Let me be honest, I struggled to get into this one at first but I kept going because "It's my money!" I'm so glad I did because as the pages wore on, the book bloomed like a flower greeting the morning sun.
Mashigo has a beautiful way of weaving through time.
She so clearly paints the time little Marubini grew up in with great historical accuracy. She also brings you into adult Marubini's world in a way that makes you feel like you are there.
Marubini's is a story that many women know too well.
You suspect it as she teases it in the first few chapters and your stomach tightens as you get closer to it. Not to spoil it for you but when you finally get there, you realise it's far worse than you thought.
I loved the relationships Rubi had with her family. How she and her brother Simphiwe discovered their gifts which intertwined and led them on a curvy journey to self-discovery and healing. I was so jealous of the relationship she shared with Ntatemoholo. Mine passed before I could know them and it was so heartwarming seeing her and hers love each other so much.
I related to Rubi the Daddy's girl. Spending every second with them and seeing them as the best thing in the world. Then growing up and realising the secrets they carry.
Ngono (or Kokol) is my favourite character. Her age-appropriate but no-holds-barred chats with Rubi - both young and older - are chats I wish I could have had with mine. Chats I hope to have with mine one day. I especially loved seeing the fruits of these chats in Tshepo's room that afternoon. I wish I had been that aware of myself when my time came.
Makosha is a mother who has lost so much and just wants to protect her precious flower from the harsh world. She's gentle but don't try her coz she will unleash a fire of rage upon you. She carried so much pain - even after Jabulani thought he took Rubi's pain, she carried it every day.
I could go on all day about this book but I won't because you have to read it yourself!
I will say, though, that "The Yearning" - while fictional-is a real part of our lives. The yearning to find who we are, to find the place or thing that hurt us. The yearning to heal. To know. To be free.
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