THE LOST LANGUAGE OF THE SOUL, a novel

393pp., paperback, Johannesburg, 2021

Fourteen-year-old Joseph Mabaso sets off in search of his parents after his mother disappears without a trace.

 "A tremendous achievement. With insight and literary flair Langa forges a vision of the humane out of the violence, bloodshed and treachery of South Africa's transition to democracy. This beautifully nuanced account of the iberation struggle in a must-read." Zoë Wicomb, author of Still Life

"This is a brilliant quest novel, in which Joseph Mabaso embarks on a journey of self-knowledge. By the by, he meets his unlikely Virgils, who serve as his guides ... Each of these Dantean characters, in some way, assists Joseph Mabaso in bringing his daring quest to a soul-stirring end." Nuruddin Farah, author of Maps, Secrets and Gifts

Mandla Langa's previous novels include The Memory of Stones, The Texture of Shadows and Lost Colours of the Chameleon.