South African Fiction after Apartheid (review)

Abstract

Initially, reading the pieces in this special issue of Modern Fiction Studies, I thought, facetiously, "So this is what becomes of liberal white writers and academics when apartheid falls and it's no longer necessary or fashionable to theorize 'the struggle.'" But within these eleven articles and two interviews, one of the central narratives that emerges is the serious and important discussion of how to artistically and theoretically represent this dynamic period in such a way that romanticism is minimized and crucial questions are raised amidst the celebrations of the fall of that odious system. David Atwell and Barbara Harlow have pulled together a provocative and dynamic set of responses to some fascinating literature of the "postapartheid" period. It is not possible, in this brief review, to go into detail on each essay or even to convey many of the common themes they raise. I will, however, note several of the issues explored and point to specific articles that were particularly thought-provoking.