Matilda Quartey is fourteen years old when sophisticated black Gold Coast lawyer, Robert Bannerman, sets eyes on her and resolves to take her as his second wife. For Julie, his first wife, this is a colossal slap in the face; for Matilda it is an abrupt -- and cruel -- end to childhood. Entwined with their story -- by turns funny and heartbreaking -- is that of Alan Turton, new ADC to the Governor and his dissatisfied wife, Audrey, a hard-drinking accident waiting to happen, who is appalled by her new life. Marilyn Heward Mills's Africa is a cauldron of contradictions: fatalistic but brimming with optimism; outwardly Christian, yet profoundly superstitious and reliant on fetish priests; poverty-stricken, but rich in pride and family values; vibrant with colour yet darkened by violence; exhausting, yet exhilarating. For Matilda it is her passionately loved homeland. For Audrey it is a prison. For the men it is a land of opportunity, where careers can be made and broken, fortunes lost and won. And for all of them the events of these ten years will shape and define their lives forever.
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Book Description
Editorial Reviews
Review
'Mills' first novel is an assured study of Ghanaian life . . . She vividly portrays both the black and white communities and mines considerable humour from those Africans who have their feet in both camps . . . Above all, in the character of Matilda . . . she creates a richly sympathetic portrait of a young woman whose warmth and integrity win the reader's heart along with the hearts of all those around her' Daily Express 'Heward Mills deftly captures the ironic pity each feels for the other's situation. Written with fluency and confidence, this is an impressive debut' New Statesman 'this is a debut novel of substance that movingly captures the meaning of loss and the cost of gain' Scotland on Sunday 'I loved it, I enjoyed Cloth Girl with its huge sense of place and character . . . I particularly loved Audrey and the contrast between the two' Alex Hemsley, BBC 5 Live Book Club 'The story rattles along and is beautifully told . . . Fantastic . . . I liked its crisp, spare, romantic but steely prose. It's a hot book for a hot day!' Noel Morris, BBC 5 Live Book Club 'What I liked best were the characterisations'. Of Matilda, 'I thought she was beautifully drawn . . . you caught the tragedy of ignorance and willfullness . . . beautifully carried through' Will Self 'a charming, optimistic tale' The Historical Novels Review 'utterly engrossing . . . a delightfully insightful and entertaining novel' The Works 'a cast of vibrant characters' Big Issue 'In this vivid and assured first novel, two women meet across a yawning social divide . . . Warm, moving, delightful' The Times 'Mills offers, through Matilda's eyes, a rich celebration of the country . . . This unusual tale of the colonial experience hits the spot' Guardian 'Heward Mills deftly captures the ironic pity each feels for the other's situation. Written with fluency and confidence, this is an impressive debut' New Statesman 'Sensitively dramatised by Mills' simple prose, this is a warmly feminine novel, an honest witnessing of an African movement' Observer 'Totally engrossing and beautifully written' Woman & Home 'An engrossing and at times heartbreaking story . . . A wonderful first novel, as thought-provoking as it is enjoyable' Telegraph
About the Author
Brought up in Ghana, the daughter of Ghanaian father and Swiss mother. Lives in Dulwich with husband and two children.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Gets under your skin,
By Mother (Los Angeles) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Cloth Girl (Hardcover)
I didn't expect this novel to get under my skin in quite the way it did! It is a novel with a relatively simple premise, and somewhat conventional narrative form, and it is a perfectscaffold for a very rich, affecting, complicated, and very original tale of a child bride turned woman on the eve of Ghana's independence. I can't get this heroine out of my mind! Can't wait to read more from this author.
5.0 out of 5 stars
Love this book,
By C. M. "CM" (Virginia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Cloth Girl (Hardcover)
I picked up this book at random, looking for books about Ghanaians about Ghana. I am so happy I chose Cloth Girl. It have not been able to put it down. It completely captures the life, colours, smells, traditions, feelings, everything of Ghanaian life from several totally different perspectives and weaves them together in an easy to read, enjoyable manner. The story line is interesting and the characters alive. I don't usually write reviews, but I was moved to do so for this book. I look forward to more books from this author.
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