BOOKS FROM ESWATINIWhen the Ground Is Hard
by Malla Nunn
Tags:
Set in Eswatini
Female author
Description:
Edgar Award nominee stuns in this heartrending tale set in a Swaziland boarding school where two girls of different castes bond over a shared copy of Jane Eyre. Adele Joubert loves being one of the popular girls at Keziah Christian Academy. She knows the upcoming semester at school is going to be great with her best friend Delia at her side. Then Delia dumps her for a new girl with more money, and Adele is forced to share a room with Lottie, the school pariah, who doesn't pray and defies teachers' orders. But as they share a copy of Jane Eyre, Lottie's gruff exterior and honesty grow on Adele, and Lottie learns to be a little sweeter. Together, they take on bullies and protect each other from the vindictive and prejudiced teachers. Then a boy goes missing on campus and Adele and Lottie must rely on each other to solve the mystery and maybe learn the true meaning of friendship.
Reviews:
(6 months ago) |
26 Mar, 2025
I absolutely adored this book, and I find myself struggling to say why. Perhaps it’s that the writing is so natural the reader is immediately immersed in the world of Adele and Lottie. The blurb on the back of the book does not do justice to the story - it makes it sound too much like an afterschool sitcom. Really the book is about learning how complex people and the world around you can be. It is about learning when to fight and when to walk away. I think it is a book that most people will be able to find some relatability within, and if it seems more rose-coloured than realistic it does so in a commendable manner.
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