What do you think?
Rate this book
The Sentinel
A powerful story of loyalty and love
Liza Frank has always assumed she was white. Accustomed to the privileges of South Africa’s apartheid system, the shock news that she is to be reclassified as ‘coloured’ comes as a crushing blow, forcing her to flee onto the harsh streets of Johannesburg and cutting her off from her childhood sweetheart Pieter – for mixed-race relations are strictly forbidden.
Joining the army in an attempt to forget, Pieter finds his Afrikaner background soon makes him a pawn in a racist system he has never really questioned. And when he is asked to eliminate an ANC member, formerly a childhood friend, his resolve is tested as never before. Sentinel to values that are rooted in prejudice, only through the rediscovery of love can Pieter begin to atone for his actions.
Reaching its gripping climax as the chains of apartheid are being stripped away, THE SENTINEL is a tremendously powerful story of loyalty and love, with characters as much in turmoil as the country they all feel is their own.
Praise for Madge Swindells
“A realistic and believable story.” - Aberdeen Evening Express
Madge Swindells was born and educated in England. As a teenager, she emigrated to South Africa where she studied archaeology at Cape Town University. Later, in England, she was a Fleet Street journalist and the manager of her own publishing company. Her earlier novels, Summer Harvest, Song of the Wind, Shadows on the Snow, The Corsican Woman, Edelweiss and Harvesting the Past were international bestsellers and have been translated into eight languages. She lives in South Africa.
Liza Frank has always assumed she was white. Accustomed to the privileges of South Africa’s apartheid system, the shock news that she is to be reclassified as ‘coloured’ comes as a crushing blow, forcing her to flee onto the harsh streets of Johannesburg and cutting her off from her childhood sweetheart Pieter – for mixed-race relations are strictly forbidden.
Joining the army in an attempt to forget, Pieter finds his Afrikaner background soon makes him a pawn in a racist system he has never really questioned. And when he is asked to eliminate an ANC member, formerly a childhood friend, his resolve is tested as never before. Sentinel to values that are rooted in prejudice, only through the rediscovery of love can Pieter begin to atone for his actions.
Reaching its gripping climax as the chains of apartheid are being stripped away, THE SENTINEL is a tremendously powerful story of loyalty and love, with characters as much in turmoil as the country they all feel is their own.
Praise for Madge Swindells
“A realistic and believable story.” - Aberdeen Evening Express
Madge Swindells was born and educated in England. As a teenager, she emigrated to South Africa where she studied archaeology at Cape Town University. Later, in England, she was a Fleet Street journalist and the manager of her own publishing company. Her earlier novels, Summer Harvest, Song of the Wind, Shadows on the Snow, The Corsican Woman, Edelweiss and Harvesting the Past were international bestsellers and have been translated into eight languages. She lives in South Africa.
- GenresFiction
602 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 16, 2012
About the author
Madge Swindells
50 books20 followersMADGE SWINDELLS was born and educated in England. As a teenager, she emigrated with her parents to South Africa where she studied archaeology and anthropology at Cape Town University. The author of numerous romance novels, her work has been translated into seven languages and has reached bestseller lists across the world.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
September 25, 2018
Highly politically charged
This story spans the years from the 70's through to 1991 in South Africa when the abhorrent system of Apartheid was finally extinguished.
The ugliness of a political system based on separation by race is told through the eyes of several characters from their differing standpoints. The book begins when most of them young, idealistic and impressionable.
The story moves on in several different directions with the characters as racism, violence, ignorance and the results of a cretinous system explains how South Africa government and its policies caused its own horrific problems and resulting end to apartheid.
I remember watching the shocking news stories as I sat in my cozy living room in the US with my own mixed race children attempting to explain to them there was an actual country in Africa run by a very minority white population who believed it was their God-given right to rule. I was outraged, insulted and saddened as I compared the policies to no less than fascism.
The author paints an excellent picture of those years as she describes the patriotism and actions of a government trying to maintain its status quo while its inhabitants of differing race and futuristic goals simmers and boils until eventually the lid blows off.
I'm impressed by the author's expanded explanation of the political atmosphere with so many factions involved including foreign involvement. It isn't a pretty picture and everyone feels guilt and/or remorse as they forge ahead, sometimes blindly. The atrocities and toll on human life is appalling as are the living conditions of the survivors of the civil wars in and outside the country.
I found it very difficult to understand the Afrikkaner mentality prior to reading this book. I found myself disagreeing with so much until I am forced to face the fact I was unaware of how South Africa was fighting on all fronts. It was then I realized this author must have lived there at some point and thus giving a more thorough picture of what all was happening behind the scenes.
I truly believe there is much to learn here from both a political and sociological standpoint, and recommend to readers of historical fiction. This is not an apology for an political system nor the cruelty of same. It is a story from differing viewpoints and life experiences that makes this book so good as are the geographic location descriptions.
This story spans the years from the 70's through to 1991 in South Africa when the abhorrent system of Apartheid was finally extinguished.
The ugliness of a political system based on separation by race is told through the eyes of several characters from their differing standpoints. The book begins when most of them young, idealistic and impressionable.
The story moves on in several different directions with the characters as racism, violence, ignorance and the results of a cretinous system explains how South Africa government and its policies caused its own horrific problems and resulting end to apartheid.
I remember watching the shocking news stories as I sat in my cozy living room in the US with my own mixed race children attempting to explain to them there was an actual country in Africa run by a very minority white population who believed it was their God-given right to rule. I was outraged, insulted and saddened as I compared the policies to no less than fascism.
The author paints an excellent picture of those years as she describes the patriotism and actions of a government trying to maintain its status quo while its inhabitants of differing race and futuristic goals simmers and boils until eventually the lid blows off.
I'm impressed by the author's expanded explanation of the political atmosphere with so many factions involved including foreign involvement. It isn't a pretty picture and everyone feels guilt and/or remorse as they forge ahead, sometimes blindly. The atrocities and toll on human life is appalling as are the living conditions of the survivors of the civil wars in and outside the country.
I found it very difficult to understand the Afrikkaner mentality prior to reading this book. I found myself disagreeing with so much until I am forced to face the fact I was unaware of how South Africa was fighting on all fronts. It was then I realized this author must have lived there at some point and thus giving a more thorough picture of what all was happening behind the scenes.
I truly believe there is much to learn here from both a political and sociological standpoint, and recommend to readers of historical fiction. This is not an apology for an political system nor the cruelty of same. It is a story from differing viewpoints and life experiences that makes this book so good as are the geographic location descriptions.
November 10, 2018
Very engaging historical novel
The transitions South Africa goes through as it gets rid of apartheid are clearly spelled out. The toll is huge, but the end justifies many sacrifices. The plot is well crafted and the characters evolve --some good and some bad.--to reveal their true colors. Another Swindell's success.
The transitions South Africa goes through as it gets rid of apartheid are clearly spelled out. The toll is huge, but the end justifies many sacrifices. The plot is well crafted and the characters evolve --some good and some bad.--to reveal their true colors. Another Swindell's success.
April 18, 2023
Unfortunately, to this day in South Africa, your identity is the most important thing about you. Not your character, not your achievements.
This book captures the agony of it all perfectly
This book captures the agony of it all perfectly
March 10, 2011
This book explores the pressures & (sometimes) the divided loyalties for those who were forced to live under the evil that was apartheid - particularly if you were a 'coloured'.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews