Book Review - Child of the River by Irma Joubert

Child of the River is written by Irma Joubert and is published by Thomas Nelson.

Persomie is a young girl at the beginning of this story. She is living in her native South Africa, a child of the Bushveld. Her family is the poorest of the poor, sharecroppers for the Fourie family farm. Throughout the novel, we watch Persomie grow up during World War II and the age of apartheid. She watches her stepfather tear the family apart and yearns for a better life with "real people". During this time, she yearns to know her roots, who her "real" father is. Her mother won't tell.

This is a story of a girl who pulls herself up in spite of everything being against her. I find the tale to be marvelously woven together and rich with history. I couldn't seem to pull myself apart from the story and often read when I should have been doing something else. The story is that good. It should become a classic piece of literature.

I cried with Persomie. I rooted for her when the odds were against her. She became very real to me as I thought about all of the legitimate poor in our own country today. But there is hope. The message, in the end, is very inspiring. I recommend this book very highly. It will enlighten you if you know very little about the 1940s and the rest of the world beyond the United States.

*I received a copy of Child of the River in exchange for my honest opinion. My thoughts are my own.*