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毓賱賶 丨丕賮丞 丕賱氐丨乇丕亍
賮賷 賲丿賷賳丞 賱賵丿乇賷鬲夭 丕賱爻丕丨賱賷賻賾丞 賮賷 賳丕賲賷亘賷丕貙 賲購賱鬲賯賶 丕賱氐丨乇丕亍 賵丕賱賲丨賷胤貙 賷鬲丨賵賻賾賱 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱賲乇賵賽賾毓 廿賱賶 丨丿孬賺 卮禺氐賷賺賾 丨賷賳賲丕 賷鬲毓賷賻賾賳購 毓賱賶 氐丕賳毓賽 兀賮賱丕賲賺 賷購丿毓賶 賴賳乇賷 賮丕賳 賮賽賰 兀賳 賷賵丕噩賴 賵賯丕卅毓 鬲乇丕噩賷丿賷賻賾丞賺 氐丕睾鬲 賲爻丕乇賻 丨賷丕鬲賴.
亘賷丿 兀賳賻賾 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀乇囟 丕賱賵丕丿毓丞 鬲禺賮賷 亘賷賳 胤賷賻賾丕鬲賴丕 鬲丕乇賷禺賸丕 丿賲賵賷賸賾丕: 匕丕鬲 賷賵賲貙 賰丕賳鬲 噩夭賷乇丞 丕賱賯乇卮 賲賵賯毓賸丕 賱賲毓爻賰乇賽 丕毓鬲賯丕賱貙 賵丕賱丌賳 鬲毓賲賱 賲賰丕鬲亘購 賲丨丕賲丕丞賺 毓賱賶 賲賯丕囟丕丞 丕賱丨賰賵賲丞 丕賱兀賱賲丕賳賷賻賾丞 亘爻亘亘 丿賵乇賴丕 賮賷 丕賱廿亘丕丿丞 丕賱噩賲丕毓賷賻賾丞 賱卮毓賵亘 賳丕賲賷亘賷丕 丕賱兀氐賱賷賽賾丞.
賵毓賳丿賲丕 賷賻卮乇毓購 賴賳乇賷 亘廿噩乇丕亍 丕賱賲賯丕亘賱丕鬲 賲毓 賳爻賱 丕賱賳丕噩賷賳 賵丕賱賳丕噩賷丕鬲貙 鬲囟胤乇購賾賴 卮賴丕丿丕鬲賴賲 廿賱賶 丕賱鬲賳賯賷亘 賮賷 丕賱氐丨乇丕亍 亘丨孬賸丕 毓賳 賲賯亘乇丞賺 噩賲丕毓賷賻賾丞.
賮賷 胤賷賻賾丕鬲 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱乇賵丕卅賷賾 "毓賱賶 丨丕賮賻賾丞 丕賱氐丨乇丕亍"貙 乇丨賱丞賹 鬲兀賲購賾賱賷賻賾丞賹 賮賷 賲毓丕賳賷 丕賱賮賯丿 賵丕賱毓購夭賱丞 賵丕賱丨亘賾貙 賵賴賷 鬲鬲賵禺賻賾賶 賲賳賻賾丕 丕賱鬲賮賰賷乇 賮賷 丕賱毓賵丕賯亘 丕賱賲鬲乇鬲賽賾亘丞 毓賱賶 賮毓賱賽 爻乇丿賽 丨賰丕賷丕鬲 丕賱丌禺乇賷賳...
噩賵丕卅夭 丨氐賱鬲 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞..
- 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱胤賵賷賱丞 賱噩丕卅夭丞 氐丨賷賮丞 "氐賳丿丕賷 鬲丕賷賲夭 丕賱兀丿亘賷賻賾丞"貙 2022.
- 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 賱噩丕卅夭丞 爻丕賱丕 (噩丕卅夭丞 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱噩賳賵亘 兀賮乇賷賯賷賾)貙 2022.
亘丕爻賷賱 賱賵乇賳爻..
丨丕夭 亘丕爻賷賱 賱賵乇賳爻 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭 兀賲爻鬲賱 賱爻賳丞 2020 毓賳 毓賲賱賴 "毓丕丿丕鬲 丕賱兀賰賱 丕賱丨丿賷孬丞". 賵兀賲賻賾丕 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱兀賵賱賶貙 賮賯丿 氐丿乇賻鬲 賮賷 爻賳丞 2014 賵丨賲賱鬲 毓賳賵丕賳 "賴賳乇賷 兀賵賻賾賱丕賸: 丨賰丕賷丞賹 賮賷 丕賱廿爻乇丕賮". 丿乇賻爻 賱賵乇賳爻 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賳賰賱賷夭賷賻賾丞 賮賷 噩丕賲毓丞 賵賷鬲賵賵鬲乇爻丕賳丿 賮賷 噩賳賵亘 兀賮乇賷賯賷丕貙 賵丨氐賱 毓賱賶 丿乇噩丞 丕賱賲丕噩爻鬲賷乇 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱廿亘丿丕毓賷賻賾丞 賰賱賽賾賷賻賾丞 亘賷乇賰亘賷賰 鈥� 噩丕賲毓丞 賱賳丿賳.
賯賷賱 毓賳賴丕..
- "丨賰丕賷丞賹 兀禺賻賾丕匕丞賹 毓賳 亘賱丕丿賺 賱賲 鬲鬲賳丕賵賱賴丕 賲賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 廿賱賻賾丕 丕賱賯賱賷賱... 鬲賳胤賵賷 丨賰丕賷丞 賱賵乇賳爻 毓賱賶 賰賱賺賾 賲賳 丕賱鬲毓賯賷丿 賵亘購毓丿 丕賱賳馗乇... 賰鬲丕亘丕鬲購賴 鬲賮爻丨購 賱賳丕 丕賱賲噩丕賱 賰賷 賳賱鬲賯賷 賳馗乇丕鬲賺 禺丕胤賮丞賸 廿賱賶 丕賱噩賲丕賱 丕賱氐丕乇賽禺 賱賲購丿購賳 丕賱兀卮亘丕丨 賮賷 賰賵賱賲丕賳爻賰賵亘 賵禺賱賷噩 廿賱賷夭丕亘賷孬". / 氐丨賷賮丞 亘賷夭賳爻 丿丕賷.
- "氐賻賳毓丞賹 賲購鬲賲賰賽賾賳丞賹 賮賷 賰賱賺賾 賲賳 丕賱賵氐賮 賵丕賱鬲丨賵購賾賱丕鬲 賵丕賱匕購乇賶... 賮賷 噩賳賵亘 賳丕賲賷亘賷丕 丕賱亘丿賷毓貙 丨賷孬購 鬲毓氐賮 丕賱乇賷丕丨 亘丕賱噩乇賵丿 丕賱賵丕毓乇丞貙 爻鬲囟胤乇賲 賱丿賶 丕賱賯丕乇卅 卮乇丕乇丞賹 賲賳 丕賱匕賴賵賱 廿夭丕亍 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱賲囟胤乇亘 賱賲丿賷賳丞 賱賵丿乇賷鬲夭 賵丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 毓賲賵賲賸丕". / 匕丕 賲賽賳丿乇 賰乇賵賳賷賰賱.
亘賷丿 兀賳賻賾 鬲賱賰 丕賱兀乇囟 丕賱賵丕丿毓丞 鬲禺賮賷 亘賷賳 胤賷賻賾丕鬲賴丕 鬲丕乇賷禺賸丕 丿賲賵賷賸賾丕: 匕丕鬲 賷賵賲貙 賰丕賳鬲 噩夭賷乇丞 丕賱賯乇卮 賲賵賯毓賸丕 賱賲毓爻賰乇賽 丕毓鬲賯丕賱貙 賵丕賱丌賳 鬲毓賲賱 賲賰丕鬲亘購 賲丨丕賲丕丞賺 毓賱賶 賲賯丕囟丕丞 丕賱丨賰賵賲丞 丕賱兀賱賲丕賳賷賻賾丞 亘爻亘亘 丿賵乇賴丕 賮賷 丕賱廿亘丕丿丞 丕賱噩賲丕毓賷賻賾丞 賱卮毓賵亘 賳丕賲賷亘賷丕 丕賱兀氐賱賷賽賾丞.
賵毓賳丿賲丕 賷賻卮乇毓購 賴賳乇賷 亘廿噩乇丕亍 丕賱賲賯丕亘賱丕鬲 賲毓 賳爻賱 丕賱賳丕噩賷賳 賵丕賱賳丕噩賷丕鬲貙 鬲囟胤乇購賾賴 卮賴丕丿丕鬲賴賲 廿賱賶 丕賱鬲賳賯賷亘 賮賷 丕賱氐丨乇丕亍 亘丨孬賸丕 毓賳 賲賯亘乇丞賺 噩賲丕毓賷賻賾丞.
賮賷 胤賷賻賾丕鬲 賴匕丕 丕賱毓賲賱 丕賱乇賵丕卅賷賾 "毓賱賶 丨丕賮賻賾丞 丕賱氐丨乇丕亍"貙 乇丨賱丞賹 鬲兀賲購賾賱賷賻賾丞賹 賮賷 賲毓丕賳賷 丕賱賮賯丿 賵丕賱毓購夭賱丞 賵丕賱丨亘賾貙 賵賴賷 鬲鬲賵禺賻賾賶 賲賳賻賾丕 丕賱鬲賮賰賷乇 賮賷 丕賱毓賵丕賯亘 丕賱賲鬲乇鬲賽賾亘丞 毓賱賶 賮毓賱賽 爻乇丿賽 丨賰丕賷丕鬲 丕賱丌禺乇賷賳...
噩賵丕卅夭 丨氐賱鬲 毓賱賷賴丕 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞..
- 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱胤賵賷賱丞 賱噩丕卅夭丞 氐丨賷賮丞 "氐賳丿丕賷 鬲丕賷賲夭 丕賱兀丿亘賷賻賾丞"貙 2022.
- 丕賱賯丕卅賲丞 丕賱賯氐賷乇丞 賱噩丕卅夭丞 爻丕賱丕 (噩丕卅夭丞 丕賱兀丿亘 丕賱噩賳賵亘 兀賮乇賷賯賷賾)貙 2022.
亘丕爻賷賱 賱賵乇賳爻..
丨丕夭 亘丕爻賷賱 賱賵乇賳爻 毓賱賶 噩丕卅夭 兀賲爻鬲賱 賱爻賳丞 2020 毓賳 毓賲賱賴 "毓丕丿丕鬲 丕賱兀賰賱 丕賱丨丿賷孬丞". 賵兀賲賻賾丕 乇賵丕賷鬲賴 丕賱兀賵賱賶貙 賮賯丿 氐丿乇賻鬲 賮賷 爻賳丞 2014 賵丨賲賱鬲 毓賳賵丕賳 "賴賳乇賷 兀賵賻賾賱丕賸: 丨賰丕賷丞賹 賮賷 丕賱廿爻乇丕賮". 丿乇賻爻 賱賵乇賳爻 丕賱賱睾丞 丕賱廿賳賰賱賷夭賷賻賾丞 賮賷 噩丕賲毓丞 賵賷鬲賵賵鬲乇爻丕賳丿 賮賷 噩賳賵亘 兀賮乇賷賯賷丕貙 賵丨氐賱 毓賱賶 丿乇噩丞 丕賱賲丕噩爻鬲賷乇 賮賷 丕賱賰鬲丕亘丞 丕賱廿亘丿丕毓賷賻賾丞 賰賱賽賾賷賻賾丞 亘賷乇賰亘賷賰 鈥� 噩丕賲毓丞 賱賳丿賳.
賯賷賱 毓賳賴丕..
- "丨賰丕賷丞賹 兀禺賻賾丕匕丞賹 毓賳 亘賱丕丿賺 賱賲 鬲鬲賳丕賵賱賴丕 賲賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丕鬲 廿賱賻賾丕 丕賱賯賱賷賱... 鬲賳胤賵賷 丨賰丕賷丞 賱賵乇賳爻 毓賱賶 賰賱賺賾 賲賳 丕賱鬲毓賯賷丿 賵亘購毓丿 丕賱賳馗乇... 賰鬲丕亘丕鬲購賴 鬲賮爻丨購 賱賳丕 丕賱賲噩丕賱 賰賷 賳賱鬲賯賷 賳馗乇丕鬲賺 禺丕胤賮丞賸 廿賱賶 丕賱噩賲丕賱 丕賱氐丕乇賽禺 賱賲購丿購賳 丕賱兀卮亘丕丨 賮賷 賰賵賱賲丕賳爻賰賵亘 賵禺賱賷噩 廿賱賷夭丕亘賷孬". / 氐丨賷賮丞 亘賷夭賳爻 丿丕賷.
- "氐賻賳毓丞賹 賲購鬲賲賰賽賾賳丞賹 賮賷 賰賱賺賾 賲賳 丕賱賵氐賮 賵丕賱鬲丨賵購賾賱丕鬲 賵丕賱匕購乇賶... 賮賷 噩賳賵亘 賳丕賲賷亘賷丕 丕賱亘丿賷毓貙 丨賷孬購 鬲毓氐賮 丕賱乇賷丕丨 亘丕賱噩乇賵丿 丕賱賵丕毓乇丞貙 爻鬲囟胤乇賲 賱丿賶 丕賱賯丕乇卅 卮乇丕乇丞賹 賲賳 丕賱匕賴賵賱 廿夭丕亍 丕賱鬲丕乇賷禺 丕賱賲囟胤乇亘 賱賲丿賷賳丞 賱賵丿乇賷鬲夭 賵丕賱賲賳胤賯丞 毓賲賵賲賸丕". / 匕丕 賲賽賳丿乇 賰乇賵賳賷賰賱.
360 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2023
2 people are currently reading
34 people want to read
About the author
Basil Lawrence
4听books3听followersBasil Lawrence is the author of the novels Henry First and At the Edge of the Desert, and has co-edited two story collections for The Mechanics' Institute Review. Henry First won the Red City Review grand prize, and his play Modern Eating Habits won the Amstel Playwright of the Year Award. He lives in London.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
April 20, 2021
#attheedgeofthedesert - Basil Lawrence
#penguinrandomhousesa
Filmmaker Hermanus (Henry) van Wyk returns to his childhood home, L眉deritz, the Namibian harbour town, where the desert meets the ocean, to complete the editing on a documentary that he hopes will boost his struggling career. He is battling, both financially and emotionally, but the reason for the latter is gradually revealed to the reader.
In his efforts to generate income, he is introduced to a very eccentric Brit, Will, and his wife Amanda. Will dreams of building a Utopia called Harmony; an off the grid settlement that is anti-civilization; anti-capitalism and anti-government; where the residents will love working so much that they would never want to sleep. But he needs investors, so Henry is tasked with the filming of this pipe dream.
Henry鈥檚 cousin, Chesley, works for a law firm that is suing the German government for the genocide of Namibia鈥檚 indigenous people, especially the Herero, and Henry is volunteers to interview and film the descendants of those affected as another source of income, requiring him to travel extensively over the vast areas of Namibia.
The novel highlights contrasts throughout: the red, bright heat of the North is contrasted with the grey, dark and cold of the South; the man of the earth, the Australian Quinty, is the opposite of the delicate German, Jago, both loved by Henry, Will鈥檚 idyllic dream is in stark contrast to Chesley鈥檚 humanitarian crusade, and the contrast between the ocean and the desert is beautifully illustrated on the front cover.
The novel moves at a slow pace and has a meditative, nostalgic effect on the reader. Namibia is described in prose-like language; from the harbour town of L眉deritz, to the abandoned Kolmanskop (Kolmannskuppe), the Sperrgebiet, and the sweltering heat of Grootfontein in the North.
The novel is written in the past tense with Henry as narrator and consists of 3 parts (L眉deritz, Kolmanskop and Elizabeth Bay) with no chapters. Although it is written in English, there are quite a few German and Afrikaans sentences as well. (No, it did not bother me; it created a feeling of authenticity.)
The novel is recommended for lovers of Namibia and reminds of Henno Martin鈥檚 鈥楾he sheltering desert鈥� and John Gordon Davis鈥� 鈥楾he land God made in anger鈥�.
4 stars from #Uitdieperdsebek
#penguinrandomhousesa
Filmmaker Hermanus (Henry) van Wyk returns to his childhood home, L眉deritz, the Namibian harbour town, where the desert meets the ocean, to complete the editing on a documentary that he hopes will boost his struggling career. He is battling, both financially and emotionally, but the reason for the latter is gradually revealed to the reader.
In his efforts to generate income, he is introduced to a very eccentric Brit, Will, and his wife Amanda. Will dreams of building a Utopia called Harmony; an off the grid settlement that is anti-civilization; anti-capitalism and anti-government; where the residents will love working so much that they would never want to sleep. But he needs investors, so Henry is tasked with the filming of this pipe dream.
Henry鈥檚 cousin, Chesley, works for a law firm that is suing the German government for the genocide of Namibia鈥檚 indigenous people, especially the Herero, and Henry is volunteers to interview and film the descendants of those affected as another source of income, requiring him to travel extensively over the vast areas of Namibia.
The novel highlights contrasts throughout: the red, bright heat of the North is contrasted with the grey, dark and cold of the South; the man of the earth, the Australian Quinty, is the opposite of the delicate German, Jago, both loved by Henry, Will鈥檚 idyllic dream is in stark contrast to Chesley鈥檚 humanitarian crusade, and the contrast between the ocean and the desert is beautifully illustrated on the front cover.
The novel moves at a slow pace and has a meditative, nostalgic effect on the reader. Namibia is described in prose-like language; from the harbour town of L眉deritz, to the abandoned Kolmanskop (Kolmannskuppe), the Sperrgebiet, and the sweltering heat of Grootfontein in the North.
The novel is written in the past tense with Henry as narrator and consists of 3 parts (L眉deritz, Kolmanskop and Elizabeth Bay) with no chapters. Although it is written in English, there are quite a few German and Afrikaans sentences as well. (No, it did not bother me; it created a feeling of authenticity.)
The novel is recommended for lovers of Namibia and reminds of Henno Martin鈥檚 鈥楾he sheltering desert鈥� and John Gordon Davis鈥� 鈥楾he land God made in anger鈥�.
4 stars from #Uitdieperdsebek
February 9, 2021
It is not always an easy book if you are fidgety or gunning for the big reveal, or some momentous moment. Its still, contemplative, ruminative pace, and its sometimes meditative quality, are an extension of the narrator's melancholy. And this, in turn, one assumes to be a consequence of the desert's liminal, haunting nature, not to mention a lingering side-effect of the unacknowledged genocidal atrocities in Nambia's colonial past that remain unacknowledged. The past is always with us, is what it reminds us. And there's some weirdness in the book that serves as a curious hook.
February 1, 2021
I found the book all a bit confusing and wondered what it was meant to be about - there was so little of the history of the treatment of the indigenous people and how they were treated by the Germans, which is what the 'blub' on the back said. The descriptions of Namibia, the vastness and the scenery were excellent - but were all the characters made to be so wacky to hold interest in the book? Explicit sex was not necessary in this narrative.
June 16, 2021
*Disclaimer: I was kindly gifted an electronic copy of this book by Penguin Random House SA in exchange for an honest review.
At the Edge of the Desert is a different kind of historical fiction for me, I'm used to reading about Germany, but this story takes place in L眉deritz, Namibia. Living in South Africa I've only heard stories and have seen photos of L眉deritz, but after reading this book I see L眉deritz and the surrounding areas in a new light.
I found it a bit difficult to review this book, even though I love historical fiction, this was somewhat different for me. As the title suggests, the setting is dry and barren, but the characters and the history of the area are rich and interesting. This is a quick read and even though there aren't any chapters, the story has a steady pace. The book is divided into 3 parts: L眉deritz, Kolmanskop and Elizabeth Bay.
I enjoyed the author's descriptions of the landscape and the German that's included in the dialogue. The storyline is good and readers will meet different characters who play an integral part in the main character, Henry's life. The story contains mature content, but other than that this a great read for anyone who is interested in the history of L眉deritz and who wants to broaden their knowledge of historical fiction. This book motivated me to find out more about L眉deritz and I hope to visit some of the locations mentioned in the book, including Shark Island, in the future.
This review is posted on my blog:
At the Edge of the Desert is a different kind of historical fiction for me, I'm used to reading about Germany, but this story takes place in L眉deritz, Namibia. Living in South Africa I've only heard stories and have seen photos of L眉deritz, but after reading this book I see L眉deritz and the surrounding areas in a new light.
I found it a bit difficult to review this book, even though I love historical fiction, this was somewhat different for me. As the title suggests, the setting is dry and barren, but the characters and the history of the area are rich and interesting. This is a quick read and even though there aren't any chapters, the story has a steady pace. The book is divided into 3 parts: L眉deritz, Kolmanskop and Elizabeth Bay.
I enjoyed the author's descriptions of the landscape and the German that's included in the dialogue. The storyline is good and readers will meet different characters who play an integral part in the main character, Henry's life. The story contains mature content, but other than that this a great read for anyone who is interested in the history of L眉deritz and who wants to broaden their knowledge of historical fiction. This book motivated me to find out more about L眉deritz and I hope to visit some of the locations mentioned in the book, including Shark Island, in the future.
This review is posted on my blog:
February 26, 2023
賱賷爻 亘丕賱囟亘胤 賲丕 鬲賵賯毓鬲賴 賮賶 賯氐丞 賲賳 丕賱丕丿亘 丕賱丕賮乇賷賯賶.
鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 丕爻鬲亘丿丕賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱兀賮乇賷賯賷丞 亘卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賵乇賵亘賷丞 亘丿賵賳 丕賶 鬲兀孬賷乇 賷匕賰乇 毓賱賶 賲爻丕乇 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬.. 賱賲 丕噩丿 賮賶 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱乇賵丨 丕賱兀賮乇賷賯賷丞. 賱毓賱 匕賱賰 亘爻亘亘 丕賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮 亘丕爻賷賱 賱賵乇丕賳爻 賴賵 噩賳賵亘 丕賮乇賷賯賷 丕亘賷囟 賷毓賷卮 賮賶 賱賳丿賳. 廿賱丕 丕賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘賴丕 噩賲賱 乇賯賷賯丞 賵賮賳賷丞 鬲乇爻賲 賱賵丨丕鬲 噩賲賷賱丞 亘賰賱賲丕鬲 亘賱丕睾賷丞
鬲爻鬲胤賷毓 丕爻鬲亘丿丕賱 丕賱卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賱兀賮乇賷賯賷丞 亘卮禺氐賷丕鬲 丕賵乇賵亘賷丞 亘丿賵賳 丕賶 鬲兀孬賷乇 賷匕賰乇 毓賱賶 賲爻丕乇 丕賱兀丨丿丕孬.. 賱賲 丕噩丿 賮賶 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 丕賱乇賵丨 丕賱兀賮乇賷賯賷丞. 賱毓賱 匕賱賰 亘爻亘亘 丕賳 丕賱賲丐賱賮 亘丕爻賷賱 賱賵乇丕賳爻 賴賵 噩賳賵亘 丕賮乇賷賯賷 丕亘賷囟 賷毓賷卮 賮賶 賱賳丿賳. 廿賱丕 丕賳 丕賱乇賵丕賷丞 亘賴丕 噩賲賱 乇賯賷賯丞 賵賮賳賷丞 鬲乇爻賲 賱賵丨丕鬲 噩賲賷賱丞 亘賰賱賲丕鬲 亘賱丕睾賷丞
January 20, 2021
鈥渁 meditation on loss, isolation and love, which asks us to consider the implications of telling someone else鈥檚 story.鈥�
Pre-COVID, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of German travellers visiting Namibia, this resulted in me receiving a lot of feedback on the country and loads of scenic photos. When I came across At the Edge of the Desert, I was excited to read the book and experience the author鈥檚 take on Namibia.
Basil Lawrence has an easy writing style, with beautiful descriptions of the scenery. His dialogue, however, shifts between English, Afrikaans, and the odd bits of German 鈥� I was lost on all the German phrases included and I am sure international readers will find it difficult to understand the Afrikaans lingo used. These Afrikaans bits are often not explained and if you are not familiar with these Afrikaans phrases it could make it difficult to understand.
The storyline was good, I enjoyed the wacky characters and the history that was included in the story. I am inspired to read more about the Namibian history. Unfortunately, the excessive sexual scenes and explicit sexual descriptions spoilt this book for me a little bit. I did not see the need for including these and had the author rather toned those down a bit then At the Edge of the Desert would have been a much more enjoyable read.
There is a large cast in the story and most of them are very entertaining. Having to pick a favourite I would lean towards Amanda 鈥� I enjoyed how difficult and stuck up she was. Especially after finding out that she is not really who she pretends to be.
This book will not make it onto my LOVED list, yet at the same time, I cannot say that I hated it. Part of the story was really good and made for entertaining reading, yet some parts really didn鈥檛 work for me.
This book will appeal to open-minded readers who enjoy African/historical fiction and who do not mind explicit sexual scenes.
Visit the blog at:
Pre-COVID, I had the opportunity to work with a lot of German travellers visiting Namibia, this resulted in me receiving a lot of feedback on the country and loads of scenic photos. When I came across At the Edge of the Desert, I was excited to read the book and experience the author鈥檚 take on Namibia.
Basil Lawrence has an easy writing style, with beautiful descriptions of the scenery. His dialogue, however, shifts between English, Afrikaans, and the odd bits of German 鈥� I was lost on all the German phrases included and I am sure international readers will find it difficult to understand the Afrikaans lingo used. These Afrikaans bits are often not explained and if you are not familiar with these Afrikaans phrases it could make it difficult to understand.
The storyline was good, I enjoyed the wacky characters and the history that was included in the story. I am inspired to read more about the Namibian history. Unfortunately, the excessive sexual scenes and explicit sexual descriptions spoilt this book for me a little bit. I did not see the need for including these and had the author rather toned those down a bit then At the Edge of the Desert would have been a much more enjoyable read.
There is a large cast in the story and most of them are very entertaining. Having to pick a favourite I would lean towards Amanda 鈥� I enjoyed how difficult and stuck up she was. Especially after finding out that she is not really who she pretends to be.
This book will not make it onto my LOVED list, yet at the same time, I cannot say that I hated it. Part of the story was really good and made for entertaining reading, yet some parts really didn鈥檛 work for me.
This book will appeal to open-minded readers who enjoy African/historical fiction and who do not mind explicit sexual scenes.
Visit the blog at:
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