Genre: Adventure
Author: Bryce Courtney
Plot:
Peekay is a little Rooinek
(slang for an English person, literally red neck) boy in South Africa, growing up in the gathering storm of the 1930’s.
South Africa at the time is a place full of suspicion, fear, and hatred. Who do
you hate? The Rooinek English occupiers? The German-descended Afrikaners? The
native blacks? Peekay himself? Sure, for Peekay’s first school has one big bad
Nazi-loving bully, the Judge, who takes pleasure in lording over Peekay, the
little Rooinek.
But learning to
hate is not the point of The Power of One.
Peekay’s guide back to his hometown after his horrifying experience in school
is a boxing champion, who teaches Peekay that little can triumph over big. Peekay learns the axiom "first with your head, then with your heart." From
the moment Peekay tries on the tough boxer’s leather gloves, he knows, no, he feels that he will be a boxer. Not just
any boxer though – Peekay knows he would become the welterweight champion of
the world.
But boxing isn’t
the point of The Power of One. A true
coming of age tale, Peekay’s journey through South Africa is one which
confronts the building racism and hatred of the time head on. On the way
Peekay’s remarkable talent for reconciling disparate groups comes into sharp
focus. From the old persecuted German composer to the black prisoners of the jail
where Peekay trains to box, all are brought together in a fascinating story of the
accidental uniter.
Brian's Opinion:
The Power of One,
and its sequel, Tandia, literally had
me crying at times. AUTHOR NAME weaves together beautiful scenes of song and
music with gorgeous plateaus of South Africa’s back country and deeply touching
glimpses into the personal lives of Peekay and the people he encounters.
Who Would Like It:
Honestly, if you just like learning about what a time and place was like through historical fiction, this book would be worth reading. If you enjoy truly well done literature, try Peekay’s story out. Finally, those seeking literature deeply reflective of humanity and society will love The Power of One.
Read It!
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