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Title: Personal drama and social history all rolled into one
Review: This book is the story of Frieda (a Jewish girl) and Min (a white girl), two friends coming of age in South Africa under Apartheid. The novel's social interest lies mainly in its depiction of Apartheid from two non-native perspectives: Frieda and her family are not overtly racist, but they acquiesce to the system ("It's just the way things are"); Min, on the other hand, devotes her life to fighting for racial justice. The personal growth that Frieda undergoes as a result of meeting Min is superbly developed by Pamela Jooste. The novel is well-written throughout, but switches between Frieda's and Min's perspectives and frequent movements forward and backward through time can be a little confusing. Overall, however, this book is worth the time to read.
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