![]() ![]() ![]() It is a condensed version of the first part of Courtenay's adult book of the same title, and the ending feels artificial and unresolved. The book packs a powerful emotional punch, evoking horror, laughter, and empathy. Peekay's story is written in a direct, almost childlike style, which sometimes seems bland, but readers will be swept along by the events in the protagonist's life. Courtenay's ear for dialogue is impressive, and he consistently captures the cadences of South African speech. The author is unsparing in his portrayal of the brutality meted out to prisoners and in his depiction of racist speech. Courtenay's deft and chillingly accurate characterization of the Afrikaner prison warders. It is there that he learns to box and becomes a secret ally of the black prisoners. When Doc is detained as an enemy alien, Peekay's life becomes intertwined with the local prison. Peekay forges loving relationships with adults, most notably Doc, a German professor. ![]() His goal is to become a boxer, and the story shows how hard work can lead to success. Although he endures many losses, he grows through his experiences. ![]() He is urinated on by a pack of older boys, and then beaten for it by the matron. Five-year-old Peekay is the only English-speaking boy in a harsh Afrikaans-language boarding school. The opening chapters of this haunting autobiographical novel, set in small-town South Africa during World War II, are as bleak and violent as anything written for young people. ![]()
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