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The Zebra Affaire Mark Fine Books

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The Zebra Affaire Mark Fine Books

This book came highly recommended and I put off reading it till I knew I had stopped having expectations. Preconceived expectations are never a good thing. The apartheid topic is one I don't gravitate towards, because it still shocks me too much that people could and can be narrow-minded enough to judge others by skin colour, instead of character. I just get too emotional and enfuriated.
This story is two-fold. One is the social romance fiction based on historical events, and the other is the author's account of the historical account, which is not fiction but interpreting and explaining the past. You may appreciate this or not, but the author forewarns you that it is your choice and how to watch out for it. The historical background account is certainly useful for those unacquainted with the socio-political situation, although the rest of my review will refer to the fictional part and author's style. It is absolutely impossible to look at the storyline by taking it outside its historical context, but it is equally impossible to review politics here.
The characters, plot, emotions, descriptions are all reminiscent of the great movies from the golden ages of Hollywood, and you can easily picture someone like Grace Kelly playing Elsa, or Sidney Poitier playing Stanwell. Though at times I did wish there was more conversation between Elsa and Stanwell themselves, the scene with the beaded 'love letter' makes up for all the words. The implications of tradition in contrast with their rule-breaking speaks in abundance. However, despite this romantic duo, my favourite character is DGF -- sort of love at first read, for so many reasons. Malan Zander, on the other hand, made me want ot leave the book as soon as he appeared, not for bad writing, but for hitting too close to home - the puny souls, abusing power every chance they get, are all too painfully realistic, regardless of time and culture. An entire tapestry of characters is well-displayed as you follow the battle of interracial romance with the world paralysed with bigotry and inhumane politics.
The wording is really rich, intricately written, with quite a few local expressions adding to the overall atmosphere and understanding of the two worlds melded into one. The style is consistent throughout, the syntax quite complex and vocabulary exuberant, and the topic absolutely noteworthy. The fact that the author actually lived in such surroundings and times exudes additional credibility. The contrast between the descriptions of Stanwell's cursed mines and the media frenzy surrounding Formula 1 and fashion is excellently written, and leaves a striking impression on the reader, enhancing the depiction of injustice and inequality. As the story progresses and nears its ending, the analogies with the wilderness become stronger and serve the story impeccably.
The author does not limit himself only to displaying the brutality of racism, but other forms of tragic prejudice - mysoginist, antisemitic, bullying the weak, misguided and misdirected tiny lords with legal power. What a grand race humans could be, if we weren't so puny sometimes! Nevertheless, Mark Fine shows very clearly there are no clear lines between the good and the bad, and it is not money, status or skin colour which makes us good or bad, but our nature. Family, loyalty, friendship, respect and love go beyond any limits and matter the most.
The Zebra Affaire is an old-fashioned, romantic but not deluded, vintage-like tale which is not to be rushed in and cannot be rushed. If you are looking for fast-paced, cliffhanger thrillers with wild erotic scenes, you might not find everything you are looking for in this book. If you are looking for a book that makes you think, and engages your sense of humanity, culture, history and language, this is one of the great ones you will enjoy. The writing here reminded me of music - this might not be something you dance to, but something you listen to carefully and in peace. There is much to be learned from such art.


Tags : Amazon.com: The Zebra Affaire (9781494762605): Mark Fine: Books,Mark Fine,The Zebra Affaire,CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform,1494762609,Apartheid - South Africa,Apartheid;South Africa;Fiction.,Historical fiction,Historical fiction.,South Africa - History - Soweto Uprising, 1976,South Africa;History;Soweto Uprising, 1976;Fiction.,FICTION Romance Historical 20th Century,FICTION Romance Multicultural & Interracial,Fiction,Fiction-Romance,FictionRomance - Multicultural & Interracial,General Adult,Historical romance,PRINT ON DEMAND,Romance - Historical - 20th Century,Romance - Multicultural & Interracial,RomanceHistorical,Romance: Historical

The Zebra Affaire Mark Fine Books Reviews

The Zebra Affaire by Mark Fine

This is a book that anyone should read, especially those of us who know little about the apartheid régime that formerly had a choke hold on the people, politics, and social structure of South Africa. One of the tasks of books that describe one of the many “holocausts” we have experienced around the world is to adequately convey the horror of living under a sadistic and morally bankrupt form of government. Mark Fine delivers this to his readers and much more.

Each story of this type is a critical cautionary tale to maintain our awareness that “it could happen here”, something that requires our vigilance. Though many Americans heard quite a bit about apartheid in the news much of it was comprised of sound bytes and “digestable” morsels of fact; that is the nature of news throughout the world when it comes to stories that don’t directly affect a particular nation’s well-being.

Through Mr. Fine’s book I was skillfully immersed in an entirely unexpected level of pure hell that shocked me. Through the experiences of Stanwell Marunda and Elsa Marais the disturbing structure of apartheid is revealed. Most basic to the story is fact that Stanwell is black and Elsa Marais is a white Afrikaner. Stanwell, who has come to find work in Johannesburg falls in love with Elsa who is a member of the dominant group in the country. The Afrikaners are the authors of apartheid and their “law” forbids relationships between blacks and whites, except those of master and servant.

We begin the story with a jarring revelation for those not familiar with apartheid. Stanwell has just experienced a potentially fatal car crash. Lying on the ground, feeling his life ebb, Stanwell is aided by Elsa and a British woman. While the outcome of the situation would be obvious to most of us, taking Stanwell to the hospital, in apartheid South Africa there is a draconian obstacle Stanwell is black, making it impossible for him to be taken to a “whilte” hospital. The only legal alternative is for him to be brought to a substandard, brutal, “black” hospital where Stanwell is likely to die.

And so begins a chain of events that forces Stanwell, Elsa and their friends to consistently skirt the harsh laws of apartheid to allow them to stay together. Mark Fine creates a fascinating and compelling story, written on a broad canvas of South African history that includes the conflicts between tribes, the formation of apartheid and many small details of the nation’s cultural mosaic.

In many ways, though the characters and their experience affect the reader, “The Zebra Affaire” is a historical testament to the clash of cultures that characterizes world history. Not only does he describe the major players in apartheid but he includes, through his characters, Jewish emigres, Americans and British. The point at which all these groups come together is the focus of Mr. Fine’s book and the effect is moving.

The experience of his main characters is tragic. The book’s compelling nature comes from its sense of foreboding; early in the book I had a feeling that something bad was going to happen. Fine keeps you hooked as he builds up tension with incredible skill. But this is not a thriller, the characters are victims of real pain and sorrow. As a result, the reader feels far more personal association with the characters then you would find in a standard story.

I would recommend this book to anyone, especially those fascinated by history and diaspora. There are lessons in Mark Fine’s book for anyone who does not want history to repeat itself.

Neil Newton Author of "The Railroad" on
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This book came highly recommended and I put off reading it till I knew I had stopped having expectations. Preconceived expectations are never a good thing. The apartheid topic is one I don't gravitate towards, because it still shocks me too much that people could and can be narrow-minded enough to judge others by skin colour, instead of character. I just get too emotional and enfuriated.
This story is two-fold. One is the social romance fiction based on historical events, and the other is the author's account of the historical account, which is not fiction but interpreting and explaining the past. You may appreciate this or not, but the author forewarns you that it is your choice and how to watch out for it. The historical background account is certainly useful for those unacquainted with the socio-political situation, although the rest of my review will refer to the fictional part and author's style. It is absolutely impossible to look at the storyline by taking it outside its historical context, but it is equally impossible to review politics here.
The characters, plot, emotions, descriptions are all reminiscent of the great movies from the golden ages of Hollywood, and you can easily picture someone like Grace Kelly playing Elsa, or Sidney Poitier playing Stanwell. Though at times I did wish there was more conversation between Elsa and Stanwell themselves, the scene with the beaded 'love letter' makes up for all the words. The implications of tradition in contrast with their rule-breaking speaks in abundance. However, despite this romantic duo, my favourite character is DGF -- sort of love at first read, for so many reasons. Malan Zander, on the other hand, made me want ot leave the book as soon as he appeared, not for bad writing, but for hitting too close to home - the puny souls, abusing power every chance they get, are all too painfully realistic, regardless of time and culture. An entire tapestry of characters is well-displayed as you follow the battle of interracial romance with the world paralysed with bigotry and inhumane politics.
The wording is really rich, intricately written, with quite a few local expressions adding to the overall atmosphere and understanding of the two worlds melded into one. The style is consistent throughout, the syntax quite complex and vocabulary exuberant, and the topic absolutely noteworthy. The fact that the author actually lived in such surroundings and times exudes additional credibility. The contrast between the descriptions of Stanwell's cursed mines and the media frenzy surrounding Formula 1 and fashion is excellently written, and leaves a striking impression on the reader, enhancing the depiction of injustice and inequality. As the story progresses and nears its ending, the analogies with the wilderness become stronger and serve the story impeccably.
The author does not limit himself only to displaying the brutality of racism, but other forms of tragic prejudice - mysoginist, antisemitic, bullying the weak, misguided and misdirected tiny lords with legal power. What a grand race humans could be, if we weren't so puny sometimes! Nevertheless, Mark Fine shows very clearly there are no clear lines between the good and the bad, and it is not money, status or skin colour which makes us good or bad, but our nature. Family, loyalty, friendship, respect and love go beyond any limits and matter the most.
The Zebra Affaire is an old-fashioned, romantic but not deluded, vintage-like tale which is not to be rushed in and cannot be rushed. If you are looking for fast-paced, cliffhanger thrillers with wild erotic scenes, you might not find everything you are looking for in this book. If you are looking for a book that makes you think, and engages your sense of humanity, culture, history and language, this is one of the great ones you will enjoy. The writing here reminded me of music - this might not be something you dance to, but something you listen to carefully and in peace. There is much to be learned from such art.