock, the nature photographer, wife Peg (with her omnipresent snake Opalina around her neck), and sons Otis and Streak. This is a wandering family from Australia. Not gypsies like one would imagine, her Father assures Emily. The only time that her parents seem to stop arguing is when other people stay at their compound. Mother is upset that Father isn't keeping her in the lifestyle that she imagined for herself, and Father is tired of Mother's browbeating. Mother and Father rarely speak, and when they do it is just to argue. Set in South Africa during Apartheid, Emily's family is falling apart. Surely "The Year The Gypsies Came" will join my group of special friends.Īnother book that I wanted to read after my high school librarian booktalked it. I often go back to a select few and reread passages that I have found to be particularly memorable. Linzi Glass' remarkable achievement is that through her lyrical prose she presents simultaneously the astonishing beauty of her native South Africa along with its correspondent sadness. How refreshing and unusual it is to find a book that is neither too long, nor hopelessly marred by excessive details.
Every word, phrase and sentence is there for a reason. The impressive narrative is tightly woven and moves inexorably forward. Especially compelling is the relationship between the young narrator, Emily, and the elderly Zulu night watchman with his wondrous tales filled with poetic wisdom. The novel becomes increasingly engaging as it unfolds. This intimate family story envelops the reader not only in the personal, but also in the larger story of Apartheid in South Africa. Now that I have just completed this book let me rush to join the chorus who sing its praises. Before reading "The Year The Gypsies Came" by Linzi Glass I read all the glowing reviews with a skeptic's eye.
0 kommentar(er)
