Book: Flame in the Snow
Review made possible by: Penguin Random House
Reviewed by: Anna Robertson
The book is not fiction, but bears witness to a relationship between two famous people, André Brink and Ingrid Jonker, who were caught up in a love affair beyond their control.
Reading these love letters written by writer André and poet Ingrid reminds me of forbidden fruit, yet now it has become public knowledge.
These two lovers wrote letters to each other during their love affair in the early 60s.
Brink offered the correspondence to the publisher three months before his death in February 2015.
Ingrid’s original letters, together with copies of the letters Brink addressed to her, were kept in the author’s study for over 50 years.
The documents collected in the book, which comprises almost 500 pages, include telegrams and early versions of Ingrid’s poems.
Most of the letters describe their love for each other and contains passionate words used between the two.
They not only shared their love for each other, but also mention the passionate sex they had during their moments alone.
In the middle of the book readers will find 16 pages of photographs of the two lovers as well as a few handwritten and typed letters. Although the letters were written in Afrikaans they were translated for the English version of the book.
Certain readers may experience a degree of discomfort when reading the book, but it is important to realise that the two lovers were ordinary people with the same desires, urges and needs as everyone else.
