Review of “Still Breathing”, a novel by Marita van der Vyver

Our May 2024 Book of the Month is a fiction pick written by a well-known local author. Published in 2023, the novel is set on the Cape West Coast, a region that will be familiar to many South Africans.

The book’s theme is friendship and connection that spans decades and distance. The main characters met one another as university students in South Africa from the late 1960s into the ’70s, or through early jobs. In 2020, they have a long-awaited reunion to celebrate two 70th birthdays in their circle—the first time in 25 years that they have all managed to get together.

Of course, “life happens”, as it inevitably does: a few had left South Africa for another country; others had divorced or lost their partners; some now had adult children plus recent grandchildren; a less-traditional family unit had taken shape; and a couple of them were dealing with life-threatening illness and traumatic events.

The story also embraces the dreams, hopes, and trials of the next generation attending the celebrations at the St Helena Bay beach house—their young lives intertwined because of their parents’ enduring bond.

While the book essentially covers a celebratory weekend in early March 2020, in the looming shadow of COVID-19, the personal journeys of the various characters emerge throughout the book.

And for those wondering about the book title, it was the whimsical name they gave to their reunion-planning WhatsApp group!

Our Chartered client library has a copy of this relatable novel, which can be borrowed on a short-term basis.