Hum If You Don’t Know the Words

Posted on 27 October 2018 by Bianca Marais

Perfect for readers of The Secret Life of Bees and The Help, a perceptive and searing look at Apartheid era South Africa, told through one unique family brought together by tragedy.Life under Apartheid has created a secure future for Robin Conrad, a nine year old white girl living with her parents in 1970s Johannesburg In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband s death Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin s parents are left dead and Beauty s daughter goes missing After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection Told through Beauty and Robin s alternating perspectives, the interwoven narratives create a rich and complex tapestry of the emotions and tensions at the heart of Apartheid era South Africa Hum if You Don t Know the Words is a beautifully rendered look at loss, racism, and the creation of family. Download Hum If You Don’t Know the Words by Bianca Marais – kino-fada.fr There was something about this title that drew me to read the description and then after reading that this was about apartheid in South Africa I decided that I d take a chance on this debut novel because what did I really know about it As it turns out, while I didn t know the specifics of the Soweto Uprising which becomes the event in this story that is instrumental in bringing the two main characters together, the treatment of black people sounded all too sadly familiar as I thought about the There was something about this title that drew me to read the description and then after reading that this was about apartheid in South Africa I decided that I d take a chance on this debut novel because what did I really know about it As it turns out, while I didn t know the specifics of the Soweto Uprising which becomes the event in this story that is instrumental in bringing the two main characters together, the treatment of black people sounded all too sadly familiar as I thought about the history in my own country, the US But ...A book of unbearable loss, grief, sad and yet for the most part beautiful as well South Africa apartheid, the Soweto uprising and a nine year old white girl caught up in the terror, as well as a Nineteen year old black girl who wants to fight for the cause This book is another that presented me with a conundrum Loved the character of Robin, she provides most of the humor in her young innocence Humor mixed with sa...3.5 Stars Since June the 16th when South African troops and police opened fire on a peaceful school children s demonstration, the white government has presided over the largest massacre of its black population since South Africa came into existence The school boy who led that day s protest was 19 year old Tsietsi Mashinini BBC World Service The Day Apartheid Died Soweto Uprising story that runs through the many layers of this story is set in Apar 3.5 Stars Since June the 16th when South African troops and police opened fire on a peaceful school children s demonstration, the white government has presided over the largest massacre of its black population since South Africa came into existence The school boy who led that day s protest was 19 year old Tsietsi Mashinini BBC World Service The Day Apartheid Died Soweto Uprising story that runs through the many layers of this story is set in Apartheid South Africa around the time of the Soweto Uprising, the level of racism prevalent.Beauty, a mother who is desperate to find her daughter, Nomsa, a young girl caught up in the protests at Soweto who has seemingly disappeared since day of the uprising Beauty arr...The Hook The author herself hands down I attended a weekend event called Booktopia at one of the best independent bookstores, Northshire, in Manchester, VT I was looking forward to meeting and hear speak, Chloe Benjamin, author of The Immortalists,one of my favorite books of 2018 Imagine my disappointment when she had to cancel due to illness The author, taking her place, Bianca Marais Bianca Marais, never heard of her Oh, but was I in for a treat Ms Marais turned out to be one of the The Hook The author herself hands down I attended a weekend event called Booktopia at one of the best independent bookstores, Northshire, in Manchester, VT I was looking forward to meeting and hear speak, Chloe Benjamin, author of The Immortalists,one of my favorite books of 2018 Imagine my disappointment when she had to cancel due to illness The author, taking her place, Bianca Marais Bianca Marais, never heard of her Oh, but was I in for a treat Ms Marais turned out to be one of the best speakers, a friendly, warm, globally aware woman, who was also funny, and darn good at trivia I bought her debut book, Hum If You Don t Know The Words What took me so long to read it It s just the way the TBR pile crumbles The Line There were many that I cherish so I will deviate from my usual one line and quote threeWhat greater gift can you give another than to say I see you, I hear you, and you are not alone I knew t... Hum if You Don t Know the Words is a novel set in 1975 76 South Africa, with the Soweto Uprising as the linchpin that brings the two main characters together and sets in motion the events of the novel While the writing is fairly strong overall, I would only rate this 2.5 stars rounded down to be an it was ok overall rating because one of the perspectives is far superior to the other, and the ending seemed implausible and somewhat inauthentic, which changed my opinion from a solid 3 star to Hum if You Don t Know the Words is a novel set in 1975 76 South Africa, with the Soweto Uprising as the linchpin that brings the two main characters together and sets in motion the events of the novel While the writing is fairly strong overall, I would only rate this 2.5 stars rounded down to be an it was ok overall rating because one of the perspectives is far superior to the other, and the ending seemed implausible and somewhat inauthentic, which changed my opinion from a solid 3 star to alukewarm rating.The novel is told from two perspectives Beauty, a Xhosa schoolteacher, is a very well drawn character I was immersed in her story line and character from the beginning, especially since it s told first person present tense so I felt rea...There are some good books that you read once and pass on but occasionally you find one which you can read over and over I have reread this book 3 times and each time I gain a littlefrom it This has to be one of my favourite books of all times and each time I read it, I love itandThe imagery throughout the book is powerful and the author uses language so skillfully that there are passages that I have marked and keep going back to One of my favourites is Some good byes are as There are ...As I read Hum If You Don t Know The Words, I cried in my bed, laughed on the subway and nodded in agreement in the passport office lounge I often wished I could pause and tell someone anyone nearby about what I was reading at that particular moment There were so many beautiful passages Marais language is perfect it is accessible and at the same time, rich My top contender for favourite line in the book is tears are neither black nor white they are the quicksilver of our emotional As I read Hum If You Don t Know The Words, I cried in my bed, laughed on the subway and nodded in agreement in the passport office lounge I often wished I could pause and tell someone anyone nearby about what I was reading at that particular moment There were so many beautiful passages Marais language is perfect it is accessible and at the same time, rich My top contender for favourite line in the book is tears are neither black nor white they are the quicksilver of our emotional turmoil and their salt flavors our pain equally It was hard to believe this is a debut novel There was wit and thoughtfulness and warmth throughout bringing the two main narrators, Beauty and Robin, to life Usually, I end up preferring one voice to the other with this type of narration, but I genuinely cared for each of them I was equally swept up in both plotlines Every character was lively, complex and vital Story...Full review is up on Loved this book Hum If You Don t Know The Words is one of my current favorite debuts In 1976 apartheid South Africa where racism was a way of life, we meet Robin, a 9 yr old white girl who was daughter to a miner and his wife Robin s father did not always treat blacks fairly and, tragically, both parents were murdered, leaving the little girl alone Then we meet Beauty, a 50 year old, educated, black, single mother of 3 2 teenage boy Full review is up on Loved this book Hum If You Don t Know The Words is one of my current favorite debuts In 1976 apartheid South Africa where racism was a way of life, we meet Robin, a 9 yr old white girl who was daughter to a miner and his wife Robin s father did not always treat blacks fairly and, tragically, both parents were murdered, leaving the little girl alone Then we meet Beauty, a 50 year old, educated, black, single mother of 3 2 teenage boys living with her in a small village and a daughter who had been living with a relative s family so she could study in the city When Beauty finds out her daughter has run away to train for the resistance and she is in danger, she travels to the city to find her.Young Robin exhibits incredible coping skills she has developed since she was a baby and despite the culture of the country s environment and being left without her beloved family, she has an open mind looking to receive love and wholeheartedly willing to give Through circumstances and the kindness of...A suspenseful family drama that turns into a thriller The novel is set in 1976 in South Africa After her parents are murdered, Robin, a 9 yr old child, is sent to Johannesburg to live with her only relative, her deceased mother s wild, carefree, single sister Edith, who never in her wildest dreams banked on, or ever wanted to a child Working as an airline stewardess further complicates the situation.In the second story, Beauty is on the hunt for her 17 yr old daughter who has joined the revol A suspenseful family drama that turns into a thriller The novel is set in 1976 in South Africa After her parents are murdered, Robin, a 9 yr old child, is s...I despair that we are all becoming murderers, white and black alike, and that we will never be able to wipe this blood from our hands I pray that I am wrong.I loved these characters Beauty and Robin yes, but also the rest of the cast Edith, Victor and Morris The amazing sense of humor throughout provided a much needed lighter side to the story The writing is beautiful and honest Written in alternating chapters, Beauty s centered and wise narration balances beautifully with Robin s capric I despair that we are all becoming murderers, white and black alike, and that we will never be able to wipe this blood from our hands I pray that I am wrong.I loved these characters Beauty and Robin yes, but also the rest of the cast Edith, Victor and Morris The amazing sense of humor throughout provided a much needed lighter side to the story The writing is beautiful and honest Written in alternating chapters, Beauty s centered and wise narration balances beautifully with Robin s capricious and naive account The author does a brilliant job of showing us how horrible apartheid was by describing the effect on Beauty s daily life I grew up in a mine community in South Africa, so this was like a trip down memory lane the good and the bad Hum is a book about the process of creating as well as the effects of prejudic...

English
27 October 2018

Bianca Marais