A new review for A Ghost and His Gold

‘Wow’ is what I said when I completed the book. I say this for a number of reasons –

a) The book, a work of fiction does an amazing job in raising pertinent issues like war, date-rape, ill-treatment of children- issues that have plagued societies since time immemorial. It does so while telling a story that is spread over two time periods- the 1899-1904 and 2017-2019 and as it easily glides between the periods, it ensures that it maintains the tone and language of the times so it is not confusing. The writing is flawless.

b) The book tells the history of S.Africa (which was new to me and hence very interesting to know) relating to the Anglo-Boer War. And if you think History is boring, read this book and you’ll change your opinion. The author manages to give the reader a peek into the culture of the country, the groups of people that make up its population, their food, language, religious beliefs and even shares a few recipes to make it interesting reading without making it essay-like. Her description is so good that you can taste the food, feel the pain of the characters and smell the stench in the camps.

What I found especially interesting was the worship of who the blacks call ‘ancestors.’ This custom is also followed in some parts of India where the worship involves an offering of alcohol and meat. There were other parallels too that i found in the cultures for instance the conservative approach towards raising girls as opposed to boys.

Continue reading here: https://smithavishwanathsblog.com/2021/08/06/book-review-a-ghost-and-his-gold/