If You Want to Make God Laugh
A Novel
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If You Want to Make God Laugh
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Narrated by:
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Bianca Amato
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Katharine Lee McEwan
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Bahni Turpin
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By:
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Bianca Marais
About this listen
From the author of the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words comes a rich, unforgettable story of three unique women in post-Apartheid South Africa who are brought together in their darkest time and discover the ways that love can transcend the strictest of boundaries.
In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, 17-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life.
Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a disgraced former nun, Delilah, grapples with a past that refuses to stay buried. When these personal crises send both middle-aged women back to their rural hometown to heal, the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby upends everything, challenging their lifelong beliefs about race, motherhood, and the power of the past.
As the mystery surrounding the infant grows, the complicated lives of Zodwa, Ruth, and Delilah become inextricably linked. What follows is a mesmerizing look at family and identity that asks: How far will the human heart go to protect itself and the ones it loves?
©2019 Bianca Marais (P)2019 Penguin AudioListeners also enjoyed...
Critic reviews
"Lovely....Marais showcases her talent for pulling beauty from the pain of South African history with a strong story and wonderfully imperfect characters." (Publishers Weekly)
"A moving portrait of the choices women can make - and the ones we can't. Beautifully crafted and powerfully drawn, this book had me in tears." (Jill Santopolo, best-selling author of The Light We Lost and More Than Words)
"A story of three remarkable women at crossroads in their own lives against the backdrop of South Africa at the moment of stunning transformation that will keep you reading late into the night. Marais deftly completes a writer's hat trick, leaving you gutted, smiling through tears and soaring with hope." (Steven Rowley, best-selling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor)
What listeners say about If You Want to Make God Laugh
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance3 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 10-11-19
Captivating
This book gripped me from the start. Well written, clever & real. South African classic.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- fiona elliot
- 23-11-22
Beautiful
Absorbing sad informative hopeful loving. A really good listen and helped by hearing in local voices
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Blake
- 20-02-22
Excellent Read
I loved each of the main characters story. Timeless Read. Must Read. Highly recommended. Thank You for writing this story.
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1 person found this helpful
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Amazon Customer
- 23-04-23
Glad I read this
I really enjoyed listening to this book. I wasn't hugely excited by the title, expecting it to have a religious slant but I was pleasantly suprised. it was an intriguing story and I liked how it was set in a different time and place to what I know much about.
I found the narration generally good- I'm not South African so I can't really comment on whether it's authentic. However, I found the difference between Ruth and Delilah's accents to be off-putting. It seemed strange to give them completely different accents when they are supposed to be sisters.
I would recommend this book, it was insightful and enjoyable with a satisfying ending.
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Overall3 out of 5 stars
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Performance2 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- Sally C
- 04-12-21
Not impressed
I wish someone who could actually pronounce the names and words would read this because the story is very interesting, I found the accent slightly off-putting unfortunately perhaps because I know what it should sound like. Please audible employ authentic readers depending on the genre. sorry to be negative :(
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1 person found this helpful