Dale Hes

Gripping, graphic and visceral novel based on true happenings. To think that this is a true representation of apartheid brutality is both shocking and starkly real. Living in modern South Africa, I applaud Jacques Pauw for not shying away from the MULTITUDE of racial insults and horrific 'first-person' accounts of senseless killing based purely on skin colour: it was the truthful way to tell the story of the indoctrinated barbarians who truly believed that black lives meant less than animals at that time. Only criticism is some very over-used adjectives. Every single woman (of which there are many) is described with 'cherry coloured lips'. And to cap it off, the most disgusting, putrid prisoner Taliep is described as having cherry coloured lips too. Not a clever play on words with the intention to juxtapose....just unimaginativeness. A thesaurus would've helped :)