Genres
Publication
Harper (2013), Edition: UK airports ed
Description
Fiction. Literature. Thriller. Lusaka, Zambia: Zoe Fleming is a young, idealistic American lawyer working with an NGO devoted to combatting the epidemic of child sexual assault in southern Africa. Zoe's organization is called in to help when an adolescent girl is brutally assaulted. The girl's identity is a mystery. Where did she come from? Was the attack a random street crime or a premeditated act? A betrayal in her past gives the girl's plight a special resonance for Zoe, and she is determined to find the perpetrator. She slowly forms a working relationship, and then a surprising friendship, with Joseph Kabuta, a Zambian police officer. Their search takes them from Lusaka's roughest neighbourhoods to the wild waters of Victoria Falls, from the AIDS-stricken streets of Johannesburg to the matchless splendour of Cape Town. As the investigation builds to a climax, threatening to send shockwaves through Zambian society, Zoe is forced to radically reshape her assumptions about love, loyalty, family and, especially, the meaning of justice.… (more)
User reviews
LibraryThing member TheLostEntwife
Last Spring I was in a class that focused heavily on the issues surrounding the continent of Africa. There were a lot of misconceptions, there was a lot of ignorance (myself included) and there was quite a bit of curiosity. We watched movies, read short stories by South African authors, and were
Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on April 25, 2014.
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each assigned one country to thoroughly research - both the history as well as current events. I was given the country of Nigeria - an assignment that has awakened a love for Nigerian literature (I just wish it wasn't so hard to come by). The Garden of Burning Sand by Corban Addison is a story involving Zambia, a country is in the southern part of Africa. Much like many of the other countries on the continent, Zambia struggles with corrupted politicians, massive amounts of crimes, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic - although the improvements in the last area are intense.Read the rest of this review at The Lost Entwife on April 25, 2014.
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LibraryThing member Smits
i read this page turner in two days. I am a fan of books taking place in Africa. This book took me to Zambia and the culture there of HIV ignorance, rape and the judicial system all wrapped up in a gripping human rights based novel. So many important themes came through in this entertaining novel,
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themes of sexual assault in sub- Saharan Africa, myths of children with disabilities, HIV / Aids stigma entrenched in African culture and the need for DNA testing in court trails. All this in a vastly entertaining novel. Well done. Show Less
LibraryThing member DeltaQueen50
Corban Addison’s first book, A Walk Across the Sun, dealt with the issue of young girls being abducted for the purpose of prostitution. In The Garden of Burning Sand, his second novel, he moves his setting to the continent of Africa and tackles the horrific crime of child rape. The main character
Their investigation leads them through Zambia and into the cities of both Johannesburg and Cape Town. The evidence points them toward a powerful family that has deep ties with the Zambian government. Frustrated with systemic corruption and bureaucratic inertia at every turn, they soon also find themselves in danger as this powerful family moves to protect one of their own.
Along with being a writer, Corban Addison is a litigation attorney, and appears to know very well of what he writes. I found this book moved along at an excellent pace and was interesting and informative without sacrificing any aspect of the story. I will be looking for the next offering from this author as I am eager to see what issue he will tackle next.
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is Zoe Fleming, a young American lawyer working through the Coalition of International Legal Advocates in Zambia. She becomes involved in a child rape case and working with Joseph Kabuta, a Zambian police officer they embark on a quest to find the perpetrator.Their investigation leads them through Zambia and into the cities of both Johannesburg and Cape Town. The evidence points them toward a powerful family that has deep ties with the Zambian government. Frustrated with systemic corruption and bureaucratic inertia at every turn, they soon also find themselves in danger as this powerful family moves to protect one of their own.
Along with being a writer, Corban Addison is a litigation attorney, and appears to know very well of what he writes. I found this book moved along at an excellent pace and was interesting and informative without sacrificing any aspect of the story. I will be looking for the next offering from this author as I am eager to see what issue he will tackle next.
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LibraryThing member LynnB
This would make a good book club read as it is a good story with lots of issues to discuss. This is the story of an American lawyer working in Zambia. Her father is running for president of the U.S. and she has a conflict of values with him that has left their relationship strained. This
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relationship brings forward issues of wealth distribution, loyalty and generosity. She is dealing with a child rape case -- a case that bring forward issues of justice, disabled rights, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic in Africa. The story is well told, the characters ring true. I'd read more by Mr. Addison for sure. Show Less
LibraryThing member cathyskye
Sometimes I need to read a book that tells the story of a group of people who give their all to do good despite everything the powerful and corrupt do to stop them. The Garden of Burning Sand was perfect for the job.
Corban Addison has the welcome knack of honestly portraying brutality without being
The story in The Garden of Burning Sand is compelling, the setting puts the reader right in the middle of the action, and the characters make you want to take the next flight to join in their fight. I will certainly be looking for more books by Corban Addison.
Corban Addison has the welcome knack of honestly portraying brutality without being
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graphic. In doing so, he tells us some home truths: the prevalence of child rape in sub-Saharan Africa, and the uphill battle to eradicate AIDs. When all the evidence Zoe and the others gathered in Kuyeya's case went to trial, I didn't really expect the outcome-- partially because everyone concerned put their lives in very real danger by fighting for this child. The story in The Garden of Burning Sand is compelling, the setting puts the reader right in the middle of the action, and the characters make you want to take the next flight to join in their fight. I will certainly be looking for more books by Corban Addison.
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LibraryThing member Castlelass
Protagonist Zoe Fleming is an American lawyer working in Lusaka, Zambia in 2011. She is part of a legal team prosecuting sex crimes against children. When Kuyeya, a girl with Down Syndrome, is raped, Zoe and veteran police officer Joseph Zabuta, search for evidence in the case. Their investigation
This book contains elements of thriller, detective novel, legal drama, and social commentary on important issues in Zambia – specifically the AIDS epidemic, violence against women and children, and adherence to old superstitions. Zoe is a great character. She is at odds with the political views of her father and has a past that correlates with the main themes. She is idealistic and altruistic, though not without faults. Through Zoe’s participation in the investigation, she sees many parts of the countryside. She develops a touching relationship with Kuyeya.
I appreciated learning more about the workings of the Zambian legal system. There are a number of interrelated parts, and the author provides the appropriate background through flashbacks. I very much enjoyed the characters and descriptive writing. The author is obviously an advocate for human rights issues and humanitarian assistance.
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implicates powerful people, and these people will go to great lengths to avoid scandal and blame. Zoe is the daughter of a US senator who has become a presidential candidate. Her deceased mother instilled in her a passion for African issues. This book contains elements of thriller, detective novel, legal drama, and social commentary on important issues in Zambia – specifically the AIDS epidemic, violence against women and children, and adherence to old superstitions. Zoe is a great character. She is at odds with the political views of her father and has a past that correlates with the main themes. She is idealistic and altruistic, though not without faults. Through Zoe’s participation in the investigation, she sees many parts of the countryside. She develops a touching relationship with Kuyeya.
I appreciated learning more about the workings of the Zambian legal system. There are a number of interrelated parts, and the author provides the appropriate background through flashbacks. I very much enjoyed the characters and descriptive writing. The author is obviously an advocate for human rights issues and humanitarian assistance.
Show Less
Language
Original language
English
ISBN
1780876947 / 9781780876948