Flowers in the Sand
Encyclopedia
Flowers in the Sand the second novel
by South Africa
n author Clive Algar
,
has been described by literary critics as “completely engrossing and superbly written” and “a great adventure story”.
Writing in Independent Online, critic Lloyd Mackenzie says: “By blending the richness of his own
fictional characters with one of South Africa’s most historic events, he has created an enticing
journey of a woman trying to survive against all odds … it is completely engrossing and superbly
written. I am definitely going to look out for more of this author’s work.”
Novelist and critic Jeanette Ferreira, writing in Beeld
, says: “The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)
remains a popular source for fiction. And, as with all historical novels, the challenge is to write
about people’s destinies without yielding to the temptation to force all that hard-won research
material into the text or to write a military report. Clive Algar undoubtedly understands this art.
“Although all his historical figures become people of flesh and blood – especially Jan Smuts – his
book is mainly the story of Emma Richardson … who, during the siege of O’okiep, must struggle with
moral dilemmas about which she has never even had to think before, let alone handle successfully.
“… Emma is not destined to bloom or wither in this sandveld forever. But if I said where her path
leads I would be giving away a thrilling story.”
Writing in The Citizen (South Africa)
, Dries Brunt says: “The siege of O’okiep, a mining town in Namaqualand
,
the people living there under the threat of a Boer
conquest, a dangerous mission to seek relief, a
woman’s courage and a final outcome that is honourable, make this a great adventure story.”
mining town during the Anglo-Boer War,
Emma Richardson must degrade herself in order to survive. Then the town is besieged by Boer
fighters, led by their tortured commandant Manie Smit, and Emma is faced with a fateful choice.
With her vision of the ephemeral desert flowers in her mind, she sets out alone on foot by night on a
desperate mission to create a new future for herself.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
by South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
n author Clive Algar
Clive Algar
South African writer Clive Algar is the author of two novels, Journeys to the End of the World and Flowers in the Sand .Algar is a retired mining engineer who returned to South Africa from London when he retired and now lives on his farm in the Western Cape province.-External links:***...
,
has been described by literary critics as “completely engrossing and superbly written” and “a great adventure story”.
Writing in Independent Online, critic Lloyd Mackenzie says: “By blending the richness of his own
fictional characters with one of South Africa’s most historic events, he has created an enticing
journey of a woman trying to survive against all odds … it is completely engrossing and superbly
written. I am definitely going to look out for more of this author’s work.”
Novelist and critic Jeanette Ferreira, writing in Beeld
Beeld
Beeld is an Afrikaans language daily newspaper that was launched on 16 September 1974. Beeld is distributed in five provinces of South Africa: Gauteng, Mpumalanga, Limpopo, North West and KwaZulu-Natal. Die Beeld was an Afrikaans language Sunday newspaper in the late 1960s...
, says: “The Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902)
remains a popular source for fiction. And, as with all historical novels, the challenge is to write
about people’s destinies without yielding to the temptation to force all that hard-won research
material into the text or to write a military report. Clive Algar undoubtedly understands this art.
“Although all his historical figures become people of flesh and blood – especially Jan Smuts – his
book is mainly the story of Emma Richardson … who, during the siege of O’okiep, must struggle with
moral dilemmas about which she has never even had to think before, let alone handle successfully.
“… Emma is not destined to bloom or wither in this sandveld forever. But if I said where her path
leads I would be giving away a thrilling story.”
Writing in The Citizen (South Africa)
The Citizen (South Africa)
The Citizen is a tabloid style newspaper that is distributed nationally in South Africa.In 1998, The Citizen was acquired by CTP/Caxton. Its core readership is now black middle-class men.- See also :* List of newspapers in South Africa...
, Dries Brunt says: “The siege of O’okiep, a mining town in Namaqualand
Namaqualand
Namaqualand is an arid region of Namibia and South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the...
,
the people living there under the threat of a Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
conquest, a dangerous mission to seek relief, a
woman’s courage and a final outcome that is honourable, make this a great adventure story.”
Plot introduction
Trapped by tragic circumstances in a dusty NamaqualandNamaqualand
Namaqualand is an arid region of Namibia and South Africa, extending along the west coast over and covering a total area of 170,000 square miles/440,000 km². It is divided by the lower course of the Orange River into two portions - Little Namaqualand to the south and Great Namaqualand to the...
mining town during the Anglo-Boer War,
Emma Richardson must degrade herself in order to survive. Then the town is besieged by Boer
Boer
Boer is the Dutch and Afrikaans word for farmer, which came to denote the descendants of the Dutch-speaking settlers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 18th century, as well as those who left the Cape Colony during the 19th century to settle in the Orange Free State,...
fighters, led by their tortured commandant Manie Smit, and Emma is faced with a fateful choice.
With her vision of the ephemeral desert flowers in her mind, she sets out alone on foot by night on a
desperate mission to create a new future for herself.