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Jacana Media KOPANO MATLWA COLLECTION THE.
KOPANO MATLWA COLLECTION THE ABISBOOK Jacana Media.
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Kopano Matlwa
5 books262 followersPodcast with Kopano Matlwa by Victor Dlamini (May 5th, 2008)
http://victordlamini.book.co.za/blog/...
http://victordlamini.book.co.za/blog/...
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Displaying 1 of 1 review
December 23, 2025
Bosadi’s Review
“You learn that in this life you cannot control all of the things, but those that you can, you must do your utmost best.”
This was such an easy read and with the flow is that type of a book that you finish in one sitting. The main theme around the book is gender based violence that is told through Naledi’s perspective and it was during Covid. It actually made me reflect that most people were actually going through a lot during the pandemic. Naledi’s husband was physical abusive towards her and what was so painful to watch was that she was the breadwinner cos he wasn’t working, he was pursuing business opportunities but he was not bringing any money. Besides the abuse she also suffered grief where she gave birth to a stillborn then later had a miscarriage that was caused by Lesedi’s physical abuse.
The in-laws in this situation were typical in-laws where Rakgadi was always on Lesedi’s side even though they could see that his actions towards Naledi were so wrong and cruel. The last straw was when they threw a baby shower of one of Lesedi’s mistress at her backyard without her knowledge as a slap in her face because she wanted to have children so bad. Her mother didn’t help in the situation because all the time she kept on blaming Naledi, on some ‘what did you do to your husband’ and dismissing what her daughter was confiding in her. With everything that was going on the person that was very supportive to Naledi was Aunty, her domestic worker from Zimbabwe, I loved even when they were discussing their madams with her friends she always shielded Naledi and didn’t want to air her dirty laundry out there. So overall this is a book that is a great conversation starter to unpack the societal issues that we deal with in this country.
Some of fave quotes:
“She'd make you feel lazy, that woman, the way she worked. But I got it; her entire family depended on her. If God gave me children to work for, I bet I'd toil away for them too.”
“You learn that in this life you cannot control all of the things, but those that you can, you must do your utmost best.”
This was such an easy read and with the flow is that type of a book that you finish in one sitting. The main theme around the book is gender based violence that is told through Naledi’s perspective and it was during Covid. It actually made me reflect that most people were actually going through a lot during the pandemic. Naledi’s husband was physical abusive towards her and what was so painful to watch was that she was the breadwinner cos he wasn’t working, he was pursuing business opportunities but he was not bringing any money. Besides the abuse she also suffered grief where she gave birth to a stillborn then later had a miscarriage that was caused by Lesedi’s physical abuse.
The in-laws in this situation were typical in-laws where Rakgadi was always on Lesedi’s side even though they could see that his actions towards Naledi were so wrong and cruel. The last straw was when they threw a baby shower of one of Lesedi’s mistress at her backyard without her knowledge as a slap in her face because she wanted to have children so bad. Her mother didn’t help in the situation because all the time she kept on blaming Naledi, on some ‘what did you do to your husband’ and dismissing what her daughter was confiding in her. With everything that was going on the person that was very supportive to Naledi was Aunty, her domestic worker from Zimbabwe, I loved even when they were discussing their madams with her friends she always shielded Naledi and didn’t want to air her dirty laundry out there. So overall this is a book that is a great conversation starter to unpack the societal issues that we deal with in this country.
Some of fave quotes:
“She'd make you feel lazy, that woman, the way she worked. But I got it; her entire family depended on her. If God gave me children to work for, I bet I'd toil away for them too.”
Displaying 1 of 1 review