Ways of Dying: A Novel

Book Description

Winner of the M-Net Book Prize
Shortlisted for the CNA and Noma Awards

In Ways of Dying, Zakes Mda's acclaimed first novel, Toloki is a "professional mourner" in a vast and violent city of the new South Africa. Day after day he attends funerals in the townships, dressed with dignity in a threadbare suit, cape, and battered top hat, to comfort the grieving families of the victims of the city's crime, racial hatred, and crippling poverty. At a Christmas day funeral for a young boy Toloki is reunited with Noria, a woman from his village. Together they help each other to heal the past, and as their story interweaves with those of their acquaintances this elegant short novel provides a magical and painful picture of South Africa today.

Ways of Dying was awarded South Africa's prestigious M-Net Book Prize, awarded by the TV channel M-Net to books written in one of South Africa's official languages, and was shortlisted for the Central News Agency (CNA) Award and the Noma Award, an Africa-wide prize founded by Shoichi Noma, onetime president of Kodansha International.

Customer Reviews:

Simply Great.......2006-12-14

This book is simply great, it was a lot more than i had expected...i recomend it very much to anyone who is looking for an intersting piece that explores what the end of of one of the darkest times in south africa

one of south africas black celebrated authors.......2005-08-22

Recently i had the pleasure of reading material from one of South Africa's most celebrated black authors, Zakes Mda. An Oxford University Press published book titled "Ways of Dying", this is a South African fiction selection. Being a fiction, it is wtitten in a very creative manner that i could hardly associate with any of the books i had read before.

This is a story of love written with expectation of one's imagination to take over. The wording, grouping, style and context of this book make it so. It is mainly based on two characters and the way they live their lives. Toloki is a man consumed with the profession of mourning the dead whilst his love Noria has lost immensely through life, still has the ability to show Toloki how to live.

There are various different characters in this novel, which make it as interesting. Even with their differences, they jell well together making the story line easily readable and understandably creative enough to follow. The vast lines go from Toloki who grew up as the ugliest boy in the village and people taking no note of him to the same character turning into a man who is widely respected for his chosen profession in the city outskirts where it was the only place he found recognition. In the village where he grew up Toloki had a friend who had the identity he wanted. Her name was Noria. Toloki hated and loved her with the same heart. Noria was everyone's favorite in the villafe; she had her mother's beauty and brought all the boys and towns' man attention and had the most amazing laugh that made all the village people happy whenever they heard it. When she was sad, everyone was too.

The writing style used in this book is that which is very easy to follow. There are no bombastic (big) words used nor are there times where you could lose the story. Every word flows into a paragraph that combines to others that make this a brilliantly written story.

One of the other things that make this an interesting read is the humor infused.

This is a brilliant written book that everyone with a sense of adventure and imagination will enjoy.

A wonderful terrible book.......2003-03-06

WAYS OF DYING is one of the most fascinating novels that I have read in years. The book is set in South Africa during a period that seems to span the end of the apartheid regime and focuses exclusively on the lives (and deaths) of poor South African Blacks in rural villages and urban shanty towns near what I suspect is Durban. Fans of Marquez will feel very much at home here in a world of "magical realism", yet while Mda may have been influenced by novels like 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE he has a voice that is uniquely his own, and one that I sense is profoundly rooted in Africa. Mda's "hero" is a self-declared Professional Mourner, who ekes out an existence at the edge of society. Some aspects of his life are almost grotesque in form, and the deaths that surround him are often truly horrifying, yet somehow I found this a profoundly optimistic and human book. In spite of the worst that the world can throw at him the Professional Mourner is able to transcend mere existence & by the end I was shamelessly rooting for him. I should add that I used this book in a course on the Turn of the Century, and one of my toughest-case students, whom I had failed to excite with anything else, came into my office today saying "I just LOVE Mda" You will too,

At last a new African writer! And he's good! Yay!.......2003-01-14

I am an avid reader of African literature, both fiction and non-fiction (especially memoirs). I am always searching for contemporary non-white writers (the white writers are good, but it is not unreasonable to want other perspectives), so I was happy to learn about Zakes Mda from a recent New York Times book review column, and I ordered his two books immediately.

'Ways of Dying' is not about post-apartheid South Africa, though the blurb suggests that. I estimate it to be set in the late 1980s, shortly before the end of the old regime was drawing near.

It's a short book, but it's well written, and paints a vivid picture of life in South Africa. And yes, the 'black perspective' is different, and very interesting, and most welcome.

Best South African writer I have read.......2000-02-28

Like all recent South African fiction I have read, this one is full of horrible violence. But it is a love story, and much more optimistic than Coetzee or Brink.

Appropriating space and transcending boundaries in The Africa House by Christina Lamb and Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda.(Critical Essay): An article from: Journal of Literary Studies

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Appropriating space and transcending boundaries in The Africa House by Christina Lamb and Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda.(Critical Essay): An article from: Journal of Literary Studies
Marita Wenzel
Manufacturer: Literator Society of South Africa
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from Journal of Literary Studies, published by Literator Society of South Africa on December 1, 2003. The length of the article is 6536 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: Appropriating space and transcending boundaries in The Africa House by Christina Lamb and Ways of Dying by Zakes Mda.(Critical Essay)
Author: Marita Wenzel
Publication: Journal of Literary Studies (Refereed)
Date: December 1, 2003
Publisher: Literator Society of South Africa
Volume: 19 Issue: 3-4 Page: 316(15)

Article Type: Critical Essay

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

"ONCE UPON A TIME"
IS TIMELESS

Etienne de Brabant is brokenhearted. His wife has died in childbirth, leaving him alone with an infant daughter he cannot bear to name. But before he abandons her for king and court, he brings a second child to be raised alongside her, a boy whose identity he does not reveal.

The girl, La Cendrillon, and the boy, Raoul, pass sixteen years in the servants' care until one day a very fine lady arrives with her two daughters. The lady has married La Cendrillon's father, and her arrival changes their lives.

When an invitation to a great ball reaches the family, La Cendrillon's new stepmother will make a decision with far-reaching effects. Her choice will lead La Cendrillon and Raoul toward their destiny -- a choice that will challenge their understanding of family, test their loyalty and courage, and, ultimately, teach them who they are.

Customer Reviews:

before midnight.......2007-10-09

Before Midnight

Before Midnight is a wonderful retelling of Cinderella. Constanze or Cendrillon was born at midnight and her mother, Constanze died. Her father was away and when he found that his wife was dead. He was very sad.When he got to the big stone house he had a baby boy with him the same age as Cendrillon. He was so sad he didn't come back for a long time.
I found this a very good book! The ending you would never expect but if I told you it wouldn't be a surprise. READ THE BOOK!!!!!!!!

Entaining, just a little slow to get pulled in.......2007-09-28

I am a huge Cinderella fan, and so this book seemed a perfect fit. But the first part of the book was slow reading, and it could have lost slower less dedicated readers. In the end it was worthwhile as a retelling of the classic fairytale, I just doubt that this will become a classic on its own.

before minight.......2007-08-30

i am currently almost finished with this book and love every page! this is kind of a new twist on "Cinderella". the stepmother and stepsisters, upon realizing who she really is, welcome her with open arms. Cendrillon (main chacter) is as gorgous as her mother was. her mother died in childbirth and her father cannot bear to look at her, let alone name her. her real name is Constaze, after her mother, but she was named Cindrillon "child of cinders" by Mathilde, the woman who delievered her.

this book was awsome and i couldn't put it down, which is pretty much the way with all of cameron dokey's other books, although i have to go back and re-read some due to the fact that i could not even get 1/3 of the way through them due to school and work. i am looking forward to her next release.

Dokey's Best in the Once Upon a Time Series.......2007-04-17

I definitely enjoyed reading this book. The descriptions are very elegant, and the entire feeling is moody. The way the author choose to retell Cinderella I have never seen done before, and it was an interesting take. The characters are likable and believable, and you even come to like the evil stepsister. On the down side, the heroin's relationship with the prince is unrealistic and shallow, but I will say that is somewhat typical of this series. In my opinion Snow by Tracy Lynn was better.

Cinderella as we have never seen her before.......2007-03-26

This tale has always been one of my favorite fairy tales and I have loved some of the different renditions of it like "Ever After" and "Diary of an Ugly Stepsister". "Before Midnight" is another great addition to the retellings of Cinderella. In this revision, Constanze de Brabant, or Cendrillion has been abandoned by her father Etienne because of the death of her mother. She is raised in obscurity with a mysterious boy Raoul by Old Mathilde until a noblewoman, Chantal de Saint-Andre, with her two daughters Amelie and Anastasia arrive. Chantal has married Etienne and she is now Cendrillion's stepmother, but Chantal is never told until secrets are discovered. I love the scene where they open Cendrillion's mother's room and see her portrait. Here Chantal exclaims it is so wicked of Etienne to throw away the most precious gift of all, Love. It is also in this scene that Cendrillion gets her wish of having a family at last.
I will not add too many spoilers and explain who Raoul really is and what happens at the "ball" but this tale which emphasizes the importance of embracing love and all the other feelings that come with it; is so lovingly rendered that both young and old romantics will love it.

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back cover
Wonderful collection of stories
Zero Substance
Nora Roberts does it again
Struggle to finish....

Once Upon a Midnight
Nora Roberts , Jill Gregory , Ruth Ryan Langan , and Marianne Willman
Manufacturer: Jove
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0515136190
Release Date: 2003-09-30

Book Description

All-new tales of love and enchantment from the New York Times bestselling authors of Once Upon a Kiss.

Customer Reviews:

back cover.......2006-08-17

-The Witching Hour by Nora Roberts: A kingdom is plagued by tragedy until a wizard-god's spell brings forth a courageous and beautiful young woman who must follow her heart in love and follow her destiny in battle.- Mirror, Mirror by Jill Gregory: A healer sworn to protect their heir to a troubled kingdom must rely on a wounded knight and magic mirror for assistance...-Dream Lover by Ruth Ryan Langan: On a business trip to Scotland, a young American disillusioned by love gets swept up by the romance of the Highlands, and by the charms of a perfect stranger...-The Midnight Country by Marianne Willman: An American researching her family history in Europe stumbles upon an enchanting chateau and its enigmatic master, who is convinced she is the key to a terrible curse....

Wonderful collection of stories.......2005-03-10

I had already read the Nora Roberts Spellbound in another book, but the additional stories were absolutely wonderful. I am glad I bought the book. Now I want all of the Once Upon books!

Zero Substance.......2004-05-12

These stories are all ridiculous fantasy that center around witches, goblins, werewolves and mirrors. To enjoy these short stories you'll need to suspend reality for quite some time. They wouldn't be that bad if the writing was quality, but it really isn't. Each author only has about 40-50 pages of writing so there obviously isn't a lot going on in terms of character development, believability, and storyline. The stories were a bad trip to fantasyland and should be in the sci-fi section and not romance. Don't waste your time, especially with the latter two stories. They are completely unrealistic and written at about a 3rd grade level.

Nora Roberts does it again.......2004-02-27

Nora Robert's story "The Witching Hour" was wonderful! 5+ stars!

"Mirror Mirror" was pretty good but I wanted there to be less angst between the two main characters. 3 stars

"Dream Lover" wasn't bad but it was too strange and didn't really hang together well. 2 stars

I liked "The Midnight Country" very much right up until the end of the story. Then it made absolutely no sense. I think the author was going for a "gotcha" ending but instead it made the whole story fall apart. Very disappointing. 2 stars

Struggle to finish...........2004-01-12

I have read almost everything Nora Roberts has read, and am a big fan. I have read and enjoyed all of her other anthologies in this series. This one, though, was a struggle to finish. The Nora Roberts story was good, because as someone wrote, I don't think she can write anything bad. The other stories were awful. The characters, the storylines, the dialogue--boring, unrealistic--ugh! I can usually read a good romance in a day or two at most--this one took me about two weeks to finish because I was so disinterested in the stories, I would put it down (in the middle of a story!) to read something else. I finished each one hoping the next would be better, but no such luck. If you are a Nora Roberts fan (and like me have to read everything she publishes), maybe you can get this book at the library, but otherwise, don't bother!

Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" (Once Upon a Time)

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WAYY ENTRANCING!
Glad I didn't spend money on it
An interesting variation on The Little Mermaid
Mermaids and betrothals and mystery, oh my!

Midnight Pearls: A Retelling of "The Little Mermaid" (Once Upon a Time)
Debbie Viguié
Manufacturer: Simon Pulse
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback

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ASIN: 1416940162

Book Description

"ONCE UPON A TIME"

IS TIMELESS

In a quiet fishing village seventeen years ago, one lone fisherman rescued a child from the sea. He and his wife raised the girl, Pearl, as their own daughter, never allowing themselves to wonder long about where she came from -- or notice her silver hair, usually pale skin, and wide, dark blue eyes.

Pearl grows from a mysterious child into an unusual young woman, not always welcomed in the village. As all the other girls her age find husbands, she has only one friend to ease her loneliness. One very special, secret companion: Prince James.

But their friendship is shaken when trouble erupts in the kingdom -- a conspiracy against the royal family combines with an evil enchantment from beneath the sea. Now, just when Pearl and James need each other most, bewitching magic and hints about Pearl's past threaten to tear them apart...forever.

Customer Reviews:

WAYY ENTRANCING! .......2007-10-03

As I Read this book I think I fell in love this is the first book I have read by Cameron Dokey, but it was simply tantalizing and the ending was satisfying I read it the day I got it and didn't put it down for the entire day! so GO GET IT!

Glad I didn't spend money on it.......2007-09-26

So, I got this book from my library, since they were giving it away, along with other books that were notorious for never being checked out. It looked promising since I LOVE mermaids, faefolk, and general romantic fantasies...

HOWEVER-- this book was tripe.

I'll admit I was intrigued in the beginning... Will James and Pearl realize one loves the other? If they do, will that mean doom for Kale and Fae?

When I got the answer by finishing the book, I literally threw it across the room.

This book insulted my intelligence with its Teen/Young Adult classification. All it turned out to be was pure angst with no creativity or effort in its writing.

It's no wonder why the library GAVE this book away. Please don't spend any money or time on it. It's truly a disappointment.

An interesting variation on The Little Mermaid.......2007-08-26

Being a fan of the original Anderson fairy tale, The Little Seamaid, and the Disney cartoon, The Little Mermaid, (and also enjoying the occasional young adult novel) I decided to take a chance on Midnight Pearls. Though it's not my favorite retelling, it was a good read. The author put an interesting twist on the story, adding in a little more adventure than other versions of the fairy tale. The beginning of the story especially is fascinating and very well told. The main body of the story and the ending don't have quite the depth of the original, but they are still interesting, and I think they will have more appeal to the young adult audience than the orinal might have had. My only disappointment was in what I thought to be clumsy execution of the story.

SPOILER WARNING

In the book, we're introduced to the two main characters. We learn that they've been friends since childhood and that they meet on a regular basis. It is also hinted that they have started to have feelings for each other. Both discover that their parents expect them to marry soon, and each begins to regard the other as a possible choice for that marriage. The male main character even tries to propose -- though he is interrupted. It's not until that point, around page 60 (almost halfway through the book), that two new characters enter the scene. These two, we realize, are the REAL love interests for the two main characters. This is the clumsy story telling. At this point, I'm already attached to the two main characters as a couple. Everything has hinted that they love each other, that they're meant for each other. So, as a reader, when new love interests suddenly pop up halfway through the story, I view them as intruders and immediately dislike them. I don't sympathize with them or cheer for their success. Their story seemed to come out of nowhere and blindsided me, and the love at first sight that develops with the two new characters is unconvincing in contrast to the two main characters, who seem to have the sort of love that sometimes blossoms from friendship that is also seen in a lot of fairy tales. Even though I know how the story would turn out, I still held out hope that somehow these new characters would go away and the two main characters would end up together. I thought the author could have handled that aspect of the story more gracefully -- perhaps by introducing the two love interests and their part in the plot earlier on in the book so it seemed more natural when they do meet the main characters.

However, aside from that, I did enjoy the story, and I think it will have a strong appeal to young adult readers.

Mermaids and betrothals and mystery, oh my!.......2007-02-26

This is one retelling of Andersen's fairy tale that I'm glad I didn't miss. I was skeptical about ordering, but it was a nice twist. The only objection I had is that the denouement was a bit short (i.e. the resolution of the climax of the story). I would have liked to have seen more detail than "and we lived happily ever after."

The plot change that I enjoyed was that there are two additional characters that are introduced in the middle of the story. You think you're getting to know the couple that's intended, but you discover that you aren't. It helps you to identify with the characters a bit more, I guess.

Either way, I enjoyed the book a great deal. The ending is a lot like the Disney version, though, so if you are looking for a sad ending like the original tale, don't get this book.

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Once Upon A Midnight Moon
Carol Finch
Manufacturer: Zebra
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Romance | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0821757474

Once upon a Dream: At Midnight (Point Signature)

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That's good
Your Basic retelling of Cinderella
Will Ella find happiness?
An awesome, modern retelling of a familiar fairy tale

Once upon a Dream: At Midnight (Point Signature)
Jennifer Baker
Manufacturer: Scholastic Paperbacks
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Love & Romance | Literature & Fiction | Teens | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0590259474

Customer Reviews:

That's good.......2004-01-27

Well, that book was good story. Prince Will asked Ella--why not read NOW? That's really love story!

Your Basic retelling of Cinderella.......2000-02-15

There was not much to originality to the retelling of Cinderella. I felt and thought there could be added touches due to the fact that it was written to be more modern. For no teen today would have settled such as Ella did. There are too many lawyers and many other avenues that they could have searched out. The telling of how and the prince met could have used a bit of a different work, but overall it was warm and fun to read.

Will Ella find happiness?.......2000-02-11

After the death of her father,Ella becomes a servent in her own home. A woman named Fay just might have a surprise up her sleeve....Read This Today!

An awesome, modern retelling of a familiar fairy tale.......1998-07-21

At Midnight is told in a way that makes fairy tales seem within the relm of the possible. I loved the way it retained the magic and traditions of the story and yet was able to add a twist to make it new and worth the read. Ella seemed like a person that you would expect to run into at school, and the way the fairy Godmother is worked into the story is perfect. A ten speed bike turning to a convertible for the dance is just a hint of the charm of the story!

Batman Nevermore #1 (Part 1 of 5: Once Upon a Midnight Dreary)(Elseword)

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Batman Nevermore #1 (Part 1 of 5: Once Upon a Midnight Dreary)(Elseword)
Len Wein
Manufacturer: DC Comics
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Comic

Batman | Media | Science Fiction & Fantasy | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: B000LKVXK0

Product Description

fictional book superhero batman &edgar allen poe mystery action adventure

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Once Upon A Midnight
Jame & Landford,Michael N. & Fuller, Thomas (Eds.) Riley
Manufacturer: Atlanta, GA: Unnameable Press, 1995
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000S5X94G

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Once upon a Midnight
Nora; Gregory, Jill; Langan, Ruth Ryan; Willman, Marianne Roberts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000J44LTS

Once Upon A Midnight - A Mystery Comedy In Three Acts

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Once Upon A Midnight - A Mystery Comedy In Three Acts
James Reach
Manufacturer: Samuel French
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000MAX7NK

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Once upon a midnight--
Jame A. Riley , Michael N. Langford , and Thomas E. Fuller
Manufacturer: Unnameable Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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