The first great South African novel chronicles the adventures of three childhood friends who defy societal repression. A gripping indictment of the rigid Boer social conventions of the 19th century and a landmark work of fiction.A searing indictment of the rigid Boer social conventions of the 19th century, the first great South African novel chronicles the adventures of three childhood friends who defy societal repression. The novel's unorthodox views on religion and marriage aroused widespread controversy upon its 1883 publication, and the work retains in power more than a century later.