Plot Summary

Bitter Fruit

Achmat Dangor
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Bitter Fruit

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001

Book Brief

Achmat Dangor

Bitter Fruit

Nonfiction | Book | Adult | Published in 2001
Book Details
Pages

288

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

South Africa • 1990s

Publication Year

2001

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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Super Short Summary

Bitter Fruit, set in late 1990s South Africa, follows the troubled Ali family, particularly Silas, a Johannesburg lawyer and government liaison to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission; his wife, Lydia, a nurse struggling with past trauma; and their son, Michael, who discovers shattering family secrets, impacting each profoundly amidst the nation's post-apartheid upheaval.

Melancholic

Contemplative

Dark

Bittersweet

Emotional

Reviews & Readership

3.5

1,271 ratings

45%

Loved it

35%

Mixed feelings

20%

Not a fan

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Review Roundup

Bitter Fruit by Achmat Dangor masterfully explores themes of political and personal trauma in post-apartheid South Africa. Critics praise its compelling narrative and complex characters, highlighting the intricate portrayal of fractured identities. However, some find the story’s pacing uneven and the prose dense at times. Overall, it’s a powerful, thought-provoking read.

Who should read this

Who Should Read Bitter Fruit?

Readers who appreciate Bitter Fruit by Achmat Dangor are likely interested in post-apartheid South African narratives of racial tension, trauma, and reconciliation. Comparable to books like Disgrace by J.M. Coetzee and Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, they enjoy complex characters and profound social commentary.

3.5

1,271 ratings

45%

Loved it

35%

Mixed feelings

20%

Not a fan

Book Details
Pages

288

Format

Book • Nonfiction

Setting

South Africa • 1990s

Publication Year

2001

Audience

Adult

Recommended Reading Age

18+ years

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