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3.8 AVERAGE
3.8 AVERAGE
Oh, I really enjoyed this book. It takes place in South Africa in the early 1950s when the South African government was doing rash and immoral things to the native populations. That aspect of the novel was especially eye-opening and hard to take. Emmanuel Cooper, the main character and Constable Shabalala were a joy to get to know. Highly recommended for people who like a little politics and history mixed in with their mysteries.
I read this book as a teenager and it really had a profound impact on me. I plan on rereading it and leaving a better review but even after 15ish years the book truly stands out in my mind from the 1000s of books I’ve read in my lifetime.
For a debut novel, Malla Nunn has written a compelling and fascinating crime drama set in 1950s South Africa.
Her characters are strong and the way she writes the Afrikaner characters is brutal, forceful, arrogant and captures everything that was happening in South Africa at that time.
The narrative focuses on the murder of a white police officer in a remote small town called Jacob's Rest. The detective sent to investigate, Cooper, is reviled by the Afrikaners making his job to find the killer extremely difficult.
Cooper finds some allies in a Zulu police officer, Shabalala and a Jewish shop owner (formerly a surgeon) to help him discover the evidence he needs to solve the crime. The problem is that the further Cooper digs, the more muck he finds, getting himself into some serious and violent situations.
It seems there are many secrets in Jacob's Rest and one prominent family (belonging to the murdered police officer) certainly do not want these coming to light.
There are many plot reveals along the journey, the majority of which I did not see coming which keeps the plot fresh and action oriented.
It is riveting and a fabulous read - though maybe not late at night!
Her characters are strong and the way she writes the Afrikaner characters is brutal, forceful, arrogant and captures everything that was happening in South Africa at that time.
The narrative focuses on the murder of a white police officer in a remote small town called Jacob's Rest. The detective sent to investigate, Cooper, is reviled by the Afrikaners making his job to find the killer extremely difficult.
Cooper finds some allies in a Zulu police officer, Shabalala and a Jewish shop owner (formerly a surgeon) to help him discover the evidence he needs to solve the crime. The problem is that the further Cooper digs, the more muck he finds, getting himself into some serious and violent situations.
It seems there are many secrets in Jacob's Rest and one prominent family (belonging to the murdered police officer) certainly do not want these coming to light.
There are many plot reveals along the journey, the majority of which I did not see coming which keeps the plot fresh and action oriented.
It is riveting and a fabulous read - though maybe not late at night!
I grew up like so many children of the 80s and 90s knowing about apartheid. I knew that in South Africa black and white people were separated, and black people were denied things, and rights, and opportunities that white people had. I also remember it ending, and Nelson Mandela becoming President, lots of happy people and dancing.
So I've always had the knowledge of apartheid. But I don't think I have ever really had an understanding of apartheid. I mean, it's pretty straightforward, right? White and black? I never considered the tiering between Afrikaans and English, or Jews, or Indians, or mixed race, etc. This book explores all of this and some. My 7 year old knowledge was blown out of the water and highlighted as what it obviously was, incredibly naive and simplistic. But until I had to really think about it, I really never realised how simplistic I assumed it was.
Detective Emmanuel Cooper is a white, English police officer. He is called out to a small town on the border with Mozambique. He arrives at the murder scene of the Afrikaan police captain, who seems to pretty much rule the town with his pack of sons. In an incredibly volatile situation already, Detective Cooper also has to work with officers from the country's Intelligence Agency who have taken over the investigation, while also enforcing the new apartheid policy and stamping out communism.
It's very well written. Both the story itself and the writing as a whole. I didn't think the story would be able to string itself out for the whole book, but she did it well. I thought I had the culprit picked early, but that got flipped on it's head, which I love. The writing of the landscape and the area was by someone who obviously loves the land, and made it sound incredibly beautiful, even in its barrenness.
She also handled the political landscape very well, I was impressed. There was obviously a point of view in the book, but it never felt heavy handed. I definitely would recommend, it's well worth the read.
For more reviews, visit: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/
So I've always had the knowledge of apartheid. But I don't think I have ever really had an understanding of apartheid. I mean, it's pretty straightforward, right? White and black? I never considered the tiering between Afrikaans and English, or Jews, or Indians, or mixed race, etc. This book explores all of this and some. My 7 year old knowledge was blown out of the water and highlighted as what it obviously was, incredibly naive and simplistic. But until I had to really think about it, I really never realised how simplistic I assumed it was.
Detective Emmanuel Cooper is a white, English police officer. He is called out to a small town on the border with Mozambique. He arrives at the murder scene of the Afrikaan police captain, who seems to pretty much rule the town with his pack of sons. In an incredibly volatile situation already, Detective Cooper also has to work with officers from the country's Intelligence Agency who have taken over the investigation, while also enforcing the new apartheid policy and stamping out communism.
It's very well written. Both the story itself and the writing as a whole. I didn't think the story would be able to string itself out for the whole book, but she did it well. I thought I had the culprit picked early, but that got flipped on it's head, which I love. The writing of the landscape and the area was by someone who obviously loves the land, and made it sound incredibly beautiful, even in its barrenness.
She also handled the political landscape very well, I was impressed. There was obviously a point of view in the book, but it never felt heavy handed. I definitely would recommend, it's well worth the read.
For more reviews, visit: http://rusalkii.blogspot.com.au/
dark
emotional
informative
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
I only read a couple of chapters but even with my lack of books on my travels I still couldn't be bothered reading anymore, it was too bad.
--Recommended by Haley
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sbeautiful+place+to+die+nunn__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
Check our catalog: http://encore.cooklib.org/iii/encore/search/C__Sbeautiful+place+to+die+nunn__Orightresult__U1?lang=eng&suite=pearl
I read this book as a teenager and it really had a profound impact on me. I plan on rereading it and leaving a better review but even after 15ish years the book truly stands out in my mind from the 1000s of books I’ve read in my lifetime.
adventurous
dark
emotional
informative
mysterious
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes