The First Canary

by Sheldon Baverstock

‘Before the first canary comes down…’

When they first met, the three young boys carried footballs; played soccer in the backyard together. But as young adults, their country’s political situation dictates very different paths for the three friends.

The First Canary is an extraordinary and epic tale of interweaving lives, self-discovery and friendship persevering despite the odds. Set in war-torn South Africa, the story follows a whole host of connected characters, from unwilling conscripts Cliff and Zeb, to Brenda, who is determined to find her birth parents, to Josh, an aspiring journalist whose dreams are threatened by a terrifying diagnosis.

“Family ties and bonds of brotherhood that span across decades lie at the heart of this story, and it is impossible not to become immersed in the lives of the characters and the events that play out.”

453 pages, Paperback

Published November 22, 2022

Reviews

[Keryn Paull]

The FIRST CANARY. Author Sheldon Baverstock |62880696]
I really enjoyed reading this book. Set in southern Africa in recent times of political and social upheaval, it is the story of an ordinary extended family whose complexities and dynamics slowly come to light, and play out in the broader context of strife between nation breakdown and reconstruction towards the end of the 20th century colonial era.
There is a wonderful poignancy in the descriptions of the innocent young men sent off to be hardened in the ways of war in distant corners of the wild territories caught up in this conflict. And too, a strong sense of the unique region and an isolation of the kind that many will relate to as it recaptures a time of history that was neither benign nor honourable. But which has been the making of the 4 modern nations depicted in this tale of tumultuous change.
Despite this atmosphere so redolent of all these things the story remains grounded in the family twists and turns as fortunes ebb and flow around the equally changing social mores and expectations that the last thirty years of the 20th century brought.
The First Canary is an intriguing, interesting read which is as enjoyable for its historic context as it is for its compelling family drama.

[Oliver Dowson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember joining protests against apartheid in front of the South African High Commission when I was at university in London, and publishing articles about it in the student newspaper I edited, but frankly I knew only what we read in the newspapers until I first went to the country in the early noughties, by which time it was history. The First Canary presented me with a fascinating insight into the life of young men growing up there and facing conscription in the 70s. It’s very much a rite of passage story, with a lot of military experiences. Neither are things I would normally enjoy reading about, but the historical angle and first-hand knowledge of the author made it very engaging. I imagine that contemporaries of the author with relatable experiences would enjoy the book even more. My only serious criticism is that the army camp experiences in the middle of the book go on too long with too much detail and little happening – the book would be much more readable if it were a hundred pages shorter.

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty good writing here. This author did a great job of creating real people. I see a lot of talent, and look forward to his future work.

Thanks very much for the free ARC for review!!