Unfeeling by Ian Holding

Unfeeling

Ian Holding

An uncomfortable book as its world is modern Zimbabwe seen mainly through the eyes of the 16 year old white farmer's son who survives his parents' massacre, feels responsible and has to act. A very uncomfortable book as it makes the reader aware too of the violence of the previous white rule by sjambok. A wonderfully well-written book that should be read as it portrays so clearly the plight of all of those who suffer when violent rule is the norm,whether it is rule by their father, their boss or, worst of all, the government.

Extract
He squints. A body lies heaped, face down on the carpet beside the bed. The first thing he registers is disgust at the dog licking, gnawing at the butchered mass of meat, bones sticking from the split scalp down to the lower back. There's not a patch of skin, but a wide stretch of rutted red, pink. He can't take in the whole of what he's seeing.
Parallels
  • Waiting for the Wild Beasts to Vote by Ahmadou Kouaouma
  • Disgrace by J M Coetzee
  • Incendiary by Chris Cleave