The Grass is Singing, Doris Lessing

This book begins with a murder, then skips backwards and tells of the events leading up to it. The Grass is Singing is set the '40s and deals with the racial tension in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) which was then a British colony. There are a few stories within stories and it's a complex look at prejudices, but also at how our lives and personalities shape our fate. Our protagonist is Mary, who is extremely difficult to sum up. The whole novel is difficult to describe as it's so complex and nuanced, it really thrives on that and is original.

It is sad, and dark, but not exactly depressing. It is atmospheric, descriptions of mental states and sapping heat are evocative and feel real. Lessing really makes you empathise with her characters, none of them are clear cut and none are grotesques. I enjoyed it, definitely worth a read.

I had got halfway through Karl Ove Knausgaard's My Struggle, before I began The Grass is Singing, but then I left it on a plane! Along with my Jemima Puddleduck bookmark, which was worse than losing the book. This time I've started Aleksandar Hemon's The Book of my Lives, which is intelligent and engaging so far. If I manage to hold onto it i'll let you know what I think in a few weeks.