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Tangled Weeds
When lives collide, and time runs out, will there be one final chance for redemption?
Damaged by childhood trauma and a series of tragedies and disappointments, Aden Cassalotti, financially and emotionally insolvent, finds solace in a crack pipe. The marijuana and magic mushroom operations in his fertile hometown no longer rake in enough to sustain him. His lifelong friend and business partner, Noel Schuurman, also relies on the much-needed income.
Aden's neglect and detachment has a profound effect on Noel. The brooding recluse becomes dangerously deluded and volatile. Noel has killed before and, with escalating pressures, not even his mother and sister are safe on their isolated plot.
Aden accepts employment with a ruthless criminal enterprise in an urban slum where dope and flesh are pedalled. On a grisly errand to remove a corpse, he encounters Mandipa Ndlovu, who, starved and beaten, is being held with other sex slaves waiting to be sent to work.
Kgotso and Senatla Shelile hail from the same home town as Aden. Having grown up together they share an intimate bond. The search to find Mandipa, Kgotso's abducted girlfriend, leads the Sheliles into the underbelly of Johannesburg. When fate throws the three men together in a Hillbrow strip club, the potential peril is heart-stopping.
Damaged by childhood trauma and a series of tragedies and disappointments, Aden Cassalotti, financially and emotionally insolvent, finds solace in a crack pipe. The marijuana and magic mushroom operations in his fertile hometown no longer rake in enough to sustain him. His lifelong friend and business partner, Noel Schuurman, also relies on the much-needed income.
Aden's neglect and detachment has a profound effect on Noel. The brooding recluse becomes dangerously deluded and volatile. Noel has killed before and, with escalating pressures, not even his mother and sister are safe on their isolated plot.
Aden accepts employment with a ruthless criminal enterprise in an urban slum where dope and flesh are pedalled. On a grisly errand to remove a corpse, he encounters Mandipa Ndlovu, who, starved and beaten, is being held with other sex slaves waiting to be sent to work.
Kgotso and Senatla Shelile hail from the same home town as Aden. Having grown up together they share an intimate bond. The search to find Mandipa, Kgotso's abducted girlfriend, leads the Sheliles into the underbelly of Johannesburg. When fate throws the three men together in a Hillbrow strip club, the potential peril is heart-stopping.
392 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2014
616 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Key
10 books81 followersEnglish teacher, Adult Educator, Life and Communications Skills lecturer, HIV and AIDS activist, and mentor to apprentice jockeys, Sarah's working life has been varied. Her love of education, facilitation and writing has fueled her work for decades.
Sarah’s debut novel, Tangled Weeds, was published in 2014 by Rebele Publishers (Detroit). Her collaboration with Rebele saw the further release of The Sisters of Light trilogy - The Dandelion Clock, The Butterfly Wind and The Starlight Tide. Her novels are set in southern Africa and her characters are drawn from the rich and diverse cultures that populate this extraordinary part of the world. Sarah's fifth novel, Veils of Smoke was released in July, 2020.
Sarah is married and lives with her husband, two daughters and two mixed breed dogs. She loves good food, gardening, dogs and wine.
Sarah’s debut novel, Tangled Weeds, was published in 2014 by Rebele Publishers (Detroit). Her collaboration with Rebele saw the further release of The Sisters of Light trilogy - The Dandelion Clock, The Butterfly Wind and The Starlight Tide. Her novels are set in southern Africa and her characters are drawn from the rich and diverse cultures that populate this extraordinary part of the world. Sarah's fifth novel, Veils of Smoke was released in July, 2020.
Sarah is married and lives with her husband, two daughters and two mixed breed dogs. She loves good food, gardening, dogs and wine.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
November 20, 2016
There is so much meat in this thriller stew. While learning the characters and the basics, in the beginning, it was a lot off information to absorb, but once the introductions were over, wow, it really took off. The subjects are hard and gritty but they are told well and they pull you in with the detail. The story might have been on several difficult subjects but there was a sense that all is not lost.
I had not seen anything before like the slavery, child trafficking, and drugs, that this story covers. It was really well told. Hard to believe this is a first- time author. Her skill is apparent and I am very glad that I took the time to read this book
I had not seen anything before like the slavery, child trafficking, and drugs, that this story covers. It was really well told. Hard to believe this is a first- time author. Her skill is apparent and I am very glad that I took the time to read this book
October 23, 2016
Seldom has a book title been so apt – a rampant growth of toxic lives intertwine in this novel that is on one level a superb crime thriller and on another, an incisive exploration of the human condition in South Africa.
First and foremost, however, this is a fast-paced read that ensnares the reader and does not let go; the “tangled” plot is gradually unravelled for the reader at an even yet surprising pace, leading to a climax in which all the storylines converge in a riot of violence and, for some characters, possible redemption.
But it is the characters which ensure that this crime novel is neither merely a thriller nor an enjoyable read to be discarded. Rather, the depth of the disturbance of the main characters is chilling – ensuring that the reader identifies with them, even as the characters gradually reveal their repulsive natures. Of course, not all of the characters are repulsive or even disturbing, but it is those that stuck in my mind long after I finished “Tangled Weeds”, and it is those that seek the redemption that Key offers her most despairing characters.
Venturing into the characterisation of multiple cultural groups in South Africa is not something to be undertaken lightly, yet Key manages to integrate differing cultures beautifully in her story and thus allows different perspectives of the “Weeds”, adding another layer to the complexity of the storyline.
As with all great books, I was sad when this cyclone of a read came to an end. But even more, I envy those of you that can still read it for the first time; don’t squander the opportunity!
First and foremost, however, this is a fast-paced read that ensnares the reader and does not let go; the “tangled” plot is gradually unravelled for the reader at an even yet surprising pace, leading to a climax in which all the storylines converge in a riot of violence and, for some characters, possible redemption.
But it is the characters which ensure that this crime novel is neither merely a thriller nor an enjoyable read to be discarded. Rather, the depth of the disturbance of the main characters is chilling – ensuring that the reader identifies with them, even as the characters gradually reveal their repulsive natures. Of course, not all of the characters are repulsive or even disturbing, but it is those that stuck in my mind long after I finished “Tangled Weeds”, and it is those that seek the redemption that Key offers her most despairing characters.
Venturing into the characterisation of multiple cultural groups in South Africa is not something to be undertaken lightly, yet Key manages to integrate differing cultures beautifully in her story and thus allows different perspectives of the “Weeds”, adding another layer to the complexity of the storyline.
As with all great books, I was sad when this cyclone of a read came to an end. But even more, I envy those of you that can still read it for the first time; don’t squander the opportunity!
April 20, 2017
I need to regroup. I'll come back later with a review.
I am a bit dazed. This book is full of people. A busload of characters. I am reading with a pen and paper just so that I can remind myself who is who in the zoo. Phew!
19 April 2017 This year has been a year of great reads and it is only April. Of the 25 or so books I've read so far, only a handful were terrible.
This book here is very, very good. I am so happy that independent publishers are investing in unknown authors. Writers who are pushing boundries and writing about subjects which affect our everyday lives.
Tangled Weeds is not for the faint hearted or the lazy reader. It is 368 of pure reading enjoyment. The first 100 pages are crammed full with characterization of characters. A bus-load of them. I had to sit up and pay attention. By "pay attention" I mean I had a pen and paper on the ready to jot down who's who in the zoo and the timelines. Once that was done, I began to read for the enjoyment.
Sarah weaves a story so thrilling, in the underbelly of Johannesburg, that I was gob-smacked by her diction and language, I had to read her bio again. It is so heartwarming to read while smiling. The 4 families in the story were interlocked through words so beautiful that they seamlessly merged into one. Within a short space of time, I stopped seeing where one metastory ended and the next begun.
The gory themes which characterises all cities anywhere in the world - drugs, child-trafficking, prostitution, criminality - are explored. Actually Sarah pried them open for the world to see. In Kgotso's words, till "the innards were exposed".
As a mother it broke my heart when Mandipha was kidnapped. I cannot imagine a horror greater than that one. I loved Senatla and Kgotso's relationship. I identified with it. THAT is how we grow up, black children, in a house packed to the rafters with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. And everyone is treated equally. We are all children of the house irrespective of age.
Sarah took me back to my tertiary days. She took me back to my grandma's house in Soweto. Some parts were hilarious. The lobola negotiations were an absolute killer. Some were sad. Very sad. Aden and Brenton had so much but wanted/needed so much more. Parenting is really hard.
Overall, the book is thick and overwhelming in the beginning but once you get the hang of it, it starts flowing. I loved the cover. The iconic Ponte building is so Johannesburg. Seedy, bursting at the seems and filthy. So much hidden in that filth. So much hidden by that filth. Drugs. Bodies. Poverty. Crime. Dreams. Lives. I loved the colour green and what it symbolised. New beginnings. Spring. Marijuana. Sowing season. Freshness. Vitality. Hideaways. Entanglement.
Sarah is a talented writer and it is clear that she nurtures this talent consistently. A writer who reads. A writer who did not distort the voices in this tangled tale of weeds. A writer who let her characters tell their stories in their own voice. Authenticity such as that, is so refreshing. The plot is about contemporary and universal challenges peppered with love. Ah love, all we need is love to make everything okay.
4 stars from me.
I am a bit dazed. This book is full of people. A busload of characters. I am reading with a pen and paper just so that I can remind myself who is who in the zoo. Phew!
19 April 2017 This year has been a year of great reads and it is only April. Of the 25 or so books I've read so far, only a handful were terrible.
This book here is very, very good. I am so happy that independent publishers are investing in unknown authors. Writers who are pushing boundries and writing about subjects which affect our everyday lives.
Tangled Weeds is not for the faint hearted or the lazy reader. It is 368 of pure reading enjoyment. The first 100 pages are crammed full with characterization of characters. A bus-load of them. I had to sit up and pay attention. By "pay attention" I mean I had a pen and paper on the ready to jot down who's who in the zoo and the timelines. Once that was done, I began to read for the enjoyment.
Sarah weaves a story so thrilling, in the underbelly of Johannesburg, that I was gob-smacked by her diction and language, I had to read her bio again. It is so heartwarming to read while smiling. The 4 families in the story were interlocked through words so beautiful that they seamlessly merged into one. Within a short space of time, I stopped seeing where one metastory ended and the next begun.
The gory themes which characterises all cities anywhere in the world - drugs, child-trafficking, prostitution, criminality - are explored. Actually Sarah pried them open for the world to see. In Kgotso's words, till "the innards were exposed".
As a mother it broke my heart when Mandipha was kidnapped. I cannot imagine a horror greater than that one. I loved Senatla and Kgotso's relationship. I identified with it. THAT is how we grow up, black children, in a house packed to the rafters with aunts, uncles, cousins and grandparents. And everyone is treated equally. We are all children of the house irrespective of age.
Sarah took me back to my tertiary days. She took me back to my grandma's house in Soweto. Some parts were hilarious. The lobola negotiations were an absolute killer. Some were sad. Very sad. Aden and Brenton had so much but wanted/needed so much more. Parenting is really hard.
Overall, the book is thick and overwhelming in the beginning but once you get the hang of it, it starts flowing. I loved the cover. The iconic Ponte building is so Johannesburg. Seedy, bursting at the seems and filthy. So much hidden in that filth. So much hidden by that filth. Drugs. Bodies. Poverty. Crime. Dreams. Lives. I loved the colour green and what it symbolised. New beginnings. Spring. Marijuana. Sowing season. Freshness. Vitality. Hideaways. Entanglement.
Sarah is a talented writer and it is clear that she nurtures this talent consistently. A writer who reads. A writer who did not distort the voices in this tangled tale of weeds. A writer who let her characters tell their stories in their own voice. Authenticity such as that, is so refreshing. The plot is about contemporary and universal challenges peppered with love. Ah love, all we need is love to make everything okay.
4 stars from me.
August 17, 2017
This is about as original as it gets in South African fiction. Tough going to start off with, because there are many different characters and many different strands to the story. Strands? Well, OK, then: call them weeds. The author tangles them expertly and the reader is then required to untangle them. It is well worth the effort.
There are thorns and there are flowers and there are twisted brambles and there are painful pricks to the thumb. That is to say, pricks to any rules of thumb one might have as an observer of South African life below the radar. But there are wonderful aromas and scents and perfumes, too. You just have to crush the weeds a little and you can find - if not a cure - well, then, at least some balm for the bruised life that comes with living in this crazy country.
Aden is a damaged child of the land. Traumatised in youth, barren and desolate, he finds comfort in crack. He has paired up with Noel for a long time, but his association with the worst of the underworld he stumbles upon his own long-suppressed humanity and sets out to save a young woman from the clutches of those trading in sex slavery. Along the way we meet characters both repulsive and - in small measure - with sufficient humanity to give us hope for the future of this blighted environment.
One reviewer very articulately describes how the author weaves together "folklore, rough urban reality, ethnic tradition, and superstition ... setting them against the subtle shapes and colours of the southern African landscape ... [creating] a world that is as South African as boerewors and pap and dagga." Well said, indeed. But more than that, as a debut novel it shows incredible promise. This is a writer well worth looking at.
There are thorns and there are flowers and there are twisted brambles and there are painful pricks to the thumb. That is to say, pricks to any rules of thumb one might have as an observer of South African life below the radar. But there are wonderful aromas and scents and perfumes, too. You just have to crush the weeds a little and you can find - if not a cure - well, then, at least some balm for the bruised life that comes with living in this crazy country.
Aden is a damaged child of the land. Traumatised in youth, barren and desolate, he finds comfort in crack. He has paired up with Noel for a long time, but his association with the worst of the underworld he stumbles upon his own long-suppressed humanity and sets out to save a young woman from the clutches of those trading in sex slavery. Along the way we meet characters both repulsive and - in small measure - with sufficient humanity to give us hope for the future of this blighted environment.
One reviewer very articulately describes how the author weaves together "folklore, rough urban reality, ethnic tradition, and superstition ... setting them against the subtle shapes and colours of the southern African landscape ... [creating] a world that is as South African as boerewors and pap and dagga." Well said, indeed. But more than that, as a debut novel it shows incredible promise. This is a writer well worth looking at.
January 14, 2020
Louis Wiid's review of Tangled Weeds, by Sarah Key
I must admit, it took me a bit of time of finish this book, no other reason but the powerful narrative and prose. It was like I wanted to absorb every word, nuance. It therefore gives me great pleasure to write this review.
The theme is dark, human trafficking, prostitution, drug abuse and drug related crime in Hillbrow, the armpit of South Africa, a violent sociopath, even references to child sexual abuse.
Living in contemporary South Africa, I can relate more than most, but the author still exceeded my expectations. She inhibited the minds of various cultures making up our Rainbow Nation.
But there’s so much hope in the narrative.
About the story: Following a traumatic event in childhood, Aden Cassalotti finds solace in hard drugs and gets mixed up with the wrong crowd. His life-long friend, Noel Schuurman, has his own problems, similarly drugs but is in addition a real piece of work (let’s leave it at that - don’t want to spoil). To me, the fact that both become the slave of chemicals and have serious mental defects, were initially disconcerting. But Sarah redeemed herself in how they found redemption (or not..?).
Perhaps more so than the above, I enjoyed the story surrounding the abduction of Mandipa, the events surrounding her ending up in the underbelly of Johannesburg and Kgotso and Senatla’s desperate search for her. I would suggest that this is, to a large extent, Sarah’s ability to write from a totally different POV, a big risk, but Sarah pulled this off beautifully.
Tangled Weeds is the first novel by a very smart writer with loads of imagination. I’m looking forward to enjoying her other works, The Dandelion Clock and the Butterfly Wind. A South African writer with international appeal at the peak of her powers.
I must admit, it took me a bit of time of finish this book, no other reason but the powerful narrative and prose. It was like I wanted to absorb every word, nuance. It therefore gives me great pleasure to write this review.
The theme is dark, human trafficking, prostitution, drug abuse and drug related crime in Hillbrow, the armpit of South Africa, a violent sociopath, even references to child sexual abuse.
Living in contemporary South Africa, I can relate more than most, but the author still exceeded my expectations. She inhibited the minds of various cultures making up our Rainbow Nation.
But there’s so much hope in the narrative.
About the story: Following a traumatic event in childhood, Aden Cassalotti finds solace in hard drugs and gets mixed up with the wrong crowd. His life-long friend, Noel Schuurman, has his own problems, similarly drugs but is in addition a real piece of work (let’s leave it at that - don’t want to spoil). To me, the fact that both become the slave of chemicals and have serious mental defects, were initially disconcerting. But Sarah redeemed herself in how they found redemption (or not..?).
Perhaps more so than the above, I enjoyed the story surrounding the abduction of Mandipa, the events surrounding her ending up in the underbelly of Johannesburg and Kgotso and Senatla’s desperate search for her. I would suggest that this is, to a large extent, Sarah’s ability to write from a totally different POV, a big risk, but Sarah pulled this off beautifully.
Tangled Weeds is the first novel by a very smart writer with loads of imagination. I’m looking forward to enjoying her other works, The Dandelion Clock and the Butterfly Wind. A South African writer with international appeal at the peak of her powers.
November 20, 2016
There is so much meat in this thriller stew. While learning the characters and the basics, in the beginning, it was a lot off information to absorb, but once the introductions were over, wow, it really took off. The subjects are hard and gritty but they are told well and they pull you in with the detail. The story might have been on several difficult subjects but there was a sense that all is not lost.
I had not seen anything before like the slavery, child trafficking, and drugs, that this story covers. It was really well told. Hard to believe this is a first- time author. Her skill is apparent and I am very glad that I took the time to read this book.
I had not seen anything before like the slavery, child trafficking, and drugs, that this story covers. It was really well told. Hard to believe this is a first- time author. Her skill is apparent and I am very glad that I took the time to read this book.
July 5, 2018
I absolutely loved this book. It’s beautiful descriptions of classic South African lives is raw and heartfelt. It was so close to home I could taste it and smell it. It scared me due to it’s realistic description of the places I have lived and visited, and the characters, or to me, the people, that Sarah created could be people I have walked past in the streets, or bumped into in clubs. The disturbing world of human trafficking and drugs made my skin crawl, as it should, and when the book ended I was devastated. I wanted more!
August 27, 2018
This is a very well written book (more of a saga ) that transported me to Africa, and straight into the story itself, and the strong emotions it evokes. I will not spoil the plot for those who've not yet read it, but I will say it is captivating, and thought provoking. This is not a book for the timid of heart, but that is what makes it a rare treasure. I think I was a bit taken aback at first, because books rarely put the grit of life out there for all the world to see. But in the case of TANGLED WEEDS that is a good thing, because it was handled skillfully, which is kudos to the author's ability to craft beauty in that which is far, far from beautiful.
March 11, 2017
Tangled weeds, A psychological thriller by Sarah Key
“an torrid African tale” in the words of the author herself, and boy was she right! The title tangled weeds could not be more fair for this novel. From the first page I was intrigued. This book is full of difficulty that makes it so one can not put it down. Sarah key writes with such ease even within this dramatic tale. In this story a number of storylines come together with a wonderful ending. What I truly love about this story is the emotion I feel towards the characters. One second I am feel saddened for them but in the next I feel like they should get what’s there’s. There is a true connection that I feel with these characters. That I am thankful for. I feel that because there is a great connection with the characters that there is one with also one with Sarah. Sarah has a way of writing that gives readers a clear view of what’s happening with her descriptions. I have never been to South Africa but I can sure picture it’s intense beauty. In this book the back ground descriptions of the characters make me feel like I have met them myself. I can see that Sarah Key had absolutely no trouble when the story moves between different characters and their story’s. This book made me feel a lot of emotions. The hectic- Ness of it kept me on my toes and made me want more. I look forward to reading what ever else Sarah brings to the table. This is a great read that I will be recommending to all.
“an torrid African tale” in the words of the author herself, and boy was she right! The title tangled weeds could not be more fair for this novel. From the first page I was intrigued. This book is full of difficulty that makes it so one can not put it down. Sarah key writes with such ease even within this dramatic tale. In this story a number of storylines come together with a wonderful ending. What I truly love about this story is the emotion I feel towards the characters. One second I am feel saddened for them but in the next I feel like they should get what’s there’s. There is a true connection that I feel with these characters. That I am thankful for. I feel that because there is a great connection with the characters that there is one with also one with Sarah. Sarah has a way of writing that gives readers a clear view of what’s happening with her descriptions. I have never been to South Africa but I can sure picture it’s intense beauty. In this book the back ground descriptions of the characters make me feel like I have met them myself. I can see that Sarah Key had absolutely no trouble when the story moves between different characters and their story’s. This book made me feel a lot of emotions. The hectic- Ness of it kept me on my toes and made me want more. I look forward to reading what ever else Sarah brings to the table. This is a great read that I will be recommending to all.
December 22, 2016
Seldom does one come across a book so aptly named. Tangled Weeds - a story of very different characters from vastly different backgrounds whose lives become intertwined in a complex story driven by fate and the unravelling story of Africa. Tangled Weed - a web of tragic circumstances which draw the characters inexorably into the sleazy world of hard drugs and human trafficking.
But the true magic of the book is revealed in the writing of Keys which builds characters so real and so desperate - and drives home just how hopeless the situations are, in which they find themselves.
There is no glamorous side to crack cocaine, no glamorous side to human trafficking. And it is in this underworld that Keys weaves her incredible story illustrating how fragile life is - and just how vulnerable we are to predators who walk amongst us. ...A book that left a lasting impression.
With no punches pulled in this, her debut novel Sarah Keys has established herself as a highly talented author and storyteller. - and I cannot wait to get into more of Sarah's work.
But the true magic of the book is revealed in the writing of Keys which builds characters so real and so desperate - and drives home just how hopeless the situations are, in which they find themselves.
There is no glamorous side to crack cocaine, no glamorous side to human trafficking. And it is in this underworld that Keys weaves her incredible story illustrating how fragile life is - and just how vulnerable we are to predators who walk amongst us. ...A book that left a lasting impression.
With no punches pulled in this, her debut novel Sarah Keys has established herself as a highly talented author and storyteller. - and I cannot wait to get into more of Sarah's work.
November 16, 2016
new south African author Sarah Keys writes with fluidity that keeps the reader engrossed from the first page. Her style is like listening to a beautifully written score of music. Tangled Weeds swept me along at a steady pace evoking memories of my own past at the mention of iconic places in South Africa. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more of Sarah Key. Sarah please don't hold back in the next one please.
November 5, 2022
Scum.
Personally I found this book an example of a fixation with crime, detritus and the underbelly of society in South Africa. Written with pretensions or perhaps a real experience.
Perhaps an attempt to be seen as cool, hip, know it all etc
All in all scummy. Couldn't Wade through it to finish it.
Personally I found this book an example of a fixation with crime, detritus and the underbelly of society in South Africa. Written with pretensions or perhaps a real experience.
Perhaps an attempt to be seen as cool, hip, know it all etc
All in all scummy. Couldn't Wade through it to finish it.
September 20, 2022
I really think that in such times of violence and crime, something witty and funny is more desirable.
If someone needs to read this, for entertainment, as they have not experienced it, why not spend a few nights on the street instead.
If someone needs to read this, for entertainment, as they have not experienced it, why not spend a few nights on the street instead.
November 1, 2019
These are characters and events that will remain with me for a long time. They send out tendrils and thorns and noxious aromas that tease and provoke and prick the imagination long after the last page has been turned. Seldom have I read a debut novel that has so entirely captured my imagination.
But not from the beginning. It takes time. Firstly, different weeds must be explored and thorns identified. Then new characters are introduced. They appear to have nothing to do with one another. When will this come together into a cohesive narrative?
The wait is well worth it. From the first page we are plunged into a tangled mess of dislocated lives set against the harsh conditions of a rapidly changing sub-continent. These are not attractive characters. There is little with which to empathise. Dreary, self-centred and indulgent lives: why should they hold any interest for me? Initially I found it difficult to understand the significance of individual characters and the relationships between them. In addition, after thirty or forty pages there seemed to be quite disparate narratives at play with little to connect one strand of the story to another.
The weeds, that is to say, were tangled beyond any possibility of tracing any taproots back to their source.
But persevere, fellow reader, because that is precisely the point. This knot of brambles and thorns is deliberately set up to reflect the trials and tribulations and hidden secrets of a rich diversity of characters whose lives have been buffeted and bruised and where any redemption seems impossible.
Weaving together folklore, rough urban reality, ethnic tradition, and superstition, then setting them against the subtle shapes and colours of the southern African landscape, Sarah Keys has created a world that is as South African as boerewors and pap and dagga. At the same time her themes are universal and will be relevant to anyone seeking to explore new insights into the nature of love, loyalty and betrayal within families, or into the nature of friendship that knows no boundaries of race or ethnicity or cultural tradition, or into the impact of childhood experience on adult relationships. Once the weeds are untangled, the apparently disparate stories come together in a startling fashion, as we begin to understand the subterranean fissures that have been widening over two decades in the lives of four families.
The author expertly presents a multiplicity of perspectives without ever banging a political drum or appropriating different cultural traditions for narrow purposes. She gives voice to people living on the margins, and she does so without sentimentality. Instead, she lures us into the inner depths of those who we initially perceive as distasteful or reprobate, so that we might come to know them a little better.
The dissonance and discordance that abounds in the southern African landscape features merely as distant background, as these characters force their way into our consciousness. The realities of sexual abuse and trafficking, physical and emotional violence, race and gender discrimination, displacement and dispossession, are all present in this richly nuanced work, but never do they seem to be the headlines. Instead, the author reveals the realities of these things through the impact they have on the emotional and psychic being of her characters.
With the action set in different times and locations from Zimbabwe to the northern rural areas of South Africa, to the gritty urban turmoil of the inner city in Johannesburg, specifically Hillbrow, the author is able to bring to bear an approach to her writing that is ethnographically sophisticated while exhibiting subtle literary skills. This is a book I’d heartily recommend to anyone interested in exploring a richly-textured new vision of southern Africa’s tangled weeds and the potential for disentanglement.
But not from the beginning. It takes time. Firstly, different weeds must be explored and thorns identified. Then new characters are introduced. They appear to have nothing to do with one another. When will this come together into a cohesive narrative?
The wait is well worth it. From the first page we are plunged into a tangled mess of dislocated lives set against the harsh conditions of a rapidly changing sub-continent. These are not attractive characters. There is little with which to empathise. Dreary, self-centred and indulgent lives: why should they hold any interest for me? Initially I found it difficult to understand the significance of individual characters and the relationships between them. In addition, after thirty or forty pages there seemed to be quite disparate narratives at play with little to connect one strand of the story to another.
The weeds, that is to say, were tangled beyond any possibility of tracing any taproots back to their source.
But persevere, fellow reader, because that is precisely the point. This knot of brambles and thorns is deliberately set up to reflect the trials and tribulations and hidden secrets of a rich diversity of characters whose lives have been buffeted and bruised and where any redemption seems impossible.
Weaving together folklore, rough urban reality, ethnic tradition, and superstition, then setting them against the subtle shapes and colours of the southern African landscape, Sarah Keys has created a world that is as South African as boerewors and pap and dagga. At the same time her themes are universal and will be relevant to anyone seeking to explore new insights into the nature of love, loyalty and betrayal within families, or into the nature of friendship that knows no boundaries of race or ethnicity or cultural tradition, or into the impact of childhood experience on adult relationships. Once the weeds are untangled, the apparently disparate stories come together in a startling fashion, as we begin to understand the subterranean fissures that have been widening over two decades in the lives of four families.
The author expertly presents a multiplicity of perspectives without ever banging a political drum or appropriating different cultural traditions for narrow purposes. She gives voice to people living on the margins, and she does so without sentimentality. Instead, she lures us into the inner depths of those who we initially perceive as distasteful or reprobate, so that we might come to know them a little better.
The dissonance and discordance that abounds in the southern African landscape features merely as distant background, as these characters force their way into our consciousness. The realities of sexual abuse and trafficking, physical and emotional violence, race and gender discrimination, displacement and dispossession, are all present in this richly nuanced work, but never do they seem to be the headlines. Instead, the author reveals the realities of these things through the impact they have on the emotional and psychic being of her characters.
With the action set in different times and locations from Zimbabwe to the northern rural areas of South Africa, to the gritty urban turmoil of the inner city in Johannesburg, specifically Hillbrow, the author is able to bring to bear an approach to her writing that is ethnographically sophisticated while exhibiting subtle literary skills. This is a book I’d heartily recommend to anyone interested in exploring a richly-textured new vision of southern Africa’s tangled weeds and the potential for disentanglement.
October 26, 2016
When lives collide, and time runs out, will there be one final chance for redemption?
Damaged by childhood trauma and a series of tragedies and disappointments, Aden Cassalotti, financially and emotionally insolvent, finds solace in a crack pipe. The marijuana and magic mushroom operations in his fertile hometown no longer rake in enough to sustain him. His lifelong friend and business partner, Noel Schuurman, also relies on the much-needed income.
Aden’s neglect and detachment has a profound effect on Noel. The brooding recluse becomes dangerously deluded and volatile. Noel has killed before and, with escalating pressures, not even his mother and sister are safe on their isolated plot.
Aden accepts employment with a ruthless criminal enterprise in an urban slum where dope and flesh are pedalled. On a grisly errand to remove a corpse, he encounters Mandipa Ndlovu, who, starved and beaten, is being held with other sex slaves waiting to be sent to work.
Kgotso and Senatla Shelile hail from the same home town as Aden. Having grown up together they share an intimate bond. The search to find Mandipa, Kgotso’s abducted girlfriend, leads the Sheliles into the underbelly of Johannesburg. When fate throws the three men together in a Hillbrow strip club, the potential peril is heart-stopping.
I have so much to say about this book. An African based tale set between South Africa and Zimbabwe; Key has brought an excellent story to the table for both local and international readers. She gives excellent descriptions so that the reader can picture and hear the characters even if they are not familiar with the places she talks about which is something the reader can really appreciate. The characters stand out uniquely and the choice of words used to describe; not just the characters; but how they view their surroundings simply adds to the character in a mesmerising way. Key gives enough details about the characters to give them background and meaning without confusing the reader or going off on random ramblings. The contrast between the characters stories that you follow in the book was something I loved about reading this book. In my mind they have the same kind of background in the form of at least one person in their lives who is willing to support them however Key drives home the message that it is our choices in life that determine our success or not.
The chapters are well sized leaving little to no chance of a lull in the story. I find that generally authors can struggle when a story moves between different places and characters but this book not only has an excellent distinction between time; place and who but flows well from one chapter to the next; making it a highly enjoyable read. Another interesting thing that Key brings to the table is a historical value, without being academic, about the experiences and lives of the people. The plot twists in the story, although not necessarily relatable in experience, are all too realistic in an increasingly violent world.
The book was a bit hectic for me; invoking many emotions but I do recommend it highly. It’s an excellent story for anyone who enjoys suspense; adventure and a whisper of romance. Sarah Key is an excellent writer who knows how to fully capture the reader’s imagination. This book will be hard to put down as your heart pleas to know the fates of your new fictional friends.
Damaged by childhood trauma and a series of tragedies and disappointments, Aden Cassalotti, financially and emotionally insolvent, finds solace in a crack pipe. The marijuana and magic mushroom operations in his fertile hometown no longer rake in enough to sustain him. His lifelong friend and business partner, Noel Schuurman, also relies on the much-needed income.
Aden’s neglect and detachment has a profound effect on Noel. The brooding recluse becomes dangerously deluded and volatile. Noel has killed before and, with escalating pressures, not even his mother and sister are safe on their isolated plot.
Aden accepts employment with a ruthless criminal enterprise in an urban slum where dope and flesh are pedalled. On a grisly errand to remove a corpse, he encounters Mandipa Ndlovu, who, starved and beaten, is being held with other sex slaves waiting to be sent to work.
Kgotso and Senatla Shelile hail from the same home town as Aden. Having grown up together they share an intimate bond. The search to find Mandipa, Kgotso’s abducted girlfriend, leads the Sheliles into the underbelly of Johannesburg. When fate throws the three men together in a Hillbrow strip club, the potential peril is heart-stopping.
I have so much to say about this book. An African based tale set between South Africa and Zimbabwe; Key has brought an excellent story to the table for both local and international readers. She gives excellent descriptions so that the reader can picture and hear the characters even if they are not familiar with the places she talks about which is something the reader can really appreciate. The characters stand out uniquely and the choice of words used to describe; not just the characters; but how they view their surroundings simply adds to the character in a mesmerising way. Key gives enough details about the characters to give them background and meaning without confusing the reader or going off on random ramblings. The contrast between the characters stories that you follow in the book was something I loved about reading this book. In my mind they have the same kind of background in the form of at least one person in their lives who is willing to support them however Key drives home the message that it is our choices in life that determine our success or not.
The chapters are well sized leaving little to no chance of a lull in the story. I find that generally authors can struggle when a story moves between different places and characters but this book not only has an excellent distinction between time; place and who but flows well from one chapter to the next; making it a highly enjoyable read. Another interesting thing that Key brings to the table is a historical value, without being academic, about the experiences and lives of the people. The plot twists in the story, although not necessarily relatable in experience, are all too realistic in an increasingly violent world.
The book was a bit hectic for me; invoking many emotions but I do recommend it highly. It’s an excellent story for anyone who enjoys suspense; adventure and a whisper of romance. Sarah Key is an excellent writer who knows how to fully capture the reader’s imagination. This book will be hard to put down as your heart pleas to know the fates of your new fictional friends.
October 15, 2016
Wow, this one rollicks along at a merry pace. Not so merry are the themes that intertwine in this book with child trafficking, drugs, depression and angst, all rolled into an engrossing plot. Sarah Key does a masterful job of telling the story in an authentic, typically South African, tone and vernacular, but still keeps the book accessible to all, including those not familiar with all the South Africanisms. Engaging characters and a plot that builds to a resounding crescendo will have you reading this in one sitting. An impressive first novel.
August 20, 2015
“Tangled Weeds” explores the tangled lives of a myriad of characters against the backdrop of political upheaval in the African nations at the turn of the century. Covering themes of child abuse, incest, drug addiction, sex and drug trafficking, “Tangled Weeds” covers it all. It is a well-researched novel, with captivating stories and believable characters.
October 13, 2016
I loved the truly South African flavour and atmosphere of this book which the author seems to capture so well. I found the characters both sympathetic and exciting and was torn between feeling sorry for them and wishing some of them would get their come-uppance. The story was thrilling and I could not put the book down. I highly recommend it.
October 13, 2016
Brilliant read. A very well written first novel. As a South African, I found that it touched on a lot of relevant issues.
October 30, 2016
A number of storylines that come together in a gripping finale. Disturbing insights into a dark, sordid part of society, yet moving and enthralling at the same time.
March 26, 2017
"Tangled Weeds". Never before have I come across such an aptly named title. Set in the backdrop of a darker Johannesburg, the breakneck pace of this novel has you hooked from the first to the last page. Each character stays true to form, and only one's vivid imagination is required to illustrate the going on, the intrigue and the suspense. A masterful novel, and a must read!
March 31, 2017
From Zimbabwe to rural areas of the Northern Province to the seedy dives of Hillbrow, Sarah Key brings together her characters in a chilling tale of friendships and of family loyalties that are threatened by the perversion caused by drug addiction and human trafficking. The innate goodness of the Shelile family contrasts vividly with the lure of illegal money and the evils which result.
I thoroughly enjoyed the South African-ness of the story and was genuinely disturbed by the evil that the vulnerable and weak have to endure. A very gripping read. I look forward to more from Sarah's pen.
I thoroughly enjoyed the South African-ness of the story and was genuinely disturbed by the evil that the vulnerable and weak have to endure. A very gripping read. I look forward to more from Sarah's pen.
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