Sophie Neville went out to Africa for health reasons. She found what she was looking for - her health improved - but that's not the story here. The story is what else she found: a land full of extraordinary beauty, incredible characters (some of them human), serious danger and enormous fun. It's structured as a series of letters to her sisters back in the UK or other parts of Europe, which gives it a great sense of 'immediacy.'
Paul goes on to write:
Her adventures - and misadventures! - are recorded as they happened, or shortly afterwards and that comes across very strongly. As a counterpoint, she also includes the letters she in turn received from her sisters and other family members. There’s a great sense of family, of connection over the miles, as her exciting life is compared to the less exotic but sometimes just as exciting lives back in England.
Neville is a very fluid writer. Her words flow smoothly off the page and into the readers mind, bringing with them powerful images of African scenery, of wildlife and human life. Sometimes funny, sometimes terribly sad, sometimes almost surreal! One of my favourite passages is where, out in the middle of a vast salt pan in the moonlight, she comes across a fire - and next to it a drinks table (with ice and lemon slices) and another table laid for dinner, with silver cutlery, linen napkins and a chicken tikka! All brought out into the middle of nowhere for her and her companion.
These events took place in a time of social and political changes, some of them violent, and in countries where natural beauty runs alongside human poverty and terrible sadness (such as with the AIDS epidemic). Neville does not dwell on these things, they aren’t her main focus, but they are as much part of her life in Africa as charging rhinoceros, venomous snakes and friends weddings. It all makes for a great richness of shared experiences.
It is also well illustrated by lots of drawings and pictures - presumably the authors own, as she is, along with her many other talents, an artist - unfortunately in black and white, which may lose something, but which are still very effective and which help the reader to see Africa as she saw it.
Neville is a very fluid writer. Her words flow smoothly off the page and into the readers mind, bringing with them powerful images of African scenery, of wildlife and human life. Sometimes funny, sometimes terribly sad, sometimes almost surreal! One of my favourite passages is where, out in the middle of a vast salt pan in the moonlight, she comes across a fire - and next to it a drinks table (with ice and lemon slices) and another table laid for dinner, with silver cutlery, linen napkins and a chicken tikka! All brought out into the middle of nowhere for her and her companion.
These events took place in a time of social and political changes, some of them violent, and in countries where natural beauty runs alongside human poverty and terrible sadness (such as with the AIDS epidemic). Neville does not dwell on these things, they aren’t her main focus, but they are as much part of her life in Africa as charging rhinoceros, venomous snakes and friends weddings. It all makes for a great richness of shared experiences.
It is also well illustrated by lots of drawings and pictures - presumably the authors own, as she is, along with her many other talents, an artist - unfortunately in black and white, which may lose something, but which are still very effective and which help the reader to see Africa as she saw it.
