Al wat Ek weet (All that I know) by Marita van der Vyver

Book title : Al wat Ek weet (All that I know)

Author : Marita van der Vyver

Aimed at : Young adults

Genre : Realism

Name of main character : Gabriel

Synopsis

Gabriel is a typical fifteen year old adolescent. His life becomes complicated after the death of his mother, who had always been his rock and instilled in him pride in his identity. His loss leads him to question who he is, because he is mixed race and doesn’t quite believe that he fits in anywhere anymore. After their loss, his father seems withdrawn as a result of his own grief and is taken up in an institution for psychological care. Gabriel is obligated to see a psychologist, however he is hesitant to reveal his coping mechanisms to his therapist as they have not been healthy and include self-mutilation. How can anyone possibly know or even begin to understand what he is going through? He finds his answer in therapy and now has a reason to look forward to it. Her nicknames her “Snow White” as she is so fair and delicate. She is captivated by his slam poetry and shares the same appreciation for his talent as his mother had. He begins fantasizing about being Snow White’s knight in shining amour. Only time will tell if this fairytale will have a happy ending.

Just my opinion

This book resonated with me, because it taught me that we all go through loss and tough times in life. However, we are so concerned with our own troubles that we hardly notice that those around us are suffering too. If there is one thing that the book taught me then it would be that we should never judge a book by its cover. We might feel worthless and inadequate but we are never too broken to help others heal and find a new purpose in life. The book also taught me that we should always strive to follow our passions and remain ambitious at all costs.

About the author

Marita van der Vyver currently resides in France with her family. She has written adult, young adult and picture books. Her very first novel “Entertaining Angels” became a best seller and was translated into twelve languages, which is not uncommon of her works since then. She is originally from Cape Town, South Africa. Her book “Al wat Ek weet” has won her the Kyk-NET Rapport book prize in 2017