The impostor - bookrastinating.com

249 pages

English language

Published Jan. 1, 2008 by Atlantic.

ISBN:: 978-1-84354-757-0
OCLC Number:: 220001604

A gripping tale of guilty secrets, betrayal, and racial tension, of isolation and revenge in modern-day South Africa, from the Man Booker Prize--shortlisted author of The Good Doctor.

When Adam moves into the abandoned house on the dusty edge of town, he is hoping to recover from the loss of his job and his home in the city. But when he meets Canning -- a shadowy figure from his childhood -- and Canning's enigmatic and beautiful wife, a sinister new chapter in his life begins. Canning has inherited a vast fortune and a giant folly in the veld, a magical place of fantasy and dreams that seduces Adam and transforms him absolutely, violently -- and perhaps forever.

The Impostor evokes a hot and cruel and claustrophobic world, in which sex and death are never far from the surface. Skilfully interweaving the story of one man's struggle to regain …

A gripping tale of guilty secrets, betrayal, and racial tension, of isolation and revenge in modern-day South Africa, from the Man Booker Prize--shortlisted author of The Good Doctor.

When Adam moves into the abandoned house on the dusty edge of town, he is hoping to recover from the loss of his job and his home in the city. But when he meets Canning -- a shadowy figure from his childhood -- and Canning's enigmatic and beautiful wife, a sinister new chapter in his life begins. Canning has inherited a vast fortune and a giant folly in the veld, a magical place of fantasy and dreams that seduces Adam and transforms him absolutely, violently -- and perhaps forever.

The Impostor evokes a hot and cruel and claustrophobic world, in which sex and death are never far from the surface. Skilfully interweaving the story of one man's struggle to regain his moral centre with the disorienting, often tragic effects of massive social and political change, it is Galgut's most powerful and unforgettable novel yet.

2 editions

mandy reviewed The impostor by Damon Galgut

None

4 stars

I find it interesting that The Imposter both confirms Damon Galgut as my favourite contemporary author but also taught me that I will have favourites among his works. Galgut is brutal in his recognition of alienation and separation in his characters. It scares me how much I related to Adam, the main character in The Imposter. I don't think January was the best month to read this book because it's depressing in parts and January 2024 is depressing enough.

One other thing Galgut does very well, with startling efficiency, is capture the cluelessness of his entitled and privileged white protagonists when it comes to race relations in South Africa. They just don't get it nor do they understand how their actions have consequences that other people will pay for.

A lot to think about but writing this has made me realise this is a 4-star read, not a 3-star …

I find it interesting that The Imposter both confirms Damon Galgut as my favourite contemporary author but also taught me that I will have favourites among his works. Galgut is brutal in his recognition of alienation and separation in his characters. It scares me how much I related to Adam, the main character in The Imposter. I don't think January was the best month to read this book because it's depressing in parts and January 2024 is depressing enough.

One other thing Galgut does very well, with startling efficiency, is capture the cluelessness of his entitled and privileged white protagonists when it comes to race relations in South Africa. They just don't get it nor do they understand how their actions have consequences that other people will pay for.

A lot to think about but writing this has made me realise this is a 4-star read, not a 3-star one

Subjects

Rich people -- Africa -- Fiction.