Granite by Jenny Robson

Granite by Jenny Robson is a quick read aimed at younger readers (I'd say about 10-14 or thereabouts) that dips into the world of the young nobleman Mokomba, as he narrates the story of the downfall of the great African city Zimba Remabwe. His version of events is supplemented by the notes shared by his friend Shafiq, whose general knowledge and literacy offers context.

The king of Zimba Remabwe tasks Mokomba's father with finding out the secrets of building cathedrals in the style of the "Milk People" to the north, so a party sets out upon a dangerous journey, by land and by boat, until they reach England. What they find there and what they bring back is not quite what they expect, and we are offered the story bit by bit by unreliable narrators until we eventually have the bigger picture.

Jenny's writing style is engaging and fluid, and her love of the setting shines through with this telling that brings us an Africa-centred adventure, and a young man's coming of age. My only complaint is that the story is too short – there was so much potential to expand this into something more layered. This is a fascinating glimpse into a world of tradition and history, and I was left wondering what else could have been added to give the story further depth. As it is, this is a poignant read that may spark interest for those who'd like to know more about African history.

Monday Evening, Thursday Afternoon by Jenny Robson #review

Title: Monday Evening, Thursday Afternoon
Author: Jenny Robson
Publisher: Tafelberg, 2013

Louise and Faheema are a bit of an odd couple, but they’ve been best friends since they first started school together in the fictional Western Cape town of Gap Falls. The girls often spend many hours at their favourite waterfall, which in a way grows to become a powerful metaphor for their friendship.

Though their cultural differences are vast, the two girls are nearly inseparable, mainly because they each seek to understand the other. This friendship endures for many years, despite their parents’ initial misgivings.

Yet as they grow up together, their bond comes under increasing fire from those who seek to separate them, especially in the light of incidences of terrorism perpetrated by religious extremists – Louise goes to great pains to point out that the extremists are not representative of the entire religion. Her frustration is palpable because her words often fall on deaf ears.

Monday Evening, Thursday Afternoon is written from Louise’s point of view, clearly in the aftermath of whatever separated her from her friend. She uses a format that addresses Faheema directly, a kind of hybrid journal/letter, which gives us an intensely personal and emotional account of the friendship between the two girls, and what obstacles they faced together. You’d have to have a heart of stone to not be moved by Louise’s impassioned words as she tries to unpick the series of events that eventually parted them.

Author Jenny Robson’s message is clear: as adults we so easily allow ourselves to be swayed by differences and our own and others’ prejudices, as we descend into hypocrisy. The younger generation are (mostly) potential bridge builders between cultures, and are in a position to present solutions instead of creating further problems. Most importantly, Robson underscores the importance of love and tolerance, which is often so lacking in the thoughts and deeds of many.

Robson’s writing is lyrical and heartfelt, and I was completely immersed in Louise’s world, and felt her triumphs and sorrows as she shaped her story. In the light of current affairs, this novel is also an important reminder for us to focus rather on our common ground than be ruled by hate- and fear-mongering. Robson has given us a wonderful, brave book that has been released at a time when it’s needed most, and I’ll happily recommend this story for ages ten and older.

A moment with Jenny Robson

I'm happy to welcome Jenny Robson, one of last year's Bloody Parchment anthology authors to my blog today.

Welcome, Jenny, tell us a little about yourself.

I'm a music teacher living in Maun, Botswana. I mainly write young adult novels and short stories for magazines.

Tell us a little about the background of your story. 

I'm fascinated by the fact that some people seem to skip blithely through life while others seem to face so much pain and trauma.

Are there any interesting anecdotes relating to its creation?

I once heard a young man say "Why do bad things always happen to me?" It really got to me.

What do you like about horror as a genre?

What's not to like??

What scares you?

Only the real world and the terrible things people can do, believing their actions are right and just.