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Period Pain
Period Pain | Kopano Matlwa
Period Pain captures the heartache and confusion of so many South Africans who feel defeated by the litany of headline horrors; xenophobia, corrective rape, corruption and crime and for many the death sentence that is the public health nightmare. Where are we going, what have we become? Period Pain helps us navigate our South Africa. We meet Masechaba, and through her story we are able to reflect, to question and to rediscover our humanity.
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rockpools
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

#readaroundtheworld #SouthAfrica

She had me from the first few pages (TMI in comments) - so much going on in such a short novel. Life as a student doctor in South Africa, trying to work out the path to take against the xenophobia aimed at your flatmate, and Just So Tired. (I thought she wrote tiredness so well!) And that‘s before the horrific event takes place. It‘s written as journal entries- I found it powerful and affecting. Trigger Warnings.

rockpools Matlwa won me over straight away. I lived with undiagnosed menorrhagia (heavy bleeding) for maybe 15 years, just dismissed as standard ‘women‘s problems‘ - I quite simply can‘t imagine being in that situation from the very start. Unsurprisingly, it‘s not a topic I‘ve ever seen written about, but it was very real, very well-done. Big thanks to doctors & med staff who stick with medicine despite the tiredness and hate. 5y
Reggie Sounds good! I didn‘t do the spoiler but still stacked. 5y
43 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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rockpools
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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This book.

I really wouldn‘t call it a page-turner, but I don‘t want to put it down.

Cinfhen Sounds really good 5y
eraderneely How‘s the journey going ? 5y
rockpools @eraderneely I‘m on train #3, and it‘s on time 😮! The joys of Birmingham up next 😬. How are things with you? Has the floodingbeen bad round you? 5y
eraderneely I‘ve been busy, but good. No flooding around Leeds thankfully. 5y
54 likes1 stack add4 comments
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ephemeralwaltz
Period Pain | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

I encourage you all to pick this up! It's written in journal form from the point of view of a young South African doctor who finds herself amidst a broken, xenophobic and corrupt Post-Apartheid society. The body and the nation are blended into one another to represent the journey of a whole generation. Short but intense!

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Weaponxgirl You‘ve found another I now want to read. I never know if I should thank you or curse you for this! 😆 5y
ephemeralwaltz @Weaponxgirl oops 🤗🤗🤗 5y
56 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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ephemeralwaltz
Period Pain | Kopano Matlwa
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53 likes1 stack add
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ephemeralwaltz
Period Pain | Kopano Matlwa
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Late night reading before bed. Starting this one on my Kindle ✨

EDIT: Just found that most of you have posted about this book under the title "Evening Primrose" -- I'm guessing it has something to do with the UK/US publication? Both titles really clash--interesting choices.

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Soubhiville
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Sietje enjoying the flowers on our walk this morning. The weather here was just lovely today! #LitsyWalkers #NationalPetDay

Kaye Pretty 🌸 6y
Chrissyreadit @Soubhiville I could cry!!! With all the gardening I try to do I never knew that was a primrose until now!!! And I love them- but no one knew what I was talking about. You just solved one of my silly mysteries! 😘😘😘😘 6y
Soubhiville @Chrissyreadit I only know because I planted some when I lived in NC years ago. ❤️. I love them though, so delicate, and that they grow wild in unexpected places. 6y
72 likes3 comments
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Nickinpa
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Just starting this one. Lots of bible quotations but the writing is good.

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overtheedge
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

I read this cover to cover....fascinating and heartfelt, the stories of xenophobia and her brutal rape will be with me for awhile!! Highly recommend this.

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overtheedge
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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This looked interesting....new author for me!

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andrew61
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

This book was a short read but dreadfully disturbing. A young woman in south Africa qualifies as a dr despite crippling problems with periods as a teenager. Her passion to resolve racism against non south africans in the system causes tragic repercussions. Incredibly moving and heartbreaking but well worth reading as it is an eye opener for men everywhere in these times when respect for women seems to be paid lip service only.

saresmoore Fantastic review, Andrew! 7y
andrew61 @saresmoore thanks sara, it felt an odd time to read this over the weekend as the news was full of headlines that as a dad of 3 daughters had me despairing of men generally. 7y
batsy Great review 👍 7y
23 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Kathrin
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

Between the main character, her mother and her roommate the author was able to create a microcosmic representation of South African society today. It deals with a people that is still recovering from apartheid and also has to deal with an influx of immigrants from other African nations bringing out xenophobia.

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Kathrin
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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jenniferheidi
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

This excellent story of a newly qualified doctor in South Africa is tightly written and claustrophobic. The horror and intensity of the first person narrative reminded me a little bit of Eileen, although the protagonist here is a far more sympathetic character. I can't say much more without giving anything away but the middle section is incredibly powerful and disturbing.

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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Panpan

A well-written, harrowing story set within the claustrophobic confines of a young black female doctor's consciousness and harried work environment as postapartheid South Africa descends into xenophobic violence. I didn't end up liking the novel, though: both the limited point of view and the gratingly overt religiosity—which overwhelmed the latter third of the novel—sapped it of most of its power.

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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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saresmoore Sheesh. 7y
34 likes2 comments
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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Photo is of Steve Biko. Good God, this novel is going to keep me awake all night!

#QuoteOfTheDay

Abailliekaras I remember watching a movie about Steve Biko at school. Distressing! 7y
42 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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The photo is of one of the preeminent anti-apartheid leaders, Albertina Sisulu (1918-2011).

#QuoteOfTheDay

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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Lesliereads Intense 7y
Suet624 Um, hello! Took me right into that scene. 7y
minkyb Wow. The visual... 7y
kspenmoll What a book; what a memorable scene. 7y
36 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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minkyb Wow! 7y
kspenmoll 👏👏👏❤️❤️❤️ 7y
49 likes2 comments
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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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saresmoore Whoa. 7y
shawnmooney @saresmoore You took the exclamation right out of my mouth! 7y
minkyb My chest tightened reading this one quote. 7y
ReadingEnvy Geez that's intense. 7y
35 likes1 stack add4 comments
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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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monkeygirlsmama Womanhood fing sucks sometimes. 7y
MayJasper Doesn't it just 7y
37 likes3 comments
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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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Some of you may have noticed today is a mega-bail day for me. ?? So I did the Kindle preview on this one before buying it and let's just say I'm a smitten kitten! The "Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie of South Africa" is right! ❤️

batsy I have high hopes for this one! But I prefer the other title 7y
shawnmooney @batsy It's the same book? The title certainly applies to the opening of what I'm reading! 7y
batsy @shawnmooney Yes, I was reading an interview with an author somewhere. I think maybe it was picked up for international distribution and got a different cover+title. 7y
batsy With *the author, that is 7y
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LonesomeReader
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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A powerful depiction of a young woman's experience of xenophobia & Healthcare in modern South Africa.

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shawnmooney
Evening Primrose | Kopano Matlwa
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She's been called 'the Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie of South Africa,' which is more than enough to get my attention, and one month from today her latest novel – which examines postapartheid xenophobia - comes out. I'm stoked!

Bambolina_81 Sounds great! I find SA lit so interesting I studied it at uni 😊 7y
shawnmooney @Bambolina_81 I do, too! A few Litsy folk and I are buddy-reading a South African novel together, starting soon, on July 1st. It's a loong novel so it will take us at least a couple months to read it. If you can track down a copy, why don't you join us? 7y
Sue Sounds awesome! (And I'm counting down to July 1 - not long now!) 7y
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shawnmooney @sue Me too! And hopefully @Bambolina_81 might join us! 7y
Sue Woot! The more the merrier! 7y
Redheadrambles Oooh sounds good ! 7y
51 likes10 stack adds6 comments
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haanim
Period Pain | Kopano Matlwa
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Pickpick

**Reposting my review under the correct book, since it's now been added to the @Litsy database**

This book is harsh, raw and heartbreaking. It tells the story of xenophobia in South Africa in a way that is terrifying and sad.

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