THIS BOOK BETRAYS MY BROTHER

Narrator Jacqui Du Toit’s tone changes from bright and naïve to stunned and pained as 13-year-old Naledi witnesses her brother’s crime. That event makes it clear why she feels the need to betray him years later. Du Toit’s accent reflects the novel’s South African setting. You can hear young Naledi’s coy grins as she details her sheltered family life, which includes running a general store, going to private schools, and living in the glow of the bright star that is her brother Basi. Du Toit creates vivid characters, and she deftly handles the many languages threaded throughout the story. Toxic masculinity lurks behind the coming-of-age antics, subtly revealing the many ways it damages women. A beautiful, suspenseful, and heartbreaking novel and performance. S.T.C. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: MARCH 2021]