Reviews

How has this book not been on my radar in the past? It is phenomenal! I kept having to remind myself this book was published in 1948 (the same year that Apartheid officially began). Paton did an incredible job weaving together a gripping story containing the best elements of a great book, in my opinion. Cry, the Beloved Country was the perfect blend of challenging nuance, storytelling, and poetry.

The depth of thought that was presented was astounding. I mean, the issues Paton was talking about continue to be relevant to this day. And not just the issues on race, but the commentary on justice,

The Judge does not make the Law. It is the people that make the Law. Therefore is a Law is unjust, and if the Judge judges according to the Law, that is justice, even if it is not just.

It is the duty of a Judge to do justice, but it is only the People that can be just. Therefore if justice be not just, that is not to be laid at the door of the Judge, but at the door of the White People, for it is the White People that make the law.

the commentary on class,

They say that higher wages will cause the mines to close down. Then what is it worth, this mining industry? And why should it be kept alive, if it is only our poverty that keeps it alive? They say it makes the country rich, but what do we see of these riches? Is it we that must be kept poor so that others may stay rich?

and on Christianity.

The truth is that our Christian civilization is riddled through and through with dilemma. We believe in the brotherhood of man, but we do not want it in South Africa. We believe that God endows men with diverse gifts, and that human life depends for its fullness on their employment and enjoyment, but we are afraid to explore this belief too deeply. We believe in help for the underdog, but we want him to stay under. And or are therefore compelled, in order to preserve our belief that we are Christian, to ascribe to Almighty God, Creator of [[Heaven]] and Earth, our own human intentions, and to say that because He created white and black, He gives the Divine Approval to any human action that is designed to keep black men from advancement. We go so far as to credit Almighty God with having created black men to hew wood and draw water for white men.

The truth is that our civilization is not Christian; it is a tragic compound of great ideal and fearful practice, of high assurance and desperate anxiety, of loving charity and fearful clutching of possessions.

This book is powerful, beautiful, and encouraging.

lara_mfernandes's review against another edition

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emotional inspiring reflective tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? N/A
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

Slow paced but worth the ride. What a well written book with a powerful message.

anteus7's review against another edition

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5.0

I'd forgotten just how sad this book is. At the same time it is a reminder that through difficulty and tragedy, life just keeps going on. Sometimes it even gets better.

Paton's writing style in this novel is simple but has an equally nuanced way of dealing with the different ways the characters interact--the different languages represented and the levels of difference between groups (black/white, older/younger)--was interesting and makes me want to do some more research into the social systems in place in 1950s-era South Africa.

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