The Candlewood Tree

by Barbara Whitnell

Kate is 17 in the summer of 1934, when she marries the dashing Guy Lampard and returns to his native South Africa. Twenty-seven years later she is back in London and remarried, when a young man is beaten up and left for dead. Kate believes he is the son she was separated from 20 years ago.

320 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1997

Reviews

[Debbie Mulock · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, set in South Africa, my country of origin, during the early sixties, at which time I was a child growing up there. While telling an engaging story, the author did a good job capturing the political climate of the time, and the struggles faced by each of the people groups represented in the country at that time, including the absence of rights for women of all races, my reality and one frequently overlooked amidst the focus on the more obvious challenges in the history of South Africa.

[Rosemary Noble · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable read. The heroine marries into a truly horrible family and the story tracks back and forth over the events of the previous 25 years. My only issue is that as a mother, I could not have taken not seeing my son for all those years but I have to remember that travel post war was expensive, time consuming and difficult. The author does neglect what happened to her first husband. The author's knowledge of South Africa added enormously to the story.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Honestly not that exciting story-wise but super interesting to read about Apartheid and South Africa before world war two! I looked forward to reading about Kate‘s life in South Africa and liked the political aspects of this (especially because I wasn‘t taught much about Apartheid in school, even though it‘s so important)