Book description
Soon there must come a day when I can say for myself: This and that I shall do, this and that I shall not.
Philida is the mother of four children by Francois Brink, the son of her master. The year is 1832 and the Cape is rife with rumours…
Why read it?
1 author picked Philida as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?
I’ve loved Andre Brink’s books ever since I discovered them in my late teens. He’s a celebrated South African author of protest literature, and his historical fiction, Philida, is one of my favourites.
It’s a tender and yet powerful story about a woman born into slavery to a white family, who becomes the mother of four children by the son of her master. Although it reveals the sordid past of the country, much of Philida’s power lies in how personal it is.
I love how nuanced and intimate the story is and how one woman’s story says so much.
From Penny's list on The most inspiring, eye-opening historical fiction set in Africa.
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