THE BOOK FAIR

Review:

Dalene Mathee’s novel of incredible sensitivity, set in the latter 1800’s tells the story of Fiela Komoetie, a black South African woman living with her husband and children on her farm in the Knysna Forest, where she finds lost, 3 year old Benjamin, who is white, whom she saves, raises, and loves as her own.

 

Elias Van Rooyan and his family live on Barnard’s Island.  Elias, a beam maker, lives slightly better off than his neighbors.  One day, Barta, his wife is busy with chores when his small son, Lucas, goes missing.  The boy is not to be found.  Barta cries until she has no more tears.  Seven months later, a small skeleton is found in the forest.

 

Benjamin has lived with Fiela for as long as he can remember.  He is one of the family, calling himself her hand-fed son, brother to Dawid, Tollie, Kitty and Emma.  They live together in the Long Kloof and are happy.

 

One day, government men come by the house; census takers.  Fear runs through Fiela; the census taker spies Benjamin.  He tells her the white child cannot be hers.  The men leave with a promise to investigate.

 

The Van Rooyens get a message from the magistrate that their son has been found.  Barta manages to choose Benjamin out of a line-up convincing the magistrate that he is her lost son.  Elias and Barta, with their claimed son, begin the long walk back home; all the while Benjamin is calculating and planning how he will get back to Fiela and his home.

 

Fiela plans to find her boy.  Lukas tries to manage his new life.  Nina Van Rooyen takes a liking to her found brother and tries to guide him by keeping him out of trouble and making him feel at home.  Elias expects Lucas to begin work.

 

Fiela walks for days to meet with the magistrate, who she expects will return her son.

 

Fascinating storyline, intelligent, sensitive and beautifully written.