Y’all! So, I’m reading this book, right? And, while I am interested to find out how the story plays out, I can’t help but think I totally understand why this was only $4 at Books-A-Million. Actually, it was $3.97. Cheapest book I’ve ever purchased from a big book store.

First of all, it can be difficult to keep up with the dialogue. Spoken words are preceded by a hyphen rather than cradled within quotation marks, and sometimes they are just tucked within the line of text. It gets really confusing at times.

Also, the flow of the conversation is often ragged and seemingly unnatural. To be fair, the book is set in South Africa (at least the beginning is), and the characters speak various languages. Even though the text is in English, the author could be translating or trying to account for a particular cadence of speech or maybe I’m just trying to give him the benefit of the doubt.

I’m reading this one a bit slowly—a little before bed each night. I’m curious to know if (and where) Kumalo finds his son.

I’ll be sure to let you know how it plays out.

Oh, by the way, the book is Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton.

—♥