Troy Blacklaws's follow-up to his internationally acclaimed Karoo Boy is the bittersweet tale of a South African boy coming of age during apartheid Gecko's childhood is one of sheltered, almost magical innocence on a farm in Natal. He spends his days taking barefoot expeditions with his dogs and his nights listening to Springbok Radio, unaware of the cruel force in his life that apartheid will soon become. With the start of high school in the Cape, Gecko is thrust into a political and personal awakening that is both tragic and heartfelt. With conscription into the South African army looming over him, Gecko's future is as uncertain as his country's. Blood Orange evokes the absurdity, longing, and fear of growing up white in the last decades of apartheid.
"Blood Orange is an important, vital voice to add to the tapestry of literature coming out of Southern Africa. Such vibrancy is rare in any literature. Coming out of such a legacy of violence and pain, it is nothing less than a miracle."
Alexandra Fuller, author of Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
"Troy Blacklaws beautifully lays bare how it took raw guts for a young white boy to resist apartheid."
Alexandra Fuller, author of Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight
