L. B. (blackeyedsusan) reviewed on 12/18/2008 + 22 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 4

The collection contains seven stories arranged chronologically beginning in the 1940s to the abolition of apartheid, the election of Mandela up to 2000. Each story is told from the point of view of a young person. This is apartheid up close and personal. In The Dare, Veronica has to complete a dare of crossing a notoriously evil neighbors yard in order to be allowed to play with neighboring children. She witnesses a child beaten for being accused of stealing an orange while she is the welcomed intruder sent to steal evidence of her crossing the boundaries. In The Noose, a young colored boy learns what it means to registered and classified. When he father is ordered to report for registration and is classified black instead of colored the identity his family has lived as, their livelihood is threatened. The Playground is akin to Little Rock story in the U.S. Rosa is among the first black children to attend a previously all white school. Each story is an intimate view of how young people reacted to the events that directly affected their lives. This wasnt someone else somewhere else. This was them living during a volatile, oppressive period that shaped their lives.

Back to all reviews by this member
Back to Book Reviews
Back to Book Details