Patricia Schonstein’s writing

Posting these made we wonder if there were people who have not had the good fortune to discover the writings of Patricia Schonstein. Patricia has written novels and poetry as well as children’s books, some of which have been translated into Italian and Spanish. She has won prestigious awards, and been shortlisted on others.  Much of her work is situated in South Africa and in the Western Cape in particular. Skyline, A Time of Angels and Banquet at Brabazan revolve around happenings in Long Street, Cape Town.

What is her writing like?  The review that resonates most with me is from Monique Broumels of The Cape Times, who describes Patricia’s latest novel "Banquet at Brabazan  as `like the alluring sparkle of a gem that catches one's eye … textured and chiaroscuro-ed with colours, smells, decadent tastes and Shakespearian quotes … a startling mix of the familiar and the magical." Yet at the heart of her writing are serious and often heart wrenching questions. Patricia on her website writes:

Without detracting from the pace of each unfolding fiction, I place, at its centre, a small kernel of questions about ethical light and darkness, intolerance, the recurrence of war and genocide and our abuse of the natural world. These questions are debated and pondered, with or without resolution, by my characters as they variously dine at sumptuous tables, drink wine, gamble or act out tense dramas.
To find out more about Patricia Schonstein’s work visit her website  at
www.patriciaschonstein.com