The Story of an African Farm by Olive Schreiner is one of those books that I've been aware of for quite some time, but never got as far as reading. Being the first major English novel written by a South African (and a woman), and published in 1883, I was unsure what to expect.

I was, however, quite blown away by the brilliance of this novel. It is extremely intelligent, with a level of philosophical and religious debate that even today comes across as modern and thought-provoking.

Furthermore, Schreiner's characters are rounded and interesting, and interwoven into a narrative that excels in portraying rural South African life in the mid-nineteenth century.

A truly excellent read!