Braids & Migraines
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Holland House Books
Publishing:17th Apr '25
£9.99
This title is due to be published on 17th April, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
When Nomandla is awarded a scholarship to attend the prestigious Cameron House for Girls in Durban, she thinks her life will improve. Instead it falls apart.
Growing up in Ziyabuya township, Nomandla battles poverty, racism, and her own mental health. She is pursued by visions which result in her being hospitalised, and is then made to accompany her father on Saturdays to his gardening job at the home of the Smith family. It is here that she first encounters Casey, a girl who will play a significant role in turning her life upside down, destroying her hope of a better future. Meanwhile, at Cameron House, Nomandla learns that, as a scholarship girl, she is expected to showcase gratitude as well as her culture, being regarded as little more than a display of transformation, unity and acceptance. Unfortunately, the reality is very different.
Andile Cele’s beautiful debut novel considers the complexities around identity, its ties to shame, grief, and to South Africa’s painful history. Braids & Migraines follows Nomandla as she comes to a place of personal understanding and acceptance, without compromise.
"A novel of insight and emotion. Cele has the talent to both shatter and uplift, making her an invaluable new voice in South African literature." The Island Prize Judges
"The beauty of this novel is that while it takes a close-up look at human strife, in doing so it shines a light on the humanity we all share." From the Foreword by Rachel Edwards
ISBN: 9781739104764
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown