The Road to Home [Kindle Edition]

Vanessa Del Fabbro (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. After South African journalist Monica Brunetti is robbed and shot while researching a story in a black township, she is taken to an all-black hospital. There she confronts the possibility that she may never walk again and the reality of her own smoldering racism, which becomes apparent as she cultivates a unique friendship with the young woman in the bed next to hers. Ella Nkhoma, a former ANC activist who is the mother of two lively boys, is supposedly in the hospital to recover from a bout of bronchitis, but is actually suffering from a far more deadly disease. Del Fabbro, who was born and raised in South Africa, offers a fascinating window into the stark beauty and random violence that characterize the "Rainbow Nation," where racial hatred still threatens the fragile peace that has been won. Through dynamic characters and an unflinchingly honest perspective on human weakness, Del Fabbro concocts a winning story of the triumphant power of female friendship. (Apr.)

Review

"The Road to Home is an amazing first novel." -- Deborah Bedford, USA TODAY bestselling author of When You Believe

"I was deeply touched by Vanessa Del Fabbro's poignant account of an unlikely friendship in a brutal land." -- Catherine Palmer, Christy Award-winning author of Wild Heather

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Format: Kindle Edition
• File Size: 242 KB
• Print Length: 320 pages
• Publisher: Steeple Hill Single Title (September 1, 2007)
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services
• Language: English
• ASIN: B000VXM7XE
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• Average Customer Review: 3.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #349,875 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)
  • #21 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Fiction > Genre Fiction > Romance > Series > Steeple Hill Women's Fiction

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A realistic portrait of modern South Africa, September 10, 2006

By 

C. Murray "former avid reader, turned first t... (Houston, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Road to Home (South Africa Series #1) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #20) (Paperback)

To be completely honest, I wasn't looking forward to reading "inspirational fiction," but I was COMPLETELY SURPRISED to find myself caught up in this story (and now halfway through the sequel). Sure, it reads a little like a Hallmark movie, but one that is set amid violence and an AIDS epidemic that South Africa's leadership has been extremely slow to address.

I had the great fortune to have the author present at a recent book club discussion of her work. Hearing her first-hand accounts of the violence and politics only made me more appreciative of the book. If you are interested in the country, or are drawn in the least to the images that Oprah and others deliver to Americans in neat, tidy packages, you will enjoy The Road to Home.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lovely, gentle story, June 11, 2006

By 

Loopsy (Houston, TX United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road to Home (South Africa Series #1) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #20) (Paperback)

This is a lovely book with a story that builds to a very powerful end. It moves so subtly you almost don't realize how caught up you are until you are there.

Two women become friends, despite all the barriers that exist between white and black people in post-Apartheid South Africa. Both women find themselves in situations that force them to evaluate what's important in their lives. In the process, they become important to each other.

I really loved this book. Twice it brought me to tears. The writing is lovely, and the message is both hopeful and kind.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Couldn't put it down, July 8, 2005

By 

Leon - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Road to Home (South Africa Series #1) (Steeple Hill Women's Fiction #20) (Paperback)

Post apartheid South Africa and AIDS are difficult topics to cover. The author descibes a situation facing millions daily, describing both the good and the bad without ever passing judgement or searching for a romantic ending. We are instead lead on a thought-provoking journey with the main characters. A great read, can't wait for the sequel.