Eleanor Douglas-Meyers reviews Hap by Lesley Beake
Hap is the latest offering by award-winning children’s book author Lesley Beake.
It won gold in the Youth Literature category at the 2017 Sanlam Awards, where it was described by the judges as “a well-structured and beautifully written coming-of-age story”.
With vivid imagery and various timelines happening throughout, I found the story a little difficult to get into at first but after a few pages it was quite hard to put down.
The story follows 16-year-old Lucy from New York in America, who is recovering from a traumatic experience.
As a result, her mother sends her off to join her archaeologist father in a fishing town on South Africa’s s west coast.
Hap is unique in that the story is not a story in the traditional sense. While very little happens around Lucy, quite a lot happens within her as a person.
She is affected by the relationships around her and discovers a kindred spirit in the most unexpected place when she finds a connection to an early ancestor who lived in the area, Hap.
Lucy, who is in a state of heightened emotion and perception, seems to sense Hap around her.
The book is very much focused around Lucy’s perceptions and emotions and you are left wondering if she is dreaming or has in fact found some magical connection to another time.
While searching for answers within herself, and struggling with what is real and what is not, she reconnects with loved ones and overcomes her trauma in a profound way. Hap by Lesley Beake is published by NB at a recommended retail price of R160.