The Child of an Ancient People by Anouar Benmalek

The Child of an Ancient People

Anouar Benmalek

This is a very strange love story, set amidst anti-colonial struggles, deportation, genocide and death. It tells of the love of Kader and Lislei for each other, and how this grows out of their chance meeting with Tridarir, an Aboriginal child, the last survivor of his people in Tasmania. It is also a tale of the death of dreams, and of triumph over despair.

Extract
Rogg bursts out laughing when he sees the convict's stupefied face. He lifts the dead guard by the shoulders. The head falls back, revealing the bloody gash. Kader thinks of the blood of a ram's head put out for drying. Takes deep breaths to overcome his nausea.
Parallels
  • Schindler's Ark by Thomas Keneally
  • True History of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey
  • Little Big Man by Thomas Berger