Title: A Paradise full of trouble
Review: Don't be put off by the complexity of either the parallel (yet interleaved) stories or (for most American readers) the unfamiliar language and locale. Set largely in the amaXhosa village on the wildly beautifulI S.A. coast, it takes the first 50 pages or so to get one's bearings and adjust to the rhythm of the language and tale - after that the narrative comes alive. This story of long-held rivalries and the futility of outsiders in controlling change, reminds me of Joyce Carey's Mr. JohnsonMister Johnson (Revived Modern Classic)in its mix of ironic observation, joyful capture of the zest and paradoxes of African life, and, the ultimately tragic pull of destiny and tradition - albeit with a modern tone and sensibility. The interesting combination of colonial and post-aparthied interaction and tensions between races, belief systems and the need to accommodate the new while being shaped by the past, make this a satisfying and thought provoking read.
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