3.0 out of 5 based on 2 reviews. – Customer review on 03/12/2010

I have enjoyed all the books I have read by this author. This was no exception. It is the sequel to the more well known The Power of One, which was also made into a movie. It’s is set in South Africa during the aparteid regmie, and follows the story of Peekay as he pursues his boxing dream, but focusses on the story of Tandia.

Tandia is a young woman and a promising student who after being brutalised by the police, finds herself working as a prostitute. She is filed with hate for the white policeman who to her represents the brutality of aparteid. The book follows her journey to becoming a lawyer involved in the fight against apartheid.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this book was the way it included in this fictional story, significant historical events such as the Sharpeville massacre. This helped me to understand better and appreciate the history of the struggle against apartheid, especially as the story also touches on the beginnings of Umkhonto we Sizwe, the armed militant group of the ANC. It was labelled a terrorist group and banned by the apartheid government.

Tandia was a typical Bryce Courtenay tale. Graphic descriptions of the brutality but a fast moving story that kept me reading. Somewhere near the end, it did become a little fantastical and hence slightly less believable, but I’m so glad I read this book which lead me to read more about these times in South Africa’s history.

4.0 out of 5 based on 2 reviews. – Customer review on 01/07/2008

The story is about a girl who is half Indian and half African, born in Africa. Finding that she could neither fit into the Indian community nor the African community, she must make it out on her own, especially once her father has died and is no longer there to protect her. She gets shelter within a brothel and later finally finding her place in a black resistance movement to fight for justice, she eventually finds that she needs to choose between two men whom she loves. One whom she trusts and the other who has been chosen to be the black resistance leader. An excellent thrilling, non-stop action must read.