J.M. Coetzee's poignant novel brings to a close an 'incomparable' trilogy

12 February 2020 - 11:22 By penguin random house sa
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'The Death of Jesus'.
'The Death of Jesus'.
Image: Supplied

A masterful new novel completes an incomparable trilogy from J.M. Coetzee, Nobel laureate and two-times winner of the Booker Prize

In The Childhood of Jesus, Simón found a boy, David, and they began life in a new land, with a woman named Inés.

In The Schooldays of Jesus, the small family searched for a home in which David could thrive.

In The Death of Jesus, David, now a tall 10-year-old, is spotted by Julio Fabricante, the director of a local orphanage, playing football with his friends in the street. He shows unusual talent.

When David announces that he wants to go and live with Julio and the children in his care, Simón and Inés are stunned. David is leaving them, and they can only love him and bear witness.

With almost unbearable poignancy J.M. Coetzee explores the meaning of a world empty of memory, but brimming with questions.


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