Welten entfernt.

by Marita van der Vyver

Childish Things transforms all that was ephemeral into the stuff of enduring art as it tells the story of coming of age in a country, a culture, and a world coming apart at the neatly stitched seams. Mart Vermaak is a budding teenager trapped in a strict boarding school in the South African outback. Mart relies on her precocious, smart-mouthed roommate Dalena to save her from terminal boredom. Fortified by the novels of Carson McCullers and many dramatic interpretations of Romeo and Juliet, both girls set out to discover what life is really about. They soon find themselves in over their heads as the full weight of love, sex, and the political realities of their native land bear down on them. In alternating chapters, the adult Mart reflects on her adventures. Through her vivid memories, the vanished becomes visible in a marvelous montage of pop songs, rebellion, sex, comic confusions, and tragic casualties, the teenage girls become women playing games of love and lust in which risk runs high. The awkward young men they adore or abhor go off to fight for things they do not believe against foes they do not know. Wry and witty, haunting and elegiac, this novel is very much about South Africa at a crucial crossroads. Yet in its depiction of the struggle between generations, the interplay of friends and lovers, the intoxication of forging one's own identity, and the pain of paying the price of freedom, it is a story that speaks to all who are or have ever been young in a world they never made, swept toward an unknown future on tides of change they cannot control.

Genres: Fiction, Young Adult

Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

About the author

Marita van der Vyver is the author of a dozen novels, a collection of short stories, two collections of humorous essays, picture books for children, many short stories and essays in anthologies, and regular columns in newspapers and magazines. Her books have been published in English, Dutch and German, and her first novel, published in English as Entertaining Angels, became a bestseller and was translated into twelve languages. She lives in France with her family.

Marita van der Vyver is die skrywer van ’n tiental romans, ’n bundel kortverhale, twee versamelings van humoristiese essays, prenteboeke vir kleuters, talle kortverhale en essays in versamelbundels, en gereelde rubrieke in koerante en tydskrifte. Haar boeke word deurgaans in Engels, Hollands en Duits vertaal na die sukses van haar eerste roman vir volwassenes, Griet skryf ’n sprokie, ’n literêre sensasie wat in sowat ’n dosyn tale gepubliseer is. Twee van haar romans, Die ongelooflike avonture van Hanna Hoekom en Dis koue kos, skat, is verfilm. Sy woon in Frankryk saam met haar familie.

Reviews

[Onika]

Hierdie boek het my meegesleur terug na my tienerjare. Skreeusnaaks.

[Brandon Clarke · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just a beautiful passage from the book: "And who knows, maybe one day, somewhere in this country, we'll walk past one another, look into each others's eyes and briefly wonder: Where have I seen her before? Something about her looks familiar. I wonder who she is? And then our attention will be diverted and we'll forget about one another again."

[ROBYN MARKOW · Rating 4 out of 5]

I see no one else has reviewed this book so I'll do the "honors". A very honest & effective biographical novel about a white Afrikaans girl growing up in South Africa in the 1970's. Concerning politics,family,friendship & unplanned pregnancy, This story could take place anywhere but the fact that it's set in Apartheid-Era SA gives it a unique flavor all it's own. Also,I learned quite a bit about the politics of the country as well as it's "forgotten war" with Angola. I'd like to read more of Ms. Van Der Vyver's work though I don't think much of it has been translated into English. Anyway,I'll go on Amazon & have a look!

[Karen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This coming of age novel set in South Africa in the 1970s (interspersed with 1990s London) was just the right amount of sad for me. I've never been to Africa or gone to boarding school, and it's been years since I was a teenaged girl, but still this story drew me in.

[Juliette · Rating 4 out of 5]

My friend Viva sent this book to me. It's the perfect kind of book for me~beautiful cover, set in the 1970's, and an uncomfortable coming of age story about a teenage girl. The setting was quite interesting.

[Lydia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now this is the type of book I wish they would make a movie of

[Alta Cloete · Rating 5 out of 5]

By herlees het dit my selfs dieper getref as jare gelede. 'n Moet vir elke kind van die sewentigs.

[Katya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listen, like every Afrikaans schoolkid, I have some unfathomable reluctance when it comes to reading in my own langauge. However, this is one of the best booksI have EVER read. Marita van der Vyver is my queen. The writing is amazing, as is the storyline. Just 10/10 amazing book.

[Jenny Steytler · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a South African/Zimbabwean, I could really identify with the historical events and lifestyles described in the story. The story itself is beautiful, although quite sad. Highly recommended!

[Wentzel Lombard · Rating 5 out of 5]

'n Eerlike, ontroerende verhaal oor die verlies van onskuld en die ontnugtering wat daarmee gepaard gaan. Pragtig en sensitief geskryf soos net Marita kan.

[Heidi de Goede · Rating 4 out of 5]

Een van daardie boeke wat jy nie wil hê moet klaar maak nie.

[Imarie Oberholzer · Rating 5 out of 5]

So wonderful to read a well-written coming of age story in Afrikaans! This book is filled with so much love, humor and longing, making it such a beautiful, bittersweet read. It's just terrific to have a coming of age book that is so true to what High School is like in South Africa, and adding the setting against the background of the 70s and 90s, with all of the real major historical events that took place in South Africa makes it so rich with life and gives one insight into what it was like to be aware of the turmoil and yet removed from it. Absolutely loved every page!

[Lesley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read. Asks some valid questions that i still try answer