Karoo Boy

by Troy Blacklaws

After a freak accident, Douglas's twin brother is dead, and his family's fragmentation begins. His mother packs up their home in Cape Town and takes him to a tiny backwater town in the semi-desert Karoo region, where she withdraws into her painting. Douglas, a city kid in an insular community, makes only two a beautiful girl named Marika, with her adventurous spirit and tyrannical father; and an old garage worker named Moses, with his junkyard Volvo and dreams of driving away to Cape Town.

Against the backdrop of the bitter conflict of 1970s South Africa, Douglas develops a clearer insight into himself and his place in the world, a world where dreams and reality meet in a surprising twist. Blazing with color and light, Karoo Boy offers a sensuous and lyrical evocation of South Africa that leaves a lasting impression and ultimately ends on a note of hope.

Genres: Africa, South Africa, Fiction, Novels, Young Adult, Roman, Book Club

196 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2005

About the author

I was born in 1965 in Natal, South Africa. I was uprooted at 9 when my father landed a job on a wine farm in the Cape. At 14 I discovered South Africa was a world pariah and that black men were shot in their struggle for freedom. Baited as a kaffirboetie (a niggerlover), I became an outsider at Paarl Boys' High. I studied English and History at Rhodes University and then spent two bitter years as a conscript in the army. I would not carry a gun. Nelson Mandela was in jail during all this time.

I have taught English in England (at Stowe and Sherborne), Germany, Austria and Singapore.

My writings so far draw on memories of my boyhood in apartheid South Africa.

Reviews

[Chris Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written coming of age novel, set against the gritty backdrop of 1970's South Africa under Apartheid. The voice of the character, his hopes, fears and dreams all shine through and the prose is beautiful, even though parts of the story are harsh and heartbreaking. From the rolling waves of Muizenberg to the arid Karoo, this book gives the reader a little window on the world of the not-so-distant South African past.

[Alesa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This thoughtful coming-of-age story about being white in South Africa grabbed me from page 1. I loved the plot -- a boy whose twin dies in a freak accident, and the boy and his mother move to a God-forsaken town far from the beach town where he has grown up. He deals with bullying, racism, and a general sense of being "other" in addition to trying to cope with grief. It is a tender, gripping story with important insights into the world of Apartheid.

I would have given this five stars except for the feeling that it was over-written. It seemed like every other verb was a made-up one to avoid adjectives or adverbs. At first, this practice seemed brilliant, and then grew a bit tiresome.

[Gaby Dupuis · Rating 1 out of 5]

WORST POSSIBLE BOOK YOU WILL EVER READ IM WARNING YOU TO STAY AS FAR AWAY FROM IT AS POSSIBLE.

[Hannes Spitz · Rating 4 out of 5]

eine coming of age Geschichte aus Südafrika, die in der repressiven Zeit der Apartheid spielt. Spannend, dramatisch und in den richtigen Momenten voll zarter Poesie.

[Amanda Patterson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stop looking for the great South African novel. I think we've found it. The visual feast written with such casual expertise mesmerised me. This is the book that every South African author wants to have written.

Douglas Thomas watches his 14-year-old brother die in an accident. "Death catches you off guard, lulled by the tunes of Radio 5, or playing cricket on the beach." His father leaves and he and his mother are forced to live in small town in the Karoo.

We watch both Douglas's family and South Africa fall apart. Douglas finds that he lives in an "unafrican Africa where spears turn into lamp stands, and elephants into foot stools."

At the end of the book, Douglas emerges with a clearer view of both himself and his country. The book is simply written and takes us on a sensory journey back to a time and place that belongs to all of us. Sit back, relax and enjoy.

[AJ Payne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked everything about this book. It took place in 1970s South Africa, so apartheid was going strong but it's really not about that. It's just a coming of age story about a boy who has to move with his mother into the Karoo region of South Africa (a semi desert region, very beautiful... but there's not much there). He makes a few strange friends and learns a lot.

Plus, there is a crazy twist that I loved. Even though it was sad.

I recommend it highly, but if you don't know much about South African slang and dialect words it might be a good idea to read it with a computer handy to look up the words.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

The story was melancholic, to me like the atmosphere and landscape of the South Africa described in this shorter novel. For me, it was too descriptive - almost too stimulating. But it left me wanting to visit the country and knowing more about it than I did before I read this book. It took me there. Borderline 2-3 stars really.

[LucidStyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a secret gem. Beautifully written, and so magical and unpredictable in where the character will be led.

The author shares the joys and uncertainty of growing up, the pain and trauma of losing a family member, and the social complexity and bizarre ideology of apartheid.

This is one I will most certainly reread.

[Martin Peel · Rating 4 out of 5]

A real evocation of teenage wishes and desires. The story has a believable voice and the sense of a South Africa in racial crisis is convincingly portrayed. I enjoyed the writing and in particular the narrative that kept me engaged.

[Kirke · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Douglas a entendu le choc mortel de la balle sur le crâne de son frère jumeau" La quatrième de couverture m'a laissé penser qu'il s'agissait d'un drame d'arme a feu, d'un roman de violence, de gangs, classique.
J'ai ete au contraire transportée dans un monde tout autre, un paysage d'une vividité inouie, un monde dont j'ignorais l'existance, le monde d'un adolescent en afrique du sud. Les descriptions poignantes marquées de poésie m'ont beaucoup touchées.
L'authenticité du livre a été due aux touches de xhosa, d'afrikaans, de neerlandais, de swahili. Tout comme Douglas qui s'adapte a son environnement, le lecteur s'approprie ce nouveau monde, en avancant a tatons parfois. J'ai appris une langue toute nouvelle, j'ai appris a comprendre des dynamiques sociales etranges, et j'ai emerge du livre en ayant l'impression d'avoir vécu une toute autre existance.
On ressent un grand attachement envers chaqun des personnages comme Hope, Chaka, Moses, ou au contraire une aversion profonde pour ses professeurs. On est amoureux de Marika. On se sent déjumelé.
Son deuil et ses souvenirs le suivent tandis qu'il fait face a chaque nouvelle epreuve. Des souvenirs qui emergent, d'autres passés sous le silence, témoignage muet du poids d'un passé trop accablant.
J'ai beaucoup aimé ce livre.

[Avery Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Karoo Boy
Have you ever had a time in your life when you felt like giving up? Well the book Karoo Boy By Troy Blacklaws really shows you what it is like to go through many hardships. Personally I related to this book in many ways. I have had hardships in my life involving death and moving to different schools and houses.
This book demonstrates how a boy named Douglas got through the death of his twin brother and defeated what he went through at that time. Kids had always made fun of him Douglas said ¨… as a boy spits the word moffie in my ear and jabs me in my ribs I gasp in pain.¨ Douglas is a smart kid even though he didn't have much going for him.
Losing Marsden, Douglas´s twin brother was the most tragic thing that had happened to their family. Everyone was sad and frankly not happy anymore. Douglas had to move away from the only place he has ever known. He moved with his mother in the town Kilpdorp. Only being a teen and navigating through your life being bullied and losing a loved one is one of the hardest things to do.
Douglas and his mother always had a rocky relationship, but when Marsden died it got worse. Douglas asked his mom:
¨ Do you think you'll ever be happy here?¨ His mother replied ¨ Dee
(which was Douglas´s nickname), I can never be happy again.
¨ Douglas asked another question ¨ Aren't you happy at all now, with me?¨
His mom replied ¨I love being with you, Dee.´’But you'd have to be
blindfolded to see how cruel life can be.¨ (Blacklaws 75-76)

While struggling through the loss of his twin and his mom responding like this he feels
he can never make his mom happy again which puts a huge strain on him. Thinking he will never do good in life because he cant make people happy. While trying to fit in he meets people along the way and starts making friends Douglas feels like he is starting to find his place in Kilpdorp.
The author did a very good job writing this book. He explained Douglas´s life in full detail and let me know what was happening as the reader. He used a lot of big words that really could be challenging at some points of the book. Even if you didn't know what the work was, the author Troy Blacklaws would always put a word phrase after it that helps you make connections to figure out the meaning of the word you don't know. This book is definitely meant for teens in my opinion. It shows you how you can get through life when nothing goes your way and there is always a was to turn things around no matter what.

[Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

A stark and earthy look into a young boy’s adolescence growing up in a racially troubled South Africa. Yet this is not a preachy book about apartheid, but the gritty daily life of a boy who has been exposed to more than his share of tragedy and sorrow. Some non-South African readers may find themselves at sea with a narrative that excludes non South Africans from truly understanding the depth of emotions evoked by the events of the story.

[Anne Bennett · Rating 3 out of 5]

" The most colorful book I've ever read." It is very descriptive when tlaking about the colors of South Africa. It is the South African version of Catcher in the Rye when apartheid was still a scourge. Very sad, uncomfortable themes.

(Catching up on old reviews from pre-blogging and pre-Goodreads days. Written on 7/23/21 but the book was read years ago. I'm working off my notes.)

[Matthew Sutton · Rating 1 out of 5]

LOLZ... deals with race and apartheid...hardly. More like a boys brother dies, he moves and sneaks away to a township. Should have figured that's what it was when a boring famous singer (whose music I actually like) said it was the most colorful book he has ever read.

[Meg · Rating 1 out of 5]

Typical passage, "The paper rumours that Marika's father, Willem Vink, may have been involved in illicit shebeen trading in Salem, but Sergeant Verster, of the Kipdorp police, defend him: Ou Willem Vink was a deacon in the kerk."

Not sure why this book was recommended as a great YA book on S. Africa. It greatly disappointed me. It hardly deals with the issues of race in South Africa. It rambled, did not use traditional punctuation for conversation, and assumed that the reader knew the history and geography of the country.

On top of that, the mixture of languages and dialect was a challenge. I have seriously studied five languages, and heard many more being spoken. It took all of my recall of those languages, their roots, and my ability to use context clues to get through some passages. I cannot imagine a teenager having the patience to stick with it.

The only fact about the book that pleased me was that I finished it, and realized, before my 70 copies of the book came in, that it would not work for the unit I was developing on race relations. The order was cancelled!!!

[Stephanie Muller · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautifully written book. It was prescribed for my daughter's class (aged 15) when she was in high school, but some parents complained about the content and it was never read (that was why the book was in my house).
I can imagine it will be a controversial book for school children to read, and not all parents will be happy with it. It contains elements of pedophilia, strong sexual attraction, racism, teen rebelliousness etc (the setting is South Africa probably in the 70s or 80s). However, one can also reason that that is exactly why it was probably chosen as a prescribed school book, as there ARE many elements to discuss. The language is lyrical, poetic and contains lots of imagery. It reminded me a bit of Laurie Lee's writing.

[Cathy · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a good, and not unusual, ploy to tell of awful loss or shocking brutality through the eyes of a young person. Their lack of perspective, the way they observe without being able to make full sense or take control of things, avoids high drama. I think it works well here, with a memoir-like account of pitiless sadness.

The grimness is taken off by the boy's own growing-up; and by the clarity and power of the settings evoked. I particularly liked the descriptions of braai-on-the-beach 1970s white Cape Town life, contrasted with that of narrow poverty in the stony and glaring heat of the desert. And I liked the ending - not difficult to anticipate, but an appropriate resolution.

[Azu Jinan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just finished my first reread. I found it as good as the first time.
It is my favourite boy-coming-of-age novel.
Tender and descriptive writing about often brutal events, strong sense of place and time.
The stories still portray life in Cape Town and the Karoo today (only that laws have changed, but still it is the black population that lives outside the towns and in poverty).
The only critique I have is the somewhat simplified portrayal of Moses and of Douglas' mothers actions at the end of the novel. But it could have been the view of a teenager that doesn't see nuance yet.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This coming-of-age story set in South Africa in 1975 portrays the natural beauty of the country along with the ugliness of apartheid. After Douglas's twin brother is killed in a freak accident and his mother takes him from Cape Town to an rough inland town. He makes only 2 friends, a girl named Marika and an older black man named Moses. The 2 help him navigate the harsh surroundings. Beautiful story, but a challenge for younger readers...lots of local jargon.

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Douglas is a young boy living in Cape Town South Africa in 1976 during apartheid. Following the death of his twin brother the family splits and his mother moves him to the tiny town of Karoo, a faraway bleak place. There Douglas, a 14-year old "colorblind" boy meets Moses, an old black man working in a gas station and develops a friendship with a white girl named Marika. While living in a land of conflict he grows from adolescent boy to becoming a man.

[Gudrun · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ein schönes Buch! Eine traurige und schöne Geschichte von einem Jungen, der seinen Zwillingsbruder und dadurch die Familie in ihrer bisherigen Familie verliert. Alles spielt in Südafrika, das ich so noch nicht kennengelernt habe - alles aus seiner Sicht, sehr tiefgehend, sehr lebensbejahend, sehr brutal auch.

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in South Africa, both in Cape Town and the semi desert of the karoo region. This story is about a family that falls apart after a freak accident that takes one of their twin boys. The Father leaves and the mother moves with her son to the isolated Karoo region.

[Ella Wilkinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a really interesting book and I liked it, but it got kind of boring once I read to about page 100 and then after that it got more and more boring and by the end of it I wasn't really interested in it anymore.

[Louis Cowgill]

At times this book was quite slow but in general I quite liked this book as it related to the problems in south africa like racism. The author allows us to see this through Moses relationship with Douglas.

[Vincent · Rating 5 out of 5]

I definitely agree with Coldplay's Chris Martin! It's the most colorful book I've ever read in a long,long while! Two thumbs up for Karoo Boy!

[Tina Jost]

one of the best books in the last years, even for non-s.a.-residents

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very good perspective.

[Jan Cölle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thus is not great literature but it is an interesting read, I liked the story and I liked the atmosphere. Maybe you need to know South Africa to really engross in it though.

[April Barber · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not sure what I feel about this book. Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I didn't.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love the description in this one. It's an interesting mix of bullet short lines, intense observation, reality and daydreams. Lyrical in its sparseness. I liked it quite a bit.