The Burning Land

Coloured no doubt by George Alagiah’s own life experiences, and with the thoroughness of his journalistic background, The Burning Land is an exploration of post-apartheid South Africa, still torn apart by rivalries and greed, and the inequalities created by ‘land reform’.

Josiah Motlantshe is a black man, one time revolutionary prisoner, now flush with wealth and power by the land reform business deals he creates. His son Lesedi, has grown into the man his mother Priscilla first saw in the Josiah she fell in love with, a love long gone.

With the brutal killing of Lesedi, there are truths to be uncovered.

Lindi Seaton and Kagiso Mapabane, once childhood friends, now reunited from across the globe, come together to out the truth and with the hope of protecting the land they both love.

Initially I found the book a bit slow and hard to get into, with the writing style a little clunky. However as Alagiah draws the reader further into the story, it becomes a really compelling read, and I completed it in just over a day! Let’s hope George Alagiah continues his foray into fiction.

I enjoyed this well written book. It's a very political one. It's thrilling, but more slower than you'd expect.
What impressed me the most was the South Africa background and political scape that was in this book. I like to learn about different geographies or their issues. So, it was the highlight for me.
It hooked me from the beginning to end, and I really found it interesting 
Thanks a lot to Netgalley and the publisher for this copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a well constructed,penetrating story based in South Africa after majority rule takes over from the Apartheid regime. It analyses the way in which the country seems to become the same bus with a different driver. There is still racial and class division. Money still wins. Corruption still exists. The message is that little has changed. The context that Alagiah creates is very convincing and is used to give the story real intensity. The efforts of a new generation to ensure real change come unstuck. At the end,some culprits are brought down but it is assumed that little will change. As well as the political element of the book,there are personal stories that give the whole book a genuine feel. This is a good read.

This is the well known BBC journalist and presenter George Alagiah's fictional debut, a brilliant novel written with his wealth of experience and expert knowledge on Africa and South Africa in particular. It depicts the picture of a South Africa that has emerged from its history of political protest, race and struggle and what it has now become, all the dreams, disappointments, and the search for a new identity. It was home for many who grew up there and left for other countries, such as the Seaton family did for Britain. Perhaps inevitably, many of the revolutionaries, many of whom were imprisoned, lost sight of the ideals, the commitment to equality and tackling poverty, to become wealthy corrupt black men, negotiating and selling land to Middle Eastern, Chinese and other global interests, determined to benefit from South Africa's profitable resources. One such billionaire is Josiah Motlantshe, referred to as one of the Black Diamonds, a businessman, married to wife Priscilla, who has remained true to the cause, even if her husband has not. She has brought up her beloved son, Lesedi, with her vision of the fairer society that she has always believed in.

Lesedi is famous in South Africa for representing an idea, a symbol, and a mascot, the embodiment of the country, its new beginnings and hope. Lesedi is less than enamoured at his father's direction and his self enrichment path, and does not agree with the corrupt 'land reform', the underhand removal of locals, and selling the land to foreign interests. He sets up a meeting in Mpumolanga with Kagiso Rapabane representing the Soil of Africa charity, opposed to and documenting the land sell off. When Lesedi is murdered, the horrific repercussions reverberate throughout the country, with sanctioned xenophobic mob violence and killing, directed at the poorest of the poor, those from Mozambique, when the authorities speak of a Mozambique labourer as the chief suspect. Lindi Seaton, once of the FCO, now works for the South Trust charity. Her white family were prominent opponents of the apartheid regime, a liberal family who treated Maude, their servant and her son, Kasigo, as family. She flies to SA in a mission to find out what happened to Lesedi, meet Kasigo, and identify what role the charity could play in tackling the nightmare that has unfolded. She has no idea of the danger she and Kasigo will find themselves in.

Alagiah paints a multilayered complex picture of SA, the varied viewpoints of some its people, a government mired in corruption, with ministers looking to line their own pockets, such as Jake Willemse in the story. There are big questions that are asked in the narrative, such as does it matter if someone is black or white if both are intent on oppressing the people, and is diversity a good thing if in the world of billionaires, some of them are now black? There is a fascinating exploration of just how the economic and political order has changed or not in the post-apartheid era, or is the only change that of what were once white faces are now black, deploying the very instruments of power against the people that were once ranged against all those who challenged apartheid? This is an informative, engaging and politically informative mystery read that is thought provoking and absorbing. Highly recommended. Many thanks to Canongate for an ARC.

The best story I have read on South Africa for a long time. A clever tale of government corruption,no shocks there, but the tale of the individuals involved both in the scam and those ,skilfully depicted,against is absorbing and at times emotional. The obvious difficulties that still exist in that land are convincingly shown in a tale that never flags and is a worthy testament to the author/ journalist and I hope for more. Recommended!

What an atmospheric, sad and violent book set mainly in the eastern side of South Africa!

The story centres around Lindi and Kagiso (the first name of my current South African cricketer) and their attempts to stop corruption in South Africa involving land deals. At times the story is incidental with the author's vivid descriptions of life from people in the townships to the wealthy men. Furthermore, the treatment of Mozambicans just shows how immigration is 'alive and well' in SA.

I am not sure if my two recent holidays in South Africa gave me any insight into the problems there - post Mandela, but the author writes vividly about this country and at times it is revealing,...sometimes unsettling.. Well researched, terrific characterisations and a joy to read. I loved the whole book.

Thanks to Net Galley and Canongate Books for the chance to read and review.