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Fiela's Child
Fiela's Child | Dalene Matthee
5 posts | 4 read | 3 to read
Set in nineteenth-century rural Africa, Fiela's Child tells the gripping story of Fiela Komoetie and a white, three-year old child, Benjamin, whom she finds crying on her doorstep. For nine years Fiela raises Benjamin as one of her own children. But when census takers discover Benjamin, they send him to an illiterate white family of woodcutters who claim him as their son. What follows is Benjamin's search for his identity and the fundamental changes affecting the white and black families who claim him. "Everything a novel can be: convincing, thought-provoking, upsetting, unforgettable, and timeless."Grace Ingoldby, New Statesman "Fiela's Child is a parade that broadens and humanizes our understanding of the conflicts still affecting South Africa today."Francis Levy, New York Times Book Review "A powerful creation of time and place with dark threads of destiny and oppression and its roots in the almost Biblical soil of a storyteller's art."Christopher Wordsworth, The Guardian "The characters in the novel live and breathe; and the landscape is so brightly painted that the trees, birds, elephants, and rivers of old South Africa are characters themselves. A book not to miss."Kirkus Reviews
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Yoricke_SouthAfrica
Fiela's Child | Dalene Matthee
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This is still one of the best and most gripping stories I have ever read. Set in my home country, South Africa, it tells a tale of a young baby boy being left on the doorstep of Fiela's house. She raises him as her own, only to be ripped from her, 9 years later, as he is a white little boy.
Benjamin's life takes many turns with him new, white family, set in the Knysna woodlands. 10 stars

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Yoricke_SouthAfrica
Fiela's Child | Dalene Matthee
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Book-mail arrived today. I decided to read the famous Fiela's Child and Circles in a Forest from Dalene Matthee in the original language Afrikaans.
So very excited 🤓💜

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Yoricke_SouthAfrica
Fiela's Child | Dalene Matthee
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Reading one of my own country, South Africa's best authors, best books. 🌞
Although, all her books are amazing 🤓

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GlitterGirl
Fiela se kind | Dalene Matthee
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Re-reading one of my favorite favorite books!!😍😍😍

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GlitterGirl
Fiela se kind | Dalene Matthee
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FIELA SE KIND (Fiela's Child) is one of the best books ever written and I love it so much! I own two copies of the movie and this week I was privileged to work as a stage manager at the Free State Arts festival on the stage production of it, with the original Fiela (Shaleen Surtie-Richards, who played Fiela in the movie) and I went all out fangirl! Featured above is my first edition copy of the book, now signed by the entire cast! K