This book is the perfect fusion of fiction & non-fiction. 
 The fictional tale of Elsa, a white native South African, and Stanwell, a black foreigner from Malawi, and their forbidden love story within the harsh Apartheid regime of South Africa in 1976 is beautifully written and I shed a tear at its climax. 
 The addition of non-fiction extracts throughout the story added a depth to the tale that made the situation more real. With the death of Mandela in 2013 it is important to reflect on both the man and the situation in his native South Africa. 
 I have recently been reading many historical fiction novels based on slavery and colonialism and was extremely glad to stumble across this book. The fact I have Dutch relatives only added to my appreciation of the novel, since I understand the language somewhat. 
 This is not a typical narrative, but it is definitely a book I would recommend to anyone interested in issues concerning racism and inequality within a tense romantic setting.