Rhumba is for the most part the story of a Congolese boy's search for his mother. But it is also the story of other disenfranchised people living in the less glamorous parts of London, amongst them Eleanor, a young woman with a Scottish accent but no real place to call home, and Knight, a man who must do unmentionable things in order just to survive. Flambeau, with the help of Knight and Eleanor, must find his missing parent – or create a new life for himself in a strange city. Despite the dire circumstances that the characters find themselves in, Rhumba is a story of hope, of music and of dancing. Elaine Proctor is a new novelist to look out for. It’s rumoured that she will take part in the Franschhoek Literary Festival this year – hold thumbs!
Reviewed by Megan, Gardens