Time of the Butcherbird - Alex La Guma

“Everywhere the land stands against a dazzling light. In the distance…lies the faint suggestion of mountains. The sun, a smear of bronze, turns the light of the world a cruel metallic yellow in the furnace-hot time of the day. Now there is a harshness and a hardness in the land that foretells little sympathy for the weak.” This book is quite unlike any I’ve ever read before. Not one which would ever have been likely to make it onto my “to read” list. It was a lucky find in the local charity shop where amazingly just that day, someone had donated boxes and boxes of yummy, shiny, crisp newly-published books. I staggered back ...  Read the complete review