Thandi was raised in Pennsylvania but her mother grew up in Johannesburg. The family history in South Africa makes her an outsider. She is between black and white, South African and American. When I read what others write about this book, Thandi's identity is key. However, for me, the story is about grief. Thandi's mother succumbs to cancer when she is in college. She is not really a child but not really an adult. She stays home for a semester to care for her mother who ends up wasting away in front of her. The idea of her mother being gone is almost impossible for her to deal with since her mother has been such a presence in her life. Thandi is struggling, she falls in love, she has a baby...is this what she is looking for? I savored every word of this book. Clemmons is a wonderful writer and this intimate tale is beautiful, heartbreaking and hopeful.
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