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Hum If You Don't Know the Words

By: Bianca Marais
Narrated by: Katharine Lee McEwan, Bahni Turpin
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Publisher's Summary

Perfect for fans of The Secret Life of Bees and The Help, a perceptive and searing look at Apartheid-era South Africa, told through one unique family brought together by tragedy.

Life under Apartheid has created a secure future for Robin Conrad, a 10-year-old white girl living with her parents in 1970s Johannesburg. In the same nation but worlds apart, Beauty Mbali, a Xhosa woman in a rural village in the Bantu homeland of the Transkei, struggles to raise her children alone after her husband's death. Both lives have been built upon the division of race, and their meeting should never have occurred...until the Soweto Uprising, in which a protest by black students ignites racial conflict, alters the fault lines on which their society is built, and shatters their worlds when Robin's parents are left dead and Beauty's daughter goes missing.

After Robin is sent to live with her loving but irresponsible aunt, Beauty is hired to care for Robin while continuing the search for her daughter. In Beauty, Robin finds the security and family that she craves, and the two forge an inextricable bond through their deep personal losses. But Robin knows that if Beauty finds her daughter, Robin could lose her new caretaker forever, so she makes a desperate decision with devastating consequences. Her quest to make amends and find redemption is a journey of self-discovery in which she learns the harsh truths of the society that once promised her protection.

Told through Beauty's and Robin's alternating perspectives, the interwoven narratives create a rich and complex tapestry of the emotions and tensions at the heart of Apartheid-era South Africa. Hum If You Don't Know the Words is a beautifully rendered look at loss, racism, and the creation of family.

©2017 Bianca Marais (P)2017 Penguin Audio

Critic Reviews

“Radiant...a stirring ode to a country’s painful maturation.” (O, The Oprah Magazine)

“Richly drawn...[The characters’] journeys and eventual love poignantly demonstrate that nothing is simply black or white.” (USA Today)

“In this standout debut Marais handles topics such as grief and racism with a delicate intensity that will make readers fall in love with her characters. From the first few heartfelt chapters to a fast-paced and heart-wrenching ending, Marais has created a stunning historical drama that shouldn’t be missed.” (Publishers Weekly)

What listeners say about Hum If You Don't Know the Words

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Absolutely brilliant

I can’t recommend this story highly enough. The characters are so well drawn and the story draws you in. It is very easy to listen to, the narrators do an excellent job.

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Brilliant book, wonderful narration

I loved this book from the moment it started. I knew nothing about the Soweto uprising and very little about Apartheid and so I have learned some things while listening to the story unfold. The dual POV between Beauty and Robin is so perfectly written and blended. Highly recommended!

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Fantastic

Wonderful story of a young white girl and a black woman whose lives become entwined after the Soweto riots of the 1970s. Both narrators do a great job of bringing the main characters to life. I laughed and cried and fell in love with both characters. Highly recommend and keeping my fingers crossed for a sequel. 😊

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Fabulous

Amazing read, from a place and era I grew up in. It made me reflect on my life and upbringing. Really looking forward to the next one.

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2 people found this helpful

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