Running with Mother

Christopher Mlalazi

 

Synopsis

Unsentimental and unselfpitying, this short but powerful novel by Chris Mlalazi vivifies an account by Rudo, a fourteen-year-old school girl who observes the terrifying events that take place in her village. Running with Mother provides us with a gripping story of how Rudo, her mother, her aunt and her little cousin survive the onslaught. Shocking as the story that unfolds may be, it is balanced by the resilience, self-respect, unselfishness and stoicism of the protagonists. Mlalazi's novel is written with insight, humour and provides a salutory reminder that even in the worst of times, we can find humanity.

Review

Running with Mother is more than a simple indictment of past violence, it is also a representation of the forging of new understandings, bonds and habits, not planned or deliberate but by now deeply etched in unofficial collective memory. - Ranka Primorac, Wasafiri

Author

Christopher Mlalazi is a renowned novelist, playwright and poet from Zimbabwe.