Hard hitting thriller, gut renching and very vivid. Not the kind of book to read whilst eating. Also not a book to read prior to sleeping, will either keep you awake or invade your sleep with nightmares. I guess having been born and growing up in South Africa was very aware of all the crime and brutality in the country. The main reason why we eventually had to leave the country and emigrating to Canada was because of all the crime and total disregard for anyone's life. Great read about life in South Africa, even today, sadly! However, South Africa is still stunningly beautiful if you are not subjected to the sordid side of day-to-day life and try and see beyond that. Wow, this book was a nasty piece of work and not for the faint of heart. Brutal in its descriptions of characters and killing. Smith is an extremely talented writer who can paint a picture with words like few other authors I have ever read. Albeit a nasty novel, more so than his first novel, Mixed Blood, if you like the noir category, this book is for you. It's an intense, gut-throbbing journey through Cape Town. It's not light on bad characters and bad things. It's also a brilliant piece of writing, but don't mistake it for fairy tale prose. It ain't that!
What do You think about Blutiges Erwachen (2009)?
not for the squeamish, this action-packed thriller is set in Cape Town, South Africa.
—Smarie12
A smart and nasty thriller. Well worth reading. I hope there is a sequel.
—Megan_lieghann12
Brutal thriller, I did not get attached to the characters.
—Kaleigh
