Different in temperament and with different ways of solving the challenges that life throws at them, the sisters remain close even though their lives take them in different directions. Rose lives for the moment, marries and finds herself in the heart of a warm, chaotic and lively family. Ruby spends her life in quiet service, living a simple life of restraint. Yet, in the end, it is Ruby who breaks taboos and risks scandal.
Both sisters spend their lives seeking the love and security they lost in their early childhood, but in their very different ways. Set against the background of social and political change in South Africa in the latter half of the 20th century, this story tells, gently but powerfully, how ordinary people are shaped by forces they they can't even name, let alone recognise.
Pamela Johnson tells the tale in a slow, slow pace that underlines the emptiness of Ruby's life. She has skilfully built a subtle atmosphere that illustrates the tension of Ruby's deliberate withdrawal from any overt signs of emotional involvement.
This isn't a book for those who like fast pace and action but as a study in subtlety, gentle but steady story development and a true touch, this one is worth th read.
No comments:
Post a Comment