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Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years
“Absolutely stunning.” —The Bookouture Team.
“A richly told story, vivid and unique.” —The Booklife Prize.
As the middle daughter in a family of Xhosa, Zulu, and Dutch descent, Eshile Mthembu’s life celebrates the strength and resilience of the human spirit. She lives in a Soweto shanty under South Africa’s apartheid rule, a policy designed to squash her dreams and control every aspect of her life. Her story reveals a history of racial injustice many know little about, as experienced by a young woman trying to understand it herself.
Despite cultural, religious, and linguistic differences, Eshile’s family bases their love and strength on the African Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. But when a stranger from afar offers an unexpected opportunity, Eshile must decide whether to secure her family bonds or embrace the promise of a better life.
Fans of coming-of-age novels illuminating the human condition through characters of disparate backgrounds such as Demon Copperhead, American Dirt, and The Novel are drawn to the tumultuous and inspiring life of Eshile Mthembu. Immerse yourself in Sticks in a The Early Years, the first book of this poignant and gripping trilogy.
“A richly told story, vivid and unique.” —The Booklife Prize.
As the middle daughter in a family of Xhosa, Zulu, and Dutch descent, Eshile Mthembu’s life celebrates the strength and resilience of the human spirit. She lives in a Soweto shanty under South Africa’s apartheid rule, a policy designed to squash her dreams and control every aspect of her life. Her story reveals a history of racial injustice many know little about, as experienced by a young woman trying to understand it herself.
Despite cultural, religious, and linguistic differences, Eshile’s family bases their love and strength on the African Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. But when a stranger from afar offers an unexpected opportunity, Eshile must decide whether to secure her family bonds or embrace the promise of a better life.
Fans of coming-of-age novels illuminating the human condition through characters of disparate backgrounds such as Demon Copperhead, American Dirt, and The Novel are drawn to the tumultuous and inspiring life of Eshile Mthembu. Immerse yourself in Sticks in a The Early Years, the first book of this poignant and gripping trilogy.
252 pages, Paperback
Published October 15, 2024
2 people are currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Pat Spencer
9 books73 followersDr. Pat Spencer has a lifetime of experience publishing fiction and nonfiction. Her book credits include the literary and historical fiction trilogy of Sticks in a Bundle Trilogy — Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years (Book I), Transitions (Book II), and The Decision (Book III) -; Golden Boxty in the Frypan, historical fiction; A Baker’s Dozen For Writers: 13 Tips for Great Storytelling; and Story of a Stolen Girl, an International thriller; and Sticks in a Bundle. Her textbook is published by Milady/Cengage Learning.
Pat’s short story, A Healing Place, won the 2019 Oceanside Literary Festival. Other short stories and articles are published in journals such as the Literary Yard, Scarlet Leaf Review, Potato Soup Journal, Almost an Author, Vine Leaves Press, and Academy of the Heart and Mind. Pat authored a column in the Press-Enterprise newspaper and served as a columnist and contributing editor to Inland Empire Magazine.
Pat lived in three countries and seven states. She loves to travel and spent time in Europe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Greece, Mexico, the Galapagos, and the Bahamas, as well as Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. She has road-tripped across the continental United States several times. Pat enjoys getting to know people and learning about their culture.
Dr. Spencer, a retired professor and community college president, lives in Southern California with her husband. She speaks to service and community organizations on human trafficking, writing processes, and her books. When not writing, Pat golfs, reads, walks the beach, hangs out with family and friends, or frequents book clubs and writing critique groups.
Pat’s short story, A Healing Place, won the 2019 Oceanside Literary Festival. Other short stories and articles are published in journals such as the Literary Yard, Scarlet Leaf Review, Potato Soup Journal, Almost an Author, Vine Leaves Press, and Academy of the Heart and Mind. Pat authored a column in the Press-Enterprise newspaper and served as a columnist and contributing editor to Inland Empire Magazine.
Pat lived in three countries and seven states. She loves to travel and spent time in Europe, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Greece, Mexico, the Galapagos, and the Bahamas, as well as Alaska and the Hawaiian Islands. She has road-tripped across the continental United States several times. Pat enjoys getting to know people and learning about their culture.
Dr. Spencer, a retired professor and community college president, lives in Southern California with her husband. She speaks to service and community organizations on human trafficking, writing processes, and her books. When not writing, Pat golfs, reads, walks the beach, hangs out with family and friends, or frequents book clubs and writing critique groups.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
May 24, 2025
There are so many things to say. Such an interesting story – or in fact, many stories around Eshile and her people. It feels so real, since it’s at least part memoir, and so many strands in what happened around those times.
The wonderful and clever little girl, Eshile, is the middle child – and all three are girls, and they have their Umama and Ubaba. They lived in Soweto, a huge shanty town in Johannesburg, and it could be bleak and often frightening, especially at night. It was the time of Apartheid, and it was all they knew. Worrying times.
There were dark things and sad things, but also many interesting and thought provoking times. Little Eshile would start to go to school, and begin to work things out. But the best things were the many Aunties, and almost everything revolved around them. They would work hard in the daytime, but then in the evening they all met in the largest yard. Much skinnering (gossiping, if you didn’t know that word) was required to make things better and fun as well.
Such a good book, and there are two more to read. Excellent. I will be there. And I am saying, highly recommended.
The wonderful and clever little girl, Eshile, is the middle child – and all three are girls, and they have their Umama and Ubaba. They lived in Soweto, a huge shanty town in Johannesburg, and it could be bleak and often frightening, especially at night. It was the time of Apartheid, and it was all they knew. Worrying times.
There were dark things and sad things, but also many interesting and thought provoking times. Little Eshile would start to go to school, and begin to work things out. But the best things were the many Aunties, and almost everything revolved around them. They would work hard in the daytime, but then in the evening they all met in the largest yard. Much skinnering (gossiping, if you didn’t know that word) was required to make things better and fun as well.
Such a good book, and there are two more to read. Excellent. I will be there. And I am saying, highly recommended.
October 27, 2024
In this first book in a trilogy we meet Eshile Mthembu and her rich and diverse family, living in Soweto in a shack without utilities, and under constant threat of police raids and gang violence.
There is an added constant need for vigilance in the streets and when moving out of Soweto resulting from the Dutch influence in Eshile's and her sister Asanda's heritage. Widely accepted within the confines of the township and family but not in line with the laws enforced during Apartheid. Along with their younger sister they are being raised by her mother and step-father along with extended family members, who bring not just essentials such as food into the home, but also wisdom gathered over generations from their Xhosa and Zulu backgrounds.
This cultural diversity is mirrored in the religious side of their lives including as congregation members of the one place of worship, a catholic church, which permits both black and white families to celebrate their faith together. It is clear the whole family across the generations have come to rely heavily on both the traditional forms of worship and beliefs and their catholic faith to get them through very tough times.
There is an innate strength in the family which holds them together with a grandmother and grandfather who have managed to make their way in the white world and accumulate both standing and financial security. They support Eshile's family the best way they can and offer the children a glimpse into a different world. However, this stability is fragile and loss and a shift in alliances result in changes for all of them.
The author has infused the narrative with subtle inclusions of the language and traditions of both Zulu and Xhosa people's, which provide an authentic and rich canvas bringing the story together. The conditions under which so many of them were forced to live are vividly portrayed and contrast so dramatically with the lifestyle and privileges offered to those of the favoured ethnic backgrounds. However, there is also a thread of love and loyalty which permeates the story and whilst you can only wonder at the strength needed to overcome so many challenges, there is a sense that tradition and family are a force for good which is incredibly uplifting.
I am looking forward to reading the next books in this trilogy and to finding out how the opportunity for a new life for Eshile and her family developed. Highly recommended.
There is an added constant need for vigilance in the streets and when moving out of Soweto resulting from the Dutch influence in Eshile's and her sister Asanda's heritage. Widely accepted within the confines of the township and family but not in line with the laws enforced during Apartheid. Along with their younger sister they are being raised by her mother and step-father along with extended family members, who bring not just essentials such as food into the home, but also wisdom gathered over generations from their Xhosa and Zulu backgrounds.
This cultural diversity is mirrored in the religious side of their lives including as congregation members of the one place of worship, a catholic church, which permits both black and white families to celebrate their faith together. It is clear the whole family across the generations have come to rely heavily on both the traditional forms of worship and beliefs and their catholic faith to get them through very tough times.
There is an innate strength in the family which holds them together with a grandmother and grandfather who have managed to make their way in the white world and accumulate both standing and financial security. They support Eshile's family the best way they can and offer the children a glimpse into a different world. However, this stability is fragile and loss and a shift in alliances result in changes for all of them.
The author has infused the narrative with subtle inclusions of the language and traditions of both Zulu and Xhosa people's, which provide an authentic and rich canvas bringing the story together. The conditions under which so many of them were forced to live are vividly portrayed and contrast so dramatically with the lifestyle and privileges offered to those of the favoured ethnic backgrounds. However, there is also a thread of love and loyalty which permeates the story and whilst you can only wonder at the strength needed to overcome so many challenges, there is a sense that tradition and family are a force for good which is incredibly uplifting.
I am looking forward to reading the next books in this trilogy and to finding out how the opportunity for a new life for Eshile and her family developed. Highly recommended.
February 20, 2025
I've never read a book like this in all my 73 years, and I've read thousands of books. It is listed as fiction, but in truth it is more like a memoir.
The story is told through Eshile's point of view. She is the middle child in a mixed family in the 1970s in Africa. The apartheid is a constant threat to all of their well-being. And the strong lines drawn between whites and blacks are heartbreaking and create devastating circumstances.
This book begins when Eshile is six and continues on through age 10. The author shares many of the native customs and ceremonies and I find them fascinating.
I love how Eshile longs for a good education, for books without torn or missing pages, like the ones in the white schools. Her strongest desire it so be a journalist and expose all the corruption.
The family suffers insurmountable losses as the story unfolds.
But the author leaves it on a hopeful note. This is the first time I've read anything by this author and can say this book is very well-written and extremely well researched. If you're looking for something different and thought-provoking, this story is for you.
The story is told through Eshile's point of view. She is the middle child in a mixed family in the 1970s in Africa. The apartheid is a constant threat to all of their well-being. And the strong lines drawn between whites and blacks are heartbreaking and create devastating circumstances.
This book begins when Eshile is six and continues on through age 10. The author shares many of the native customs and ceremonies and I find them fascinating.
I love how Eshile longs for a good education, for books without torn or missing pages, like the ones in the white schools. Her strongest desire it so be a journalist and expose all the corruption.
The family suffers insurmountable losses as the story unfolds.
But the author leaves it on a hopeful note. This is the first time I've read anything by this author and can say this book is very well-written and extremely well researched. If you're looking for something different and thought-provoking, this story is for you.
March 1, 2025
I can’t say enough about how much I enjoyed this story. “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable” is a proverb about family, and about how love of family binds people together, making them stronger than when facing life’s challenges alone. It’s the glue that ties this incredible story together, and there’s no doubt that Eshile Liyema Mthembu’s family benefited from the love they felt for each other.
The Early Years is an account of Eshile’s life from age 5 to 10 in the early 1960s. She’s a child living in a shanty in Soweto, South Africa during apartheid—“an official policy of segregation and social, political, and economic discrimination.” She is aware of life’s unfairness, why her mixed-race sister must hide her face, why the police won’t bother with a black woman’s murder, and she questions why she can’t go to a good school. But Eshile is a child and largely protected by a strong, loving family during these early years.
The book reads like a memoir, but is in fact the real-life account of a woman that the author met on a bus ride in 2012. The story, told from Eschile’s perspective, is riveting, full of rich detail about life in Soweto, the ever-present danger from police and gangs, the laughter and gossip of Eshile’s aunties, the sharing of food and traditions. Though men play an important part in the survival of her family, it’s the women who hold them together. The love, kindness, and resilience is remarkable – humanity at its best under inhumane conditions.
I was completely invested in Eshile’s story and found this book hard to put down. The author transported me to Soweto with rich sensory details that captured my imagination and made me feel as if I was there. The pace is just right, the characters beautifully drawn, the emotional world as lush as the physical world is harsh. There’s a lot of childlike joy in here, as well as disillusionment, loss, and heartbreak. Eshile is bright, curious, and observant, which gave me a sense of the larger, ominous world endured by the adults in her family. I fear that reality is going to catch up with her.
A beautifully written book that has me eager to read the rest of the trilogy (already in my kindle, waiting for me).
The Early Years is an account of Eshile’s life from age 5 to 10 in the early 1960s. She’s a child living in a shanty in Soweto, South Africa during apartheid—“an official policy of segregation and social, political, and economic discrimination.” She is aware of life’s unfairness, why her mixed-race sister must hide her face, why the police won’t bother with a black woman’s murder, and she questions why she can’t go to a good school. But Eshile is a child and largely protected by a strong, loving family during these early years.
The book reads like a memoir, but is in fact the real-life account of a woman that the author met on a bus ride in 2012. The story, told from Eschile’s perspective, is riveting, full of rich detail about life in Soweto, the ever-present danger from police and gangs, the laughter and gossip of Eshile’s aunties, the sharing of food and traditions. Though men play an important part in the survival of her family, it’s the women who hold them together. The love, kindness, and resilience is remarkable – humanity at its best under inhumane conditions.
I was completely invested in Eshile’s story and found this book hard to put down. The author transported me to Soweto with rich sensory details that captured my imagination and made me feel as if I was there. The pace is just right, the characters beautifully drawn, the emotional world as lush as the physical world is harsh. There’s a lot of childlike joy in here, as well as disillusionment, loss, and heartbreak. Eshile is bright, curious, and observant, which gave me a sense of the larger, ominous world endured by the adults in her family. I fear that reality is going to catch up with her.
A beautifully written book that has me eager to read the rest of the trilogy (already in my kindle, waiting for me).
November 1, 2024
An Experience so Worth Reading!
Reading "Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years" felt like stepping into Eshile's shoes, experiencing the weight of history and hope for a brighter future. Eshile's character is incredibly compelling-- her strength and resilience are a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure and thrive despite overwhelming odds.
Living in a Soweto shanty under apartheid rule, Eshile's story is a poignant reminder of the harsh realities faced by many and the systemic racial injustice that sought to control every aspect of life. Yet, amidst these challenges, the bonds of her family and the proverb "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable" highlight the power of unity and love.
When Eshile is offered an unexpected opportunity by a stranger, her dilemma between securing family bonds or chasing the promise of a better life encapsulates the universal struggle between tradition and change, belonging and self- fulfillment. Spencer's portrayal of Eshile's journey is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, making it a deeply personal and unforgettable read.
"Sticks in a Bundle" isn't just a book; it's an experience that echoes long after the last page is turned, reminding us of the enduring power to love, resilience, and the pursuit of a better tomorrow. Highly recommended read!
Reading "Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years" felt like stepping into Eshile's shoes, experiencing the weight of history and hope for a brighter future. Eshile's character is incredibly compelling-- her strength and resilience are a testament to the human spirit's capacity to endure and thrive despite overwhelming odds.
Living in a Soweto shanty under apartheid rule, Eshile's story is a poignant reminder of the harsh realities faced by many and the systemic racial injustice that sought to control every aspect of life. Yet, amidst these challenges, the bonds of her family and the proverb "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable" highlight the power of unity and love.
When Eshile is offered an unexpected opportunity by a stranger, her dilemma between securing family bonds or chasing the promise of a better life encapsulates the universal struggle between tradition and change, belonging and self- fulfillment. Spencer's portrayal of Eshile's journey is both heart-wrenching and inspiring, making it a deeply personal and unforgettable read.
"Sticks in a Bundle" isn't just a book; it's an experience that echoes long after the last page is turned, reminding us of the enduring power to love, resilience, and the pursuit of a better tomorrow. Highly recommended read!
November 7, 2024
"Sticks in a Bundle is a compelling foray into the challenges of a mixed-race family struggling to hold tight under the rule of apartheid, which was designed to tear families of color apart. It’s beautifully rendered through the intimate--gritty as well as life-affirming--renderings of the towns and lives unique to the people who lived in those places during those times. Yet the special gift here is the masterful telling of this unique family story that that will stay with the reader long after the last page is turned." Marlis Manley, Author of the William Faulkner Award-winning novel, Trophy Girl
December 15, 2024
I so recommend this book to all readers, so much is packed in. I loved reading about a family struggling with poverty and the trials young Eshile goes through. There are so many things I did not know about Apartheid and am horrified as to how humans can treat other humans and even a sacrificial bull. Eshile and her family are like all families, they struggle with life and with each other, but they also love their family and hope helps them carry on towards their future. The setting is from a very far-away place from my home and I enjoyed the journey. I could not only see it in my mind's eye but felt that I was immersed in the story, experiencing the good, the bad, and the hope
February 18, 2025
heart warming story and a wonderful writing
I wasn’t able to put it down.
It describes a very beautiful culture.
Hats off to pat spencer. A job well done.
I wasn’t able to put it down.
It describes a very beautiful culture.
Hats off to pat spencer. A job well done.
April 6, 2025
Love is stronger than hate.
One of the tropes I enjoy reading about the most involves exploring the differences between how children and adults understand the same thing. What seems clearcut and sensible to a grownup might be utterly confusing to a kid, and vice versa. Eshile and her sisters had all sorts of questions about adult matters, from why they weren’t supposed to walk in certain neighborhoods to what happened to their Dutch birth father. Their answers to these questions made me smile and made me want to keep reading.
The large cast of characters made it difficult for me to get to know the majority of them well even though this was nearly 300 pages long. There simply wasn’t enough time to dive deeply into most of their personalities, especially given how young Eshile was when most of these events took place. She wasn’t yet old enough to think critically about most of the adults around her, much less wonder why they made more complex decisions in life. As much as I liked the protagonist herself, this made it difficult for me to bond with her large extended family or many neighbors and friends who popped into their lives every so often.
Some of the most memorable scenes for me were the ones that explored how Eshile’s family passed down some Xhosa and Zulu traditions while modernizing or skipping other ones as the 1960s went on. There was so much emotion involved in some of them, and even the easier decisions were still make with caution and care. This evolution is something people from every culture tend to need to do from time to time, and I nodded along as I took note of the similar reactions to change between these characters and members of my own family who have felt all sorts of emotional reactions to how our traditions have remained constant, changed, or simply been modified from one generation to the next.
I struggled with the slow pacing. Even though I appreciated the detailed descriptions of Eshile’s cultural and ethnic backgrounds, pausing so often to explain what certain words meant or why characters expected specific behaviors from each other meant that the plot couldn’t move very quickly in most places. Sometimes this read more like a sketch of a large, complex family than a story that could be divided into a beginning, middle, and end in even the loosest interpretations of how novels are generally paced.
There are all sorts of interesting cultural and social reactions to families whose members come in a range of colors and ethnic identities. While my extended family has never faced the threat of legal trouble or jail time for being multiracial like these characters did, I did relate to how they navigated a world that may be kind to us one day and angry at our very existence the next. Representation matters not only for people who belong to the group being explored but also to readers who have never had to think about such things and may learn something new about what their neighbors, acquaintances, coworkers, and the strangers they pass by on the street quietly deal with. The more empathy we develop for each other, the better.
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years was thought provoking.
One of the tropes I enjoy reading about the most involves exploring the differences between how children and adults understand the same thing. What seems clearcut and sensible to a grownup might be utterly confusing to a kid, and vice versa. Eshile and her sisters had all sorts of questions about adult matters, from why they weren’t supposed to walk in certain neighborhoods to what happened to their Dutch birth father. Their answers to these questions made me smile and made me want to keep reading.
The large cast of characters made it difficult for me to get to know the majority of them well even though this was nearly 300 pages long. There simply wasn’t enough time to dive deeply into most of their personalities, especially given how young Eshile was when most of these events took place. She wasn’t yet old enough to think critically about most of the adults around her, much less wonder why they made more complex decisions in life. As much as I liked the protagonist herself, this made it difficult for me to bond with her large extended family or many neighbors and friends who popped into their lives every so often.
Some of the most memorable scenes for me were the ones that explored how Eshile’s family passed down some Xhosa and Zulu traditions while modernizing or skipping other ones as the 1960s went on. There was so much emotion involved in some of them, and even the easier decisions were still make with caution and care. This evolution is something people from every culture tend to need to do from time to time, and I nodded along as I took note of the similar reactions to change between these characters and members of my own family who have felt all sorts of emotional reactions to how our traditions have remained constant, changed, or simply been modified from one generation to the next.
I struggled with the slow pacing. Even though I appreciated the detailed descriptions of Eshile’s cultural and ethnic backgrounds, pausing so often to explain what certain words meant or why characters expected specific behaviors from each other meant that the plot couldn’t move very quickly in most places. Sometimes this read more like a sketch of a large, complex family than a story that could be divided into a beginning, middle, and end in even the loosest interpretations of how novels are generally paced.
There are all sorts of interesting cultural and social reactions to families whose members come in a range of colors and ethnic identities. While my extended family has never faced the threat of legal trouble or jail time for being multiracial like these characters did, I did relate to how they navigated a world that may be kind to us one day and angry at our very existence the next. Representation matters not only for people who belong to the group being explored but also to readers who have never had to think about such things and may learn something new about what their neighbors, acquaintances, coworkers, and the strangers they pass by on the street quietly deal with. The more empathy we develop for each other, the better.
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years was thought provoking.
November 18, 2024
Sticks in a Bundle by Pat Spencer
This is a truly remarkable book well worth reading. I was knowledgeable of the apartheid system in South Africa but this delightful book brought it up close and personal. Told through the voice of a very young girl, we begin to understand the cruelty of the system and the fear that it engenders in everyone, including the smallest of children. But even more the reader is brought into this delightful family circle, experiencing their squabbles, joys and sorrows, and a wide variety of cultural and religious norms, sometimes competing with each other. In the end the reader recognizes the huge mountains people had to climb simply to minimally survive.
Eshile is only five-years-old when a disturbance from her mother creates her first memory. She is walking down the road with her older sister and her mother intentionally knocks her down. She is bruised and surprised by what her loving mother has done. Her mother explains that a White Police is coming and Eshile at five, could be arrested and jailed for walking with a white-skinned person. Throughout the book we see instances where Eshile’s older light-skinned sister must be hidden in order to protect her black family.
Scenes are poignant: rummaging through a disgusting, sewage-ridden dump to collect basic items such as a pair of shoes; witnessing an ox being slaughtered, a funeral ritual for an unfortunate young uncle who has died accidentally in a mine; and witnessing her mother losing two different jobs—resulting in their already meager diet to be even more diminished.
What struck me the most is the young ages of the children and how they had to grow up fast in order to take care of other children and perform many household tasks. Eshile’s is responsible for her younger sister’s well-being, when she sees the girl snatched by a kidnapper. It is a heavy burden,
In the end we see the family experiencing the worst—leaving their family for the only job the father can find. However, when the journey has ended we are curious about the next phase. What stories will the next book bring?
This is a truly remarkable book well worth reading. I was knowledgeable of the apartheid system in South Africa but this delightful book brought it up close and personal. Told through the voice of a very young girl, we begin to understand the cruelty of the system and the fear that it engenders in everyone, including the smallest of children. But even more the reader is brought into this delightful family circle, experiencing their squabbles, joys and sorrows, and a wide variety of cultural and religious norms, sometimes competing with each other. In the end the reader recognizes the huge mountains people had to climb simply to minimally survive.
Eshile is only five-years-old when a disturbance from her mother creates her first memory. She is walking down the road with her older sister and her mother intentionally knocks her down. She is bruised and surprised by what her loving mother has done. Her mother explains that a White Police is coming and Eshile at five, could be arrested and jailed for walking with a white-skinned person. Throughout the book we see instances where Eshile’s older light-skinned sister must be hidden in order to protect her black family.
Scenes are poignant: rummaging through a disgusting, sewage-ridden dump to collect basic items such as a pair of shoes; witnessing an ox being slaughtered, a funeral ritual for an unfortunate young uncle who has died accidentally in a mine; and witnessing her mother losing two different jobs—resulting in their already meager diet to be even more diminished.
What struck me the most is the young ages of the children and how they had to grow up fast in order to take care of other children and perform many household tasks. Eshile’s is responsible for her younger sister’s well-being, when she sees the girl snatched by a kidnapper. It is a heavy burden,
In the end we see the family experiencing the worst—leaving their family for the only job the father can find. However, when the journey has ended we are curious about the next phase. What stories will the next book bring?
February 9, 2025
Though a work of fiction, Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years was inspired by author Dr. Pat Spencer's conversation with a woman traveling from Johannesburg to Zimbabwe on a repurposed school bus. While I was generally familiar with apartheid, the extreme racial segregation practiced in South Africa from 1948-1994, I found the separation and inequities of the races to be abominable in this sometimes gut-wrenching tale.
Eshile Mthembu is the middle child of Umama (mother) and Ubaba (father). Much of the story is observed through her sometimes naive eyes. She struggles to understand why her lighter-colored older sister, Asanda, is treated differently than her. Since the family is mixed race, Dutch, Xulu, and Zhosa, it is illegal for them to live together. Umama understands the risks, (punishment varying from beatings, jail, and even death) but vows to protect her girls above all else and to help them maintain their self-esteem in spite of laws designed to work against them. Eshile is resentful that her sister is able to attend schools with better curriculum, supplies, and teachers. Though Eshile is young, she dreams of getting a better education. When at home or traveling together, Asanda is often kept hidden. Eshile enjoys some aspects of being the older sister to Onele, her outspoken younger sister. Umama is strict with her girls, but she does this out of love, fearing the consequences if their secret is discovered.
What I thought Spencer did particularly well was to show a normal family with typical problems. There were arguments between Umama and Ubaba, sibling rivalries, and gatherings between familes and friends that often involved drinking and gossiping. Eshile, prone to asking lots of questions, always wants to know what is going on around her, much to the chagrin of her mother.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I enjoyed it so much that I plan to read the next one in the series.
Eshile Mthembu is the middle child of Umama (mother) and Ubaba (father). Much of the story is observed through her sometimes naive eyes. She struggles to understand why her lighter-colored older sister, Asanda, is treated differently than her. Since the family is mixed race, Dutch, Xulu, and Zhosa, it is illegal for them to live together. Umama understands the risks, (punishment varying from beatings, jail, and even death) but vows to protect her girls above all else and to help them maintain their self-esteem in spite of laws designed to work against them. Eshile is resentful that her sister is able to attend schools with better curriculum, supplies, and teachers. Though Eshile is young, she dreams of getting a better education. When at home or traveling together, Asanda is often kept hidden. Eshile enjoys some aspects of being the older sister to Onele, her outspoken younger sister. Umama is strict with her girls, but she does this out of love, fearing the consequences if their secret is discovered.
What I thought Spencer did particularly well was to show a normal family with typical problems. There were arguments between Umama and Ubaba, sibling rivalries, and gatherings between familes and friends that often involved drinking and gossiping. Eshile, prone to asking lots of questions, always wants to know what is going on around her, much to the chagrin of her mother.
This is the first book in a trilogy. I enjoyed it so much that I plan to read the next one in the series.
August 24, 2025
I absolutely love this book, and for so many reasons. First and foremost, I just simply enjoyed it. For all its sadness, I found inhabiting the world and emotions of a young girl describing her life in South Africa in the days of apartheid to be both fascinating and deeply touching. Some of the things she describes are dramatic, and some are ordinary day-to-day insights into a poor family living in a shanty in Soweto, but I was captivated by all of it because the author tells the story with such extraordinary skill.
This book is beautifully written, and I am in utter awe of the author’s ability to tell the story with so much authenticity. If I didn’t know Spencer was American, I’d be certain the book was written by someone who grew up in Soweto. I can’t even imagine the amount of research that went into telling this story.
I’ve read other books about South Africa, and apartheid, the most notable being Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah, which I also loved. I think anyone who likes that book, or who enjoys learning about other cultures or has an interest in the black experience of apartheid, would enjoy Sticks in a Bundle. Like Noah’s book, it’s a story centered around a family, but, at the same time, it’s about so much more—so much that is fundamental about life, and death, and love, and history, and cruelty, and community, and desperation, and hope, and struggle, and what it means to live in a situation that is a daily test, sometimes for survival itself.
The title, Sticks in a Bundle, is a reference to a saying that is repeated in the book. “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.” If that’s not a powerful and profound message, I don’t know what is. It’s a great title and message for a great book. And I want to add that I love the ending (which really choked me up). It’s both a hopeful resolution to a beautifully told story of a young girl’s earliest memories, and the perfect launching point for the next book in the series, which I anxiously anticipate.
This book is beautifully written, and I am in utter awe of the author’s ability to tell the story with so much authenticity. If I didn’t know Spencer was American, I’d be certain the book was written by someone who grew up in Soweto. I can’t even imagine the amount of research that went into telling this story.
I’ve read other books about South Africa, and apartheid, the most notable being Born a Crime, by Trevor Noah, which I also loved. I think anyone who likes that book, or who enjoys learning about other cultures or has an interest in the black experience of apartheid, would enjoy Sticks in a Bundle. Like Noah’s book, it’s a story centered around a family, but, at the same time, it’s about so much more—so much that is fundamental about life, and death, and love, and history, and cruelty, and community, and desperation, and hope, and struggle, and what it means to live in a situation that is a daily test, sometimes for survival itself.
The title, Sticks in a Bundle, is a reference to a saying that is repeated in the book. “Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable.” If that’s not a powerful and profound message, I don’t know what is. It’s a great title and message for a great book. And I want to add that I love the ending (which really choked me up). It’s both a hopeful resolution to a beautifully told story of a young girl’s earliest memories, and the perfect launching point for the next book in the series, which I anxiously anticipate.
October 15, 2024
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years is a beautifully crafted and deeply moving tale of resilience, identity, and survival in the face of oppression and social unrest. It follows Eshile, a young girl growing up in apartheid-era South Africa, as she navigates the burden of responsibility, cultural contrasts, and questions of identity.
Raised within a blend of Xhosa, Zulu, and Catholic traditions, Eshile is acutely aware of the differences that set her family apart from their neighbors, though she can’t make sense of it. She’s especially confused by the fact that her older sister Asanda, who shares the same father, is light-haired and light-skinned—traits that grant her the privilege of attending a prestigious White girls’ school and live with their grandparents in a proper house, while the rest of the family continues to face poverty, violence and death in a ramshackle Soweto shanty. It’s no wonder that by the age of nine, Eshile resolves to become a journalist, determined to combat injustice with her words.
Despite the hardships surrounding her, Eshile embraces the responsibility of caring for her younger sister and managing daily chores while her parents work to support the family. Her grandmother Hulu’s favorite proverb ‘Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable’ becomes a guiding force in her life.
Pat Spencer’s vivid writing really brings the harsh realities of apartheid to life by blending history with rich cultural detail, making it an immersive and emotionally powerful read. Thank you, Pat, for the early copy of the book. I can’t express how much I enjoyed it, and I can't wait to see how Eshile’s story unfolds in the next book in the trilogy!
Raised within a blend of Xhosa, Zulu, and Catholic traditions, Eshile is acutely aware of the differences that set her family apart from their neighbors, though she can’t make sense of it. She’s especially confused by the fact that her older sister Asanda, who shares the same father, is light-haired and light-skinned—traits that grant her the privilege of attending a prestigious White girls’ school and live with their grandparents in a proper house, while the rest of the family continues to face poverty, violence and death in a ramshackle Soweto shanty. It’s no wonder that by the age of nine, Eshile resolves to become a journalist, determined to combat injustice with her words.
Despite the hardships surrounding her, Eshile embraces the responsibility of caring for her younger sister and managing daily chores while her parents work to support the family. Her grandmother Hulu’s favorite proverb ‘Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable’ becomes a guiding force in her life.
Pat Spencer’s vivid writing really brings the harsh realities of apartheid to life by blending history with rich cultural detail, making it an immersive and emotionally powerful read. Thank you, Pat, for the early copy of the book. I can’t express how much I enjoyed it, and I can't wait to see how Eshile’s story unfolds in the next book in the trilogy!
September 10, 2025
Pat Spencer's "Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years" is a dramatic, deeply personal story that transports the reader to Soweto during South Africa's apartheid era. Through the eyes of little Eshile Mthembu, the middle daughter of a family with Xhosa, Zulu, and Dutch heritage, we see not just apartheid's cruelty and injustice but also the tenacity and intense love that kept families together.
Spencer's prose is full of sensory details: the dust on the township streets, the perfume of food cooking in a battered potjie, the silence that falls when police cars pass by. These are not simply history lessons, but actual experiences depicted with immediacy and intensity. The novel reminds us that apartheid was about more than just political laws and regulations; it was also about how children learned shame at a young age, how families risked all to protect one another, and how women carried burdens and traditions throughout generations. The African proverb that inspired the book's title, "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable," becomes more than just a theme for Eshile and her family.
This is not a sentimental story. The characters are plagued by hardship, famine and violence. Nonetheless, the novel is infused with a strong sense of hope and rebellion, demonstrating that even in repressive times, dreams can still be realized. "Sticks in a bundle The Early Years" is both personal and universal, an intimate coming-of-age story woven within the larger tapestry of South African history. Readers who appreciate literature that highlights hidden voices or stories of resistance to injustice will find it unforgettable.
Spencer's prose is full of sensory details: the dust on the township streets, the perfume of food cooking in a battered potjie, the silence that falls when police cars pass by. These are not simply history lessons, but actual experiences depicted with immediacy and intensity. The novel reminds us that apartheid was about more than just political laws and regulations; it was also about how children learned shame at a young age, how families risked all to protect one another, and how women carried burdens and traditions throughout generations. The African proverb that inspired the book's title, "Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable," becomes more than just a theme for Eshile and her family.
This is not a sentimental story. The characters are plagued by hardship, famine and violence. Nonetheless, the novel is infused with a strong sense of hope and rebellion, demonstrating that even in repressive times, dreams can still be realized. "Sticks in a bundle The Early Years" is both personal and universal, an intimate coming-of-age story woven within the larger tapestry of South African history. Readers who appreciate literature that highlights hidden voices or stories of resistance to injustice will find it unforgettable.
November 16, 2025
Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years is one of those rare books that stays with you long after you turn the final page. Pat Spencer brings Eshile Mthembu’s early life to the page with such authenticity, emotion, and vivid detail that I felt completely transported into her world.
I was especially moved by how the author portrays Eshile’s family their cultural mix, their struggles, and above all, their unshakeable bond. The idea that “sticks in a bundle are unbreakable” runs through every chapter, and it made the story feel powerful and deeply rooted in African strength, history, and resilience.
The backdrop of apartheid is harsh and heartbreaking, but Spencer handles it with honesty and humanity. Through Eshile’s eyes, we see the impact of injustice, but also the determination to dream beyond it. Her journey is inspiring, emotional, and incredibly engaging.
When the opportunity from a stranger appears, the story becomes even more gripping. I found myself torn just like Eshile between loyalty, survival, and the hope for a better future. The author captures that conflict beautifully.
This book is rich, layered, and unforgettable. If you're looking for a story that blends culture, history, heart, and a strong sense of identity, this is absolutely worth reading. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.
I was especially moved by how the author portrays Eshile’s family their cultural mix, their struggles, and above all, their unshakeable bond. The idea that “sticks in a bundle are unbreakable” runs through every chapter, and it made the story feel powerful and deeply rooted in African strength, history, and resilience.
The backdrop of apartheid is harsh and heartbreaking, but Spencer handles it with honesty and humanity. Through Eshile’s eyes, we see the impact of injustice, but also the determination to dream beyond it. Her journey is inspiring, emotional, and incredibly engaging.
When the opportunity from a stranger appears, the story becomes even more gripping. I found myself torn just like Eshile between loyalty, survival, and the hope for a better future. The author captures that conflict beautifully.
This book is rich, layered, and unforgettable. If you're looking for a story that blends culture, history, heart, and a strong sense of identity, this is absolutely worth reading. I’m already looking forward to the next book in the trilogy.
April 21, 2025
Dr. Pat Spencer’s gritty “Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years” conveys information about apartheid and African traditions, including wonderful descriptions of food such as deep-fried pastry and caramelized puddings. It also allowed me to experience the culture and the emotions the main character, Eshile, lives through. Whether it was hunger and poverty, mourning for those whose lives are taken too soon, the terror of dealing with lecherous men, the complications of having a sister who is much lighter-skinned than her, or the worry that the father’s drinking might again cause him to lose his job, I was living it along with Eshile.
Eshile’s father gets a new job, and the family must relocate far from loved ones. “You taught us that sticks in a bundle are unbreakable,” Eshile says to her mother. “Now we are broken apart—hours and hours away from each other.” After taking the long journey to their new home, will Eshile ever see her beloved family and friends again?
The series is completed by Book II, “Sticks in a Bundle: Transitions,” and Book III, “Sticks in a Bundle: the Decision. "
January 10, 2025
A literary fiction coming of age, Sticks in a Bundle: The Early Years (2024) by Pat Spencer is the first in a series set in apartheid South Africa. Eshile Mthembu is the middle sister who loves listening in on the Friday evening gathering of women as they share their lives and stories. Growing up in South Africa in the 1960s is complicated by her elder sister Asanda’s fairer complexion, and her mother’s dual religious practices of Xhosa and Catholicism. Her extended family includes Onele (her baby sister), three aunts (neighbours), and her father away during the week, working. Eshile’s family is unusual given their dual religions of Xhosa and Catholicism underpinning their Zulu cultural background and handed down oral legends. A gentle, heart-warming historical fiction read that reveals Eshile's unbreakable family bond and spirit, that is a touching three and a half star rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own, freely given and without any inducement. With thanks to the author, for an uncorrected advanced review copy for review purposes.
April 5, 2025
I received an advance reader copy of "Sticks in a Bundle" and found the author's artistry in narration and description to be captivating. The book took me through poverty in the streets of Soweto, out to the wondrous landscape and creatures of South Africa's grasslands and plateaus, and deep into the soul of the main character Eshile. I shared Eshile's hopes and disappointments as a child living amid apartheid and poverty--and I was lifted up by the great family love that united the characters. As Eshile tells us, sticks in a bundle are stronger together. The author gives us a coming of age story to keep in your heart long after you finish reading. I give 5 stars heartily to this first book of the trilogy and encourage readers of historical or literary fiction to enjoy this one plus the other books in the "Sticks" trilogy. Excellent.
May 25, 2025
I devoured this masterful book! I had a few books ahead of this one that I was to read as a contest judge, but out of curiosity I read the opening pages of Sticks in a Bundle to get a feel for it. From that moment on, the other books were swept aside. I couldn’t put it down. I knew very little about this time in South Africa’s history. I went through every emotion, and believe me when I say, reading this book was a totally immersive experience. I must know the rest of the story, so I’m ordering the other two in the series by the amazing Pat Spencer. I can’t recommend this book enough. You will be transformed.
September 8, 2025
Young Eshile grows up with the challenges of 1960s apartheid Soweto with her sisters and extended family. One sister is biracial, afforded a better education, but her parents could be arrested for keeping a white girl. Eshile lives with the constant fears of hunger, lost jobs, racial injustice. Her family practices Catholocism, native religions, as well as singing and praying to the ancestors. Stay close as a family. Sticks in a bundle are unbreakable. The writing is rich in the language and culture and realities of those years of discrimination against non-whites. Eye opening.
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