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MONG the novels in the running are exquisite reads, books crafted with a secure literary hand and a deep understanding of human predicaments, novels that tell stories spanning generations and portraying whole communities, and that present us with unforgettable characters.
striking feature of the list is the large number of books that are set either entirely outside South Africa — in places like the US, the UK, India, Somalia and Italy — or that move between South Africa and foreign lands. This broadening of horizons is also reflected in authors’ political engagement with what is happening beyond the borders of our country. Other interesting aspects of this year’s crop of novels are the influence of new technology on the content and structure of narratives; the greater importance given to gay characters; the central role played by creative individuals — musicians, artists, writers, academics; and the incidence of sexual abuse of trusting young characters by men of the cloth.
The wide variety of themes and approaches and the excellence of much of the writing will make determining the winner of the first Barry Ronge Fiction Prize an exceptionally challenging exercise. — Annari van der Merwe