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neighbors in the fictional affluent neighbourhood of
Katterjin in Cape Town. However, their contrasting backgrounds and personalities create a tension-filled dynamic between them. After an accident renders them immobile, they discuss their pasts, their regrets, and their shared experiences, leading to a deeper understanding of each other's lives and struggles.
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referred to it as "this charming, touching, occasionally radiant tale of two prickly octogenarians: two women, one black and one white, neighbours who discover after 20 years of exchanging digs and insults that they might help each other... Omotoso captures the changing racial relations since the
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The novel is set in South Africa. The story revolves around the lives of two women, both widows in their 80s: Hortensia James, an international fashion designer who is the only black homeowner in the suburb, and Marion
Agostino, a white Jewish woman who is an architect. Hortensia and Marion are
263:
The plot of the novel, including the revelation of secrets, proceeds slowly and gradually. Despite its serious themes, it incorporates lighter storylines and a sense of humor. It has been described as "wickedly funny," especially for the verbal sparring between Marion and
Hortensia.
307:, it received a 3.5 star rating, citing that it "reads more like a beach book than a serious piece of literature, the novel's discussion of difficult topics such as racism, apartheid, grief, and the past add a depth that a lesser novel would lack", while Freya Neason of
260:". Regarding the novel's treatment of poet-Apartheid reconciliation, Omotoso said "I didn't want to write a book with a very simple, happy ending ... I think it's important to remember, as we connect and repair, that it's delicate."
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1950s, as well as the immigrant experience through personal detail and small psychological insights into mixed emotions, the artist's eye, and the widow's remorse. Hers is a fresh voice as adept at evoking the peace of walking up a
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in 2012. During this trip, she spoke with her grandmother and began reflecting on the experience of old age. She started writing the novel between 2013 and 2014. In preparation, Omotoso conducted interviews, read news from the
160:, one black and one white, who begin as acrimonious neighbors but come to know each other better after an accident. The novel was first conceived in 2012, and draws on Omotoso's research on
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in South Africa and Jewish history in Cape Town. Thematically, the novel combines a serious examination of post-Apartheid reconciliation with witty debates between its characters.
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gave a less positive review, citing as shortcomings the storyline, writing style and the characters' "constant grumbles and criticisms quickly cumbersome".
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Hortensia and Marion's conflicts over the course of the novel, according to
Danette Frederique, serve to reveal "the skeletons in South Africa's post-
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called the book " pleasing tale of reconciliation laced with acid humor and a cheery avoidance of sentimentality." Olatoun
Williams of
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described it as "a finely observed account of female prejudice, redemption and that often elusive commodity – friendship."
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156:. It is Omotoso's second novel, and her first to be published in the US. The story focuses on two elderly widows in
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360:"'I appreciate stories that mess with me a little': Yewande Omotoso on her latest book, The Woman Next Door"
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Omotoso found inspiration for one of the characters, Hortensia, at the funeral of her grandfather in
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667:"UJ Prize shortlists announced: Fiction, poetry, short stories, essays and biography feature"
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772:"Yewande Omotoso Is on the Shortlist of the €100,000 International Dublin Literary Award"
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in South Africa. It was
Omotoso's second novel and her first to be published in the US.
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509:"'Next Door' Neighbors Gradually Learn To Get Along In Post-Apartheid Cape Town"
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called it "a thought provoking, and immensely readable fictional biography."
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389:"Yewande Omotoso: My Characters Determine The Course Of My Stories"
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693:"Zakes Mda and Greg Marinovich win Sunday Times Literary Awards"
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in South Africa and spent time in a Jewish old-people's home in
803:"Neighbourly complicity: Yewande Omotoso's The Woman Next Door"
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540:"2018 SHORTLIST | The Woman Next Door | Yewande Omotoso"
815:"Africa's Lit: The Woman Next Door, ft Yewande Omotoso"
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477:"Book reviews: When two old ladies go to war"
334:, and went on to be shortlisted for the 2018
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817:. YouTube video interview, 10 October 2016.
446:"'The Woman Next Door' Subtle but Effective"
282:as the cruelty of South Africa’s past." The
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397:(Interview). Interviewed by Adefoyeke Ajao
368:(Interview). Interviewed by Jennifer Malec
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748:. Women's Prize for Fiction. 6 March 2017
421:"THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR by Yewande Omotoso"
430:. Borders Literature Online. p. 4.
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507:Omotoso, Yewande (12 February 2017).
444:Tew, Caroline E. (28 February 2017).
330:in 2017, was longlisted for the 2017
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475:Frederique, Danette (12 May 2016).
336:International Dublin Literary Award
332:Bailey's Women's Prize for Fiction
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746:"A Q&A with Yewande Omotoso"
697:The Johannesburg Review of Books
691:Malec, Jennifer (25 June 2017).
671:The Johannesburg Review of Books
579:Conroy, Deirdre (27 June 2016).
358:Omotoso, Yewande (3 July 2017).
321:University of Johannesburg Prize
665:Malec, Jennifer (6 June 2017).
635:Neason, Freya (16 April 2017).
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717:Kean, Danuta (8 March 2017).
16:2016 novel by Yewande Omotoso
517:(Interview). Interviewed by
365:Johannesburg Review of Books
177:Development and publication
152:is a 2016 novel written by
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428:Borders Literature Online
328:Barry Ronge Fiction Prize
296:Borders Literature Online
224:was published in 2016 by
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319:was shortlisted for the
841:Novels set in Cape Town
808:The Mail & Guardian
542:. Dublin Lterary Award.
228:in the United Kingdom,
232:in the United States,
206:, as well as visiting
140:An Unusual Grief
768:Obi-Young, Otosirieze
610:"THE WOMAN NEXT DOOR"
554:"The Woman Next Door"
256:, reconciliation and
198:during the period of
836:2016 Nigerian novels
831:2016 American novels
238:Penguin Random House
96:Penguin Random House
20:The Woman Next Door
641:by Yewande Omotoso"
639:The Woman Next Door
585:by Yewande Omotoso"
583:The Woman Next Door
519:Lulu Garcia-Navarro
451:The Harvard Crimson
419:Williams, Olatoun.
317:The Woman Next Door
304:The Harvard Crimson
222:The Woman Next Door
208:District Six Museum
149:The Woman Next Door
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387:Omotoso, Yewande.
252:closet, including
616:. 6 November 2016
589:Irish Independent
558:Publishers Weekly
285:Irish Independent
274:Publishers Weekly
226:Chatto and Windus
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258:white guilt
254:land rights
216:Slave Lodge
52:Set in
825:Categories
645:Palatinate
581:"Fiction:
482:City Press
342:References
310:Palatinate
195:Cape Times
189:Cape Argus
783:3 January
752:3 January
730:3 January
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676:3 January
650:3 January
620:3 January
594:3 January
564:3 January
524:3 January
492:4 January
457:3 January
401:4 January
372:3 January
268:Reception
250:Apartheid
204:Cape Town
200:Apartheid
162:Apartheid
158:Cape Town
92:(Nigeria)
71:Publisher
63:Published
56:Cape Town
234:Farafina
214:and the
183:Barbados
90:Farafina
44:Language
487:Media24
394:TheNEWS
230:Picador
84:Picador
47:English
210:, the
34:Author
424:(PDF)
280:kopje
106:Pages
785:2024
754:2024
732:2024
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622:2024
596:2024
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374:2024
192:and
115:ISBN
86:(US)
80:(UK)
66:2016
514:NPR
301:In
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
