Caitlin Davies was in her twenties and studying in America when she met and fell in love with the enigmatic Ron. When Ron returns to his home in Botswana, Caitlin secures a teaching job in his village and the two begin their life together. Eager to absorb all that Setswanan culture has to offer, Caitlin endures the privations of poverty and the rigidity of the matriarchal family structure; she makes her home in Africa. But the Botswana of the 1990s is changing. AIDS and urbanization have taken their toll, violence is on the increase. When Caitlin is raped and stabbed, with her child in her arms, the family closes rank and she is ostracized by the very people she had grown to love; blamed for - and shamed by - a terrible act of violence visited upon her. This is a story about the clash of cultures, the inflexibility of beliefs and traditions. A story about women; about Caitlin and her daughter Ruby, and about Eliah and Madintwa - Ron's formidable mother and grandmother. Most of all. it's a story about one woman's courage, resiliance - and ultimately survival.
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About the Author
Caitlin Davies lives in north London with her daughter, Ruby. She writes regularly for the Independent, the Daily Mail and the Mail on Sunday.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gripping, frustrating, enchanting - a rollercoaster ride
May 14 2006
By Tracey Bryan
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
This biography of Caitlin Davies' experiences during 12 years in Botswana "pulled me in" and I had several late nights, reading it in only 4 or 5 sessions. One of the reasons is the building tension and constant feeling that something dramatic is about to happen - and several things DO happen.
What was frustrating for me was what I perceived as Caitlin's occasional foolishness in dealing with the tension her husband Ron felt in trying to balance the demands of his extended and nuclear families. Whilst she is generally very level-headed, worldly, and intelligent, there were times when I sensed an impending conflict and thought "please Caitlin don't react in such and such a way"... and she did, inevitably exacerbating the problem. But then again - this is a biography, Caitlin is a real person, and real people sometimes do "less than optimal" things. I commend her honesty in not trying to portray herself in a more favourable light.
The sense of place is powerful, and I felt that if I were to visit Maun (the town in northern Botswana where she lived) I would recognise it. The descriptions of the physical and human landscapes are vivid and brought the book alive.
I would love to know what has happened to Caitlin, Ruby, and Ron and his family since the book ended. (Caitlin, you need a website!) I'd also have liked to hear more explanation about why Alice, Caitlin's step-daughter and adopted daughter, was so resentful of Caitlin, and whether Ron did anything to try and mend this relationship. I had several other questions about the relationships in the book, which reflects the extent to which I felt that I knew the people in it and cared about what happened to them all.
Also, the book presents insightful portrayal of some of the social problems of modern Africa (particularly AIDS), and demonstrates the importance of understanding the culture before attempting to impose solutions that have worked elsewhere. Balanced with this is a presentation of many aspects of Africa that work better than in other places, such as caring for extended family, respect for community, and a strong sense of pride in identity.
What was frustrating for me was what I perceived as Caitlin's occasional foolishness in dealing with the tension her husband Ron felt in trying to balance the demands of his extended and nuclear families. Whilst she is generally very level-headed, worldly, and intelligent, there were times when I sensed an impending conflict and thought "please Caitlin don't react in such and such a way"... and she did, inevitably exacerbating the problem. But then again - this is a biography, Caitlin is a real person, and real people sometimes do "less than optimal" things. I commend her honesty in not trying to portray herself in a more favourable light.
The sense of place is powerful, and I felt that if I were to visit Maun (the town in northern Botswana where she lived) I would recognise it. The descriptions of the physical and human landscapes are vivid and brought the book alive.
I would love to know what has happened to Caitlin, Ruby, and Ron and his family since the book ended. (Caitlin, you need a website!) I'd also have liked to hear more explanation about why Alice, Caitlin's step-daughter and adopted daughter, was so resentful of Caitlin, and whether Ron did anything to try and mend this relationship. I had several other questions about the relationships in the book, which reflects the extent to which I felt that I knew the people in it and cared about what happened to them all.
Also, the book presents insightful portrayal of some of the social problems of modern Africa (particularly AIDS), and demonstrates the importance of understanding the culture before attempting to impose solutions that have worked elsewhere. Balanced with this is a presentation of many aspects of Africa that work better than in other places, such as caring for extended family, respect for community, and a strong sense of pride in identity.
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