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Michael Donkor Fourth Estate €17.55

Donkor’s debut novel concerns itself with two Ghanaian house girls, Belinda, 17, and Mary, 11, who are separated when Belinda is sent from a well-to-do household in Kumasi to London to mentor surly teenager Amma. Through Belinda and Mary’s awkward phone calls and the fragile bond that grows between Belinda and Amma, Donkor celebrates female friendship. A warm and intelligent story, offering full-bodied characters and a fortifying examination of courage.