Mercy

Item: Mercy
Author: WhichBook

Lara Santoro

Enter the hectic life of a foreign correspondent in modern-day Africa, as she charts the continent's vast catastrophes - a background to the more intimate tragedy being enacted in her own home in Kenya. The writing is descriptive and you will hear, see and smell Africa. All characters are well drawn and the dialogue between the two protagonists is sharp and amusing. Beauty and horror combine in a passionate and emotional story.

Extract

'What are you doing?' I yelled. She stared at me, eyes as hard as flint. 'Me, I am washing the dirty clothes. You?'

Reeling in confusion, I looked at my watch. 'Isn't it Sunday?'

'No.'

'What day is it?'

'Friday.'

'No!'

'Yes.' We looked at each other as if through binoculars. 'Now,' she said with a loud sign, 'Michael called. He says you call him back.'

'Where?' Mercy raised both eyebrows. 'Where should I call him?' Up went the eyebrows again. ... The world could snarl and bite all it wanted: the woman from River Road stood nearly six feet tall, had the arms and legs of a boxer and the face of an angel.

Parallels