Review of HARVEST OF FEAR, A Story of Zimbabwe

[Chris Alex Powell]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "HARVEST OF FEAR, A Story of Zimbabwe" by Anna Cienska.]

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5 out of 5 stars

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Harvest of Fear: A Story of Zimbabwe is a compelling and organic story of a family’s struggles amid a looming war for independence and control in Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe. The Steenkamp family had just lost their patriarch, and Johan, his first son, was shaken to the core. He fought this grief as hard as he could, believing it to be a hindrance to his assuming the role of the head of the family.

The farm must endure, as must their way of life. His turmoil is worsened by the arrival of Marie, who challenges him in ways he finds both enrapturing and inflammatory. His brother, Paul, also finds her attractive, and with a war with the ZANU edging closer and closer, the Steenkamp family and Leopard Kloof find themselves submerged in conflict. To make matters worse, a leopard is roaming the surrounding area, threatening the lives of everyone on the farm.

There is very little to dislike about this book’s delivery, so unless the readers disagree with the author’s style or the subject matter of the book, I can't make out any significant negatives. The book has been professionally edited. It is consistent in its style and is almost academic in its accuracy. It is this accuracy that I would like to expand on as this book’s key positive. The author’s personal experiences shine through in this aspect of the book, as the unfolding of events within this fictional work is strongly reminiscent of a historical account of real events. Her understanding of the political conflicts surrounding the characters gives their interactions a depth many works of fiction struggle with.

The author is personally attached to the conflict that developed between the ZANU, the ZAPU, and the minority-led white government of Rhodesia. Everything from conversations to farm activities to romance within the story is appropriately tinted by this conflict, and this gives the unfoldings within the book an authentic feel. This book is 469 pages long, including ancillary content. The author, Anne Cienska, is a member of the Ottawa Independent Writers, as well as the Victoria Creative Writers. She is a professional editor of non-fiction manuscripts which aided her creativity with this book.

I rate the book 5 out of 5 stars. I liked that there weren't so many errors interrupting my reading. It was well written, and I was unable to find any noteworthy aspects that would warrant the deduction of a star. I recommend this book to anybody interested in historical fiction, anyone who is intrigued by the Rhodesian war for independence. This book will be suitable for those interested in Zimbabwean history.

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HARVEST OF FEAR, A Story of Zimbabwe
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[Ilze Herholdt]

Harvest of Fear: A Story of Zimbabwe is a compelling and organic story of a family’s struggles amid a looming war for independence and control in Rhodesia, present-day Zambia, and Zimbabwe. Thank you for your review.

[Yasmine Zaki Muhieddine]

Thank for your review, I enjoyed reading it. Whether it one agree or disagree with the subject matter is not very relevant. The book is about someone's real life experience, it is eventually interesting to look at History with everyone's perspective.

[Grace Elkana]

The conflict that developed between the ZANU, the ZAPU, and the minority-led white government of Rhodesia is an interesting subject matter. I guess I have a lot to learn about it.

[Grace Lee Rose]

An engaging narrative about the hardships of a family during an uncertain time. I'll love to pick up a copy of this book. It will be worth the read as evidenced by your awesomely written review.

[Ogunkoya Mayowa]

An historical fiction that talks about how a family’s struggles amid a looming war for independence and control in Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe, and how they fought hard to cope with the situation. Thanks for the review.

[CrossK]

Thank you for this beautiful review. I enjoyed every bit of it. That is why I salute the author of this historical fiction that talks about a family struggles in a looming war of Independence in Rhodesia, present-day Zimbabwe. Nice review!