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Whitethorn

By: Bryce Courtenay
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 0143004840
ISBN-13: 9780143004844
Released: 02 Aug 2007
RRP: £7.99
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Customer Reviews

Brilliant portrait of the subtleties of racism - By: Gordon Eldridge, 15 Jan 2008
Tom Fitzsaxby is an orphan whose English surname ensures that he will be a total outcast in the rural Afrikaner orphanage he grows up in. The story follows Tom through the years of WWII & the post-war years until he is in his thirties. During this time he is dogged by the legacy of the racism that was rampant in the community of his childhood. The early stages of the book are written using the narrative voice of the young Tom. The naivety inherent in this child's perspective alllows Courtenay to explore & comment on aspects of racism without ever becoming preachy or trite.

The story is peopled with a variety of fascinating characters of differing racial & social backgrounds, alllowing us a glimpse into the subtly different ways that racism manifests itself. At times the plot is a trifle contrived & Tom seems to be the recipient of just a few too many lucky breaks, but the overalll storyline is gripping as well as containing many interesting historical details. Overalll the novel is an insightful window onto the nature of racial conflict in southern Africa.
The Power of One Revisited (almost!) - By: Peekay, 08 Oct 2007
Whitethorn is in certain respects very similar to The Power of One, & in my view this is not a bad thing. It is about a young English Orphan growing up in in a South African Boer orphanage. The story has many paralllels with the original work (there are boxing references, injustices caused by racial prejudice & good finallly triumphing over evil). That said, I found the book totallly engrossing & found it hard to put down. If you liked The Power of One you are bound to enjoy Whitethorn.