Heaven Forbid by Christopher Hope

Heaven Forbid

Christopher Hope

A deceptively simple but powerful novel, seen through the eyes of five year old Martin Donally in post war South Africa. A read of enormous contrast that helps you to appreciate happy family life on the one hand and the very sinister political situation on the other.

Extract
'You MacBrides like shouting the odds. You don't like what's real. Show you what's real and you run in the other direction. Your father writes himself off - but he's a hero. Your granddad goes to Curzon. He thinks it's the coming Jo'burg, when anyone can see it's just a one-horse dorp. He buys the Grange Hotel - it ruins him. He backs Smuts - Smuts gets thrashed. Your uncle Matt takes on the Nats in Boksburg - he gets hammered. And do you care? Not a damn. You just sale on regardless.'
Parallels
  • Spies by Michael Frayn
  • The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
  • Buxton Spice by Oonya Kempadoo