Marit is a young British wife to Ben when they move to Africa, purchase land, and try their hand at farming. Marit keeps to herself but enjoys the luxuries of going in to town and drinking at the local hotel. This is not a peaceful life. There's a war raging on the borders of their land and Ben one day drives over a bomb, killing himself. Marit is left to fend for herself in this foreign land, with strong barriers between whites and blacks. Marit befriends her maid, Tembi, bringing her in to the house to stay and treating her as an equal. What starts is an unlikely friendship.

Tembi and Marit have many troubles to contend with, including some distrust in each other, and their friendship is pushed to the limits. The story feels so real because it's not always happy and in fact becomes quite depressing at the end. The beginning was a bit slow but about half way through it I was having troubles putting the book down because I wanted to know what was going to happen. It's interesting to read a book about Africa and the tensions there as I haven't read many books on this subject. I enjoyed it!

A young newlywed couple, Ben and Margit come to live on their farm in South Africa in the 1970s. Their farm borders a neighbouring country in turmoil. They are full of hopes and dreams as are most young couples.

Tembi is a young black worker in the farm, full of rebellion and also with her own dreams.

When violence erupts and Margit is widowed she is forced to look for help. The local Afrikaner community is not very welcoming and is leaving the countryside in fear. The black workers on the farm have no desire to obey a white mistress. Margrit refuses to leave and turns to Tembi for assistance.

This is a novel that questions all our values. Who does the land belong to? The purchasers, the workers, the natives or the animals? The countryside is described in breath-taking beauty. The only nit I have is that I wish a few situations were better described. Still, a wonderful novel that makes the reader think.

This book far exceeded my expectations. Lews DeSoto's first book is a HIT and I hope we see more titles by this wonderful story teller.
A story full of tragic events, but at the heart of it, two women, unlikely friends, form a sisterhood and friendship. I could hardly put this book down.

I must read!

This book is a story of friendship against odds. I really enjoyed the book, and the ending really made me think...I finished it a few days ago and am still thinking about it.

The writing style is unique, I can really feel the differences in the characters based on the author's writing when describing that character and their thoughts. I immediately was grasped into this world and loved it there. The characters do not 'run together' as in some other books, and the reader gets an immediate grasp of their souls.

Overall a great read!

I thought the book was really well written and I found it interesting that it was written by a man in the perspective of two women. My mom grew up in South Africa in the same time that Lewis DeSoto did so it was interesting to read about the struggles experienced by everyone in that country.

Lewis De Soto's A Blade of Grass is a fascinating read from start to finish. His prose aptly captures the lyrical nature of African language and storytelling and draws the reader into the lush African landscapes that he is bringing to life. The unlikely yet tumultuous friendship that evolves between Marit the Missus, and Tembi the servant is at times touching and incredibly frustrating, reflecting most human relationships regardless of skin colour or status in life. A Blade of Grass is definitely worth a read, a perfect book to curl up with if you're looking to escape to a far away time and place.

This book started out great, but towards the middle this book seemed to run out of steam and become predictable. I can see why it was nominated for an award but didn't win.

What an excellent and descriptive story !! From his descriptions I felt I was there and could picture everything and everyone. I couldn't put it down. A gifted new Canadian Author.

I found this book told a powerful story about friendship and trust but I found that every time the protagonist would just get over a bad thing that happened in her life something else horrible would happen. There wasn't enough description of the landscape as I would have hoped, and I found that the ending was a bit rushed but over all it kept me tuned in.

A Blade of Grass which takes place in South Africa is a wonderful book!
Marit Laurens is a young newly wed woman. When disaster strikes, she is all alone and is caught between the white community and the black workers on her farm. She eventually becomes friends with Tembi her maid and treats her as an equal. She begins to adopt the same customs and clothing that Tembi wears. Marit is then ridiculed by her white friends and then is shut off from the outside world. Together in the middle of a raging war, Tembi and Marit suffer many hardships and are ultimately left fighting for their lives.
This book was wonderful and I couldn't put it down. I would recommend this book to anyone.