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Malangana is on the ultimate quest. In search of his long-lost love, he seeks to reunite his present with his past.
Having survived exile from his homeland for over 20 years due to his past involvement in the murder of the British magistrate, Hamilton Hope, Malangana retraces his steps in order to find what he has lost, Mthwakazi, the erratic Bushman girl who has stolen his heart.
After a tumultuous courtship, Malangana had convinced Mthwakazi to be his forever, yet fate intervened in the form of a war, he must postpone his journey with her. Unbeknownst to Malangana, this hiatus stretches over two decades.
Despite many other opportunities, Malangana does not heed his family’s advice and marry someone. His heart longs for Mthwakazi, and as his longing increases, his body withers away, becoming an old, dry husk of its former self.
In his renewed search for love and meaning, Malangana must come to terms with the changes in his country and amid his people, as well as within himself. The glory days of war and mischief are long gone, and all that remain are the memories. However, Malangana is fuelled by memory, driven almost to the point of madness in order to conclude the story of his life.
Zakes Mda is an incredibly talented writer; he presents a detailed examination of the bitterness of love and war, illustrating that defeat can be felt on more than just the battlefield. As he skilfully weaves together past and present, the reader must follow Malangana on his journey, his silent shadow on a quest for answers.
All the while, Mda carefully constructs an image of alluring African manliness, constructed from the intricate presence of pride, family, love and war. Malangana demonstrates that fate’s hand can be forced, and that the future can be guided if only we have the heart to try.
Keen on reading this book? Buy your copy now.
