Sabi Star

"Sabi Star" by Susan Hubert, published by Susan Hubert. Africa - captivating, charming, contradictory, confused. This is the setting of this story, told alternately by two people; Sabi Stirling, a fifteen year old Zimbabwean girl, and Clare Boucher, a thirty seven year old American woman - but these words could also be used to describe the two narrators. Sabi is a delightful and irresistible character. Her life, through no fault of her own, has always been difficult, but she manages to face up to, and work through her difficulties with a mixture of naivety and courage. Wherever you may live in the world, you will be able to identify with the problems she encounters, but she lives in Zimbabwe, so her life has a distinctly African flavour. The second narrator, Clare was born in Zimbabwe, but moved to America as a child. She has come back to the country of her birth, while she tries to sort out the mess she has made of her life in the States. The story begins with the death of Sabi's gogo, with Sabi and Clare meeting for the first time at the funeral. Sabi feels an immediate connection with Clare, and in the weeks that follow, when long hidden family secrets surface she turns to Clare for comfort and clarification. Clare meanwhile, in trying to help Sabi through her problems, starts to have a clearer understanding of her own predicament and what she must do to make things better for herself. Sabi is immensely engaging, a mixture between a female Spud and a young Bridget Jones, maybe. She takes herself very seriously, as teenagers usually do, and yet at times she can be hilariously funny when she makes quite outrageous observations in the most unwitting and innocent way. Clare, on the other hand, is idealistic and analytical, and at the same time very confused, but through her character you will gain an interesting view of what it is like to be in Zimbabwe in the present day, through the eyes of someone who has struggled to shake off the nostalgic longings of their youth. This book is a very entertaining read. It is pure fiction, but it will hook you from the start and keep you wanting to turn each new page as you travel through the ups and downs of Sabis life, needing to know how everything turns out for her in the end. ** Book details: published 2013. Order now on BookShops.in with fast, reliable delivery across India.