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All Things Bright and Broken
Meet Colleen, the third-born child of parents who share a chaotic relationship. Set against the backdrop of Cape Town in the 1940s, this is Colleen’s journey. It is a time of religious fervor, baptisms, conversions and Sunday school picnics. Apartheid can’t be escaped and is experienced by the children, who are bemused and confused by the flawed and unjust system.
The pages are crowded by a host of odd characters, at once lovable, eccentric and troubled. There’s Aunty Bubbles who teaches the children to jitterbug and Uncle Nicholas who speaks the Queen’s English and plays a trumpet in the Royal Navy Band. There’s Aunty Beryl, who carries a Chihuahua around in her handbag, and a midwife and home-undertaker named Two-Coffee-One-Milk. But not all is rosy in this richly peopled world. There is a human thread recognizable to anyone who has ever been in a co-dependent relationship, been abused, grown up poor or had an alcoholic father, which gives this book universal appeal. Sharp, insightful, and abundant in measured humor, it will resonate with many.
The pages are crowded by a host of odd characters, at once lovable, eccentric and troubled. There’s Aunty Bubbles who teaches the children to jitterbug and Uncle Nicholas who speaks the Queen’s English and plays a trumpet in the Royal Navy Band. There’s Aunty Beryl, who carries a Chihuahua around in her handbag, and a midwife and home-undertaker named Two-Coffee-One-Milk. But not all is rosy in this richly peopled world. There is a human thread recognizable to anyone who has ever been in a co-dependent relationship, been abused, grown up poor or had an alcoholic father, which gives this book universal appeal. Sharp, insightful, and abundant in measured humor, it will resonate with many.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 1, 2018
6 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
May 8, 2019
Full disclosure first: I know Carol Gibbs as she lives in the same village as I do in South Africa. Having got that out of the way, I found this “autobiographical novel” to be an absolute treat of a read. It speaks of a way of life long gone, but beautifully recalled in this memoir of growing up in 1940s Cape Town. The story is told with humour and pathos: the result is a book that reminds us of a time when children really had no voice and just got on with living their lives and working things out for themselves. There is no victim mentality here; just a clear-eyed recollection of the strange behaviour of adults told with humour and, dare I say, understanding. It's one of the books up for the Barry Ronge Fiction Prize and Carol will be interviewed at the Franschhoek Literary Festival in 10 days time.
July 24, 2020
3 and a half stars really.
This autobiographical novel demonstrates the resilience of children. Carol Gibbs tells of her childhood in Crawford on the Cape Flats. They were very poor and father was a drunk and was physically abusive to mother. The children still managed to make fun for themselves, but all the while dreading the weekends, especially Friday nights - father's Brandy binge nights. To see your mum being mentally, emotionally and physically abused is no fun. The saddest part.
The childhood games and activities of that era brought back many fun memories. Thank goodness I never went through the stress and pain of the abusiveness and real poverty though.
This autobiographical novel demonstrates the resilience of children. Carol Gibbs tells of her childhood in Crawford on the Cape Flats. They were very poor and father was a drunk and was physically abusive to mother. The children still managed to make fun for themselves, but all the while dreading the weekends, especially Friday nights - father's Brandy binge nights. To see your mum being mentally, emotionally and physically abused is no fun. The saddest part.
The childhood games and activities of that era brought back many fun memories. Thank goodness I never went through the stress and pain of the abusiveness and real poverty though.
March 27, 2019
A nostalgic and heart-wrenching novel set in 1940's Cape Town. This book takes you on a journey of growing up in the "good old days" but in absolute poverty and a childhood marred by abuse and alcoholism. Despite this, it brings to the fore the indomitable spirit and hope that prevails despite the hardship.
I enjoyed reading about the streets and roads of Cape Town. As a mother, it also highlights the vulnerability of young children. An intriguing and thought provoking read.
I enjoyed reading about the streets and roads of Cape Town. As a mother, it also highlights the vulnerability of young children. An intriguing and thought provoking read.
April 5, 2025
Snapshot of South Africa in the late 1940s, as seen through the eyes of a child. There are many bittersweet moments in this autobiographical novel. It reads as a stream of consciousness, events melting together, reflecting how our memories are stored. This does make it hard to read though.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews