Starred Review for Kirkus Reviews (Thu Apr 28 00:00:00 CDT 2022)

Ntshingila's latest chronicles the past and present of a young girl suffering life's blows.Mvelo is orphaned at 14 when her mother dies of AIDS. She's also pregnant after having been raped and faces a difficult decision. It's a bleak start, but while tragic things happen, this story is not about tragedy: it is a story of how things happen and how that informs what happens next. Through shifting perspectives, Ntshingila takes readers back in time and through the lives of the people in Mvelo's life. First there's her mother, Zola, whose life at 16 takes a turn when she gives birth to Mvelo and loses her partner on the same day. There's Sipho, the man who loves them both but has his vices, and Nonceba, the ferociously strong woman he leaves them for. Through beautiful prose and rich imagery, readers step into these lives and more, connecting the dots to the present day. Taking place mostly in Durban, South Africa, the tale doesn't shy away from the reality of AIDS, poverty, or rampant sexual abuse, but instead of making those subjects its sole focus, Ntshingila folds them in with the other realities of life: love, joy, and hope.Ntshingila's lyrically wrought North American debut is a slim yet satisfying novel sure to trigger a wide range of emotions. (Fiction. 15-adult)

ALA Booklist (Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 CDT 2019)

Full of heart and hope despite the emotionally challenging subject matter, this slim novel by South African Ntshingila begins with the story of 14-year-old Mvelo, a girl living a hard life in the slums of Durban, South Africa, with her mother, Zola, who is dying of AIDS. It's a tough existence, but when Mvelo becomes pregnant after a sexual assault, she has to make a choice that could change everything around her. Set about a decade after the end of Apartheid, Ntshingila tells her story by peeling back layers of narrative, jumping to the points of view of several characters, all of whom have a role in revealing Mvelo's past and changing her future. Each character has their own story, and though the full scope is often hidden from view, each element contributes to the puzzle piecing together Mvelo's life. This is clearly written, in part, to highlight the issue of gendered violence in South Africa, and Ntshingila succeeds without being heavy-handed. A haunting, all-too-true story with plenty of compelling depth.

Kirkus Reviews (Fri Oct 04 00:00:00 CDT 2024)

Ntshingila's latest chronicles the past and present of a young girl suffering life's blows.Mvelo is orphaned at 14 when her mother dies of AIDS. She's also pregnant after having been raped and faces a difficult decision. It's a bleak start, but while tragic things happen, this story is not about tragedy: it is a story of how things happen and how that informs what happens next. Through shifting perspectives, Ntshingila takes readers back in time and through the lives of the people in Mvelo's life. First there's her mother, Zola, whose life at 16 takes a turn when she gives birth to Mvelo and loses her partner on the same day. There's Sipho, the man who loves them both but has his vices, and Nonceba, the ferociously strong woman he leaves them for. Through beautiful prose and rich imagery, readers step into these lives and more, connecting the dots to the present day. Taking place mostly in Durban, South Africa, the tale doesn't shy away from the reality of AIDS, poverty, or rampant sexual abuse, but instead of making those subjects its sole focus, Ntshingila folds them in with the other realities of life: love, joy, and hope.Ntshingila's lyrically wrought North American debut is a slim yet satisfying novel sure to trigger a wide range of emotions. (Fiction. 15-adult)