Khosi lives with her beloved grandmother Gogo, her little sister Zi, and her weekend mother in a matchbox house on the outskirts of Pietermaritzbur...
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reviews
Oct 16, 2011
Ashley
rated it: 
Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.
This Thing Called the Future by J.L. Powers is the story of Koshi, a young black South African trying to reconcile and combine the two important halves of her self and her world- both the modern and scientific world that brought biology and Christianity into her life, and the old culture of the Zulu people, believing in the spirits of the ancestors, witches and herbal muthi (medicine).
I admit to knowing More...
This Thing Called the Future by J.L. Powers is the story of Koshi, a young black South African trying to reconcile and combine the two important halves of her self and her world- both the modern and scientific world that brought biology and Christianity into her life, and the old culture of the Zulu people, believing in the spirits of the ancestors, witches and herbal muthi (medicine).
I admit to knowing More...
Jun 24, 2011
Ricki
rated it:
Khosi lives in South Africa, surrounded by billboards about AIDs. One in every four people have HIV, and she is dismayed by the reactions to the disease. When her mother falls ill, she tries to avoid the whispers in church. She is torn between two beliefs. After she believes her neighbor has set a curse on her family, she isn't sure if she should follow the modern or traditional beliefs. Should she become a healer or a nurse? And, how will she ever avoid the drunk man in town who is trying to at
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Jul 12, 2011
Bethany
rated it: 
I won this through a goodreads giveaway. Looking forward to reading it!
Khosi lives with her mother, little sister, and grandmother in a shantytown on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The AIDS virus is rampant in this area and it seems another neighbor falls victim to it every few days. When Khosi’s mother becomes ill, Khosi is not sure how to help her. She and her grandmother both believe in the old ways, which means going to the sangoma (a traditional healer) for More...
Khosi lives with her mother, little sister, and grandmother in a shantytown on the outskirts of Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. The AIDS virus is rampant in this area and it seems another neighbor falls victim to it every few days. When Khosi’s mother becomes ill, Khosi is not sure how to help her. She and her grandmother both believe in the old ways, which means going to the sangoma (a traditional healer) for More...
Jul 21, 2011
Karen
rated it:
Set in South Africa, told from a teen's perspective as she treads between childhood and maturity. There is a nice blend of traditional custom vs. modernity within the narrator's family. At times, this is a stomach turning read, mostly due to the way young girls are prey to aggressive men, and the rampant spread of AIDS, even amongst married/partnered women and girls. It is sad watching the narrator (who is sweetly innocent and really just a kid) have to navigate through all the terrible situatio
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Nov 28, 2011
Anne
rated it:
Khosi lives in South Africa with her little sister, Zi, and her beloved grandmother, Gogo. Her mother lives and works in another town but comes home every weekend to be with her family. Things in South Africa are getting tense, though, with the spread of HIV/AIDS and so many unemployed men around harassing young girls. Khosi has a lot to deal with when she realizes that her mom is really sick, plus a drunken old man who hangs out by the corner store starts harassing her on a regular basis. A
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Jun 29, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
I received this book as part of a goodreads giveaway...thank you! I really enjoyed this book. It is an honest and often heartbreaking story of a young girl growing up in South Africa. We learn that Khosi has many of the same pressures as a typical young adult (boys, college plans), and yet she also lives in a world where AIDS is an epidemic. She struggles with old ways and traditions vs. new thoughts and ideas. It's a gripping story, and one that kept me interested until the end.
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Sep 13, 2011
Angela
rated it:
Won a copy through First Reads (thank you). Will put up a review once I have received and read the book. 31/05/2011.
This is a riveting read and I found it very difficult to put down. My mother actually read this about a month before I did and she thoroughly enjoyed it as well, saying it was captivating and well written.
This is a very insightful novel covering issues which are at the heart of South Africa today told from the perspective of a teenage girl. Due to the age of More...
This is a riveting read and I found it very difficult to put down. My mother actually read this about a month before I did and she thoroughly enjoyed it as well, saying it was captivating and well written.
This is a very insightful novel covering issues which are at the heart of South Africa today told from the perspective of a teenage girl. Due to the age of More...
Jul 21, 2011
Rebecca
rated it:
A glimpse into the life of a 14-year-old South African girl, Khosi, who is trying to figure out what she believes and who she is. She is caught in the struggle between Western thought and African culture, between the ideals of her mother's generation and the traditions of her grandmother's generation. Those traditions and lines of thought are more than just mere philosophy for Khosi -- she is faced with very real situations, including the looming threat of HIV that haunts so many in South Africa
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Jun 17, 2011
Kris
rated it: 
I received a copy of This Thing Called the Future first reads giveaway.
Read my review here at Imaginary Reads.
This Thing Called the Future by J.L. Powers is a powerful and moving coming-of-age story about Khosi, a fourteen-year-old girl living in a modern South African shantytown. It seems like someone is dying all the time, and billboards hang everywhere, warning people about AIDS. Many people believe that it is a curse. As a young adolescent, Khosi finds herself attrac More...
Read my review here at Imaginary Reads.
This Thing Called the Future by J.L. Powers is a powerful and moving coming-of-age story about Khosi, a fourteen-year-old girl living in a modern South African shantytown. It seems like someone is dying all the time, and billboards hang everywhere, warning people about AIDS. Many people believe that it is a curse. As a young adolescent, Khosi finds herself attrac More...
Jun 13, 2011
Tracy
rated it:
I recieved a copy through a first-reads giveaway.
This Thing Called The Future is a touching story about a girl growing up in South Africa caught betweeen the old ways of life and the new ways. Powers brings to life Khosi, her family, and friends as they navigate through life in a country plaqued with HIV, or "the disease of these days", in a way that had me drawn to the book wanting to see what would happen to them. She handled the social issues well, making me want to lear More...
This Thing Called The Future is a touching story about a girl growing up in South Africa caught betweeen the old ways of life and the new ways. Powers brings to life Khosi, her family, and friends as they navigate through life in a country plaqued with HIV, or "the disease of these days", in a way that had me drawn to the book wanting to see what would happen to them. She handled the social issues well, making me want to lear More...
Jan 17, 2012
Wendy
rated it:
Koshi is on the cusp of growing up, not only because she is 14, but also because her mother is ill, she must reconcile science with the "old ways" of her Zulu culture and because she must be strong enough to fight for herself and her family. This is an intriguing look at South Africa, post apartheid, in the throes of "this disease" (HIV) that leaves only the very young and very old unscathed. This is a great read!
Nov 27, 2011
Kay
rated it:
I won this book through the goodreads giveaway. I usually shy away from YA fiction, but this one was unique. It is about a young South African girl living in a shantytown who is constantly bombarded with the pressures of AIDS, morality, and technology vs. traditions. At first it was hard to follow the text while trying to refer to the Zulu glossary in the back, but I liked how it gave a more authentic feel. The reason why I rated this book 3 stars is because it seemed to have no "real plot"
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Aug 01, 2011
Joel
rated it: 
not a bad YA book about modern South Africa and AIDS, but very much a American one meant for Americans, so there's a lot of dignity, quiet pride, etc., and so I ended up questioning the people and situations a lot. I might have liked this more if I hadn't just read a couple of novels set in contemporary SA and by South Africans....
Oct 25, 2011
Diana
rated it:
Took a while to get into this one but it was worth it. Set in South Africa, two sisters live with their grandmother while their mother teaches in another town during the week. Their father never had enough money to pay the bride price so he lives some distance away with his mother. People are dying of AIDS.
Nov 28, 2011
There's no forward momentum in the story, but there's a lot of talking about what COULD make the story move forward. Except...it never does. Nothing compelling here, despite having elements that could push it forward and make it so.
Aug 01, 2011
Chelsea
rated it:
I thought this was a pretty good read. Couldn't put it down, and it wasn't really what I expected. Honestly thought it was going to be a racially specific audience book, but it's an excellent book for anyone:)
Apr 03, 2011
Ed
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A poignant, realistic story with supernatural elements set in an AIDS-ravaged South Africa shantytown. A beautifully written, honest, engrossing story that provides a window into a fascinating world.
Apr 29, 2011
Barbara
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This book helped me to have a much greater appreciation of life in a South African shantytown as seen through the eyes of a 14 year old girl and her family. Great book!
Oct 28, 2011
Anastasia
rated it:
This was a very powerful book. JL Powers did a fantastic job of allowing the reader a glimpse into the very challenging life of a low-income South African teen at this time in history. Much of the story stayed with me long after I finished the book-- the sadness and hope both.
Jun 26, 2011
MaryAnn
rated it:
I thought this book was excellent and it always held my interest. I did not know too much about life in South Africa before reading this book. I recommend that teenagers and adults in America should read this book and realize how much easier life is here compared to the life of the young girl in "This Thing Called the Future." I received this book through Goodreads First Reads giveaway.
Sep 27, 2011
Bill
rated it:
This was a pretty good book. It was a good telling of a story of HIV / AIDS and how it affects the African communities. It was interesting reading about how the different belief systems play into how the communities believe how things are controlled. I'm really HOPING that Ms. Powers did some homework and those belief systems are accurate.
It's probably worth reading this book to get a good perspective of how this deadly disease has affected the African communities.
It's probably worth reading this book to get a good perspective of how this deadly disease has affected the African communities.
May 30, 2011
J.L.
rated it:
Cinco Puntos Press has released the first five chapters of This Thing Called the Future on their website! To read them, click here: http://www.cincopuntos.com/files/product...
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