Morrison's Jetty, by Francois Theron

Brooding, superstitious Frank Fernandez has had a classical education under the Jesuits, and a swimming scholarship in the United States has focused his mind on making the grade for the next Olympics.

Yet he finds himself working for Nick Georgiades as a crew member on the Delos, a leaking, unsafe trawler of mysterious origin. Frank tells himself repeatedly: 'I am not going to do this any more', yet he remains with Nick and is tolerant of his volatile, uncouth behaviour. Is it because he is acting out the family tradition, a legacy from his father and grandfather who were both fishermen along the dangerous south-west coast of Southern Africa? Or is it perverse loyalty to the rough, uneducated Nick, a sense of brotherhood that is tacitly acknowledged but somehow never articulated?

This multilayered novel tells the story of simple fisherfolk who go out to sea in optimism and expectation of the gift of food from the ocean. It is inevitable that they will be exploited by greedy and self-serving boat owners. And it is the enigmatic Frank who is left to unravel a morass of intrigue and corruption, and ultimately to confront their betrayal ...

Condition: Excellent