I’m reviewing a book called the power of one, written by Bryce Courtenay. This book has two versions, the young readers’ edition and, the adults’ version. The adults’ version has more violence and detail in it and goes on to show Peekay at his next boarding school.
Six years old and growing up in a world filled with racism and hatred, Peekay, a small English boy, is sent to a boarding school filled with Afrikaner children. Little Peekay is very small; people think that they can push him around because of his size. The Judge is a prime example of this as his acts of cruelty towards Peekay and his chicken, Grandpa Chook, are inhumane. The Judge is racist to Peekay and calls him a Rooinek.
On the train home from the boarding school, Peekay meets a man called Hoppie Groenewald. Peekay looks up to Hoppie, and Hoppie becomes a very important role model to Peekay. Peekay has a dream; to become welterweight boxing champion of the world. Hoppie is a boxer and enjoys giving Peekay some advice. He tells him ‘first with the head then with the heart that’s how a man stays ahead from the start’. Peekay uses this saying in boxing just as he does in everyday life.
A few years later when Peekay is living with his Mother after she had a nervous breakdown, Peekay has started boxing lessons at a nearby prison. One of Peekay’s friends is staying at the prison for the remainder of the war. Doc is teaching Peekay how to play the piano. Peekay is very close to Doc and knows more about him than a lot of people do. Doc has freedom within the prison, so Peekay can come and go as he pleases.
Doc and Peekay are to perform a concert for the people of the town in order to keep whatever freedom they have. In the end of the story something happens that really makes Peekay realise just how cruel racism can be. Peekay has many great friends that agree with him that racism is cruel and people shouldn’t be treated that way just because they have a different colour skin than somebody else.
My favourite point in this book is when Peekay realises that Geel Piet didn’t turn up to one of Peekay’s and Doc’s most important concerts. It got more exciting because by that point in the book you knew a lot about the characters, so it’s easily said that Geel Piet wouldn’t have missed that concert if he weren’t in trouble.
Peekay is a very interesting character; he is extremely intelligent, yet he doesn’t understand how bad racism is, until quite later on in the book. He likes to help people (the prisoners in particular), he doesn’t really mind what happened in their past, he is more focussed on helping them rebuild a better life.
Doc and Peekay meet when Peekay is still quite young. He captures a photo of Peekay with a sad look on his face, and almost immediately they become friends. Doc realises the potential Peekay has. Doc is a person who loves cactus, he takes Peekay to help him find new plants and record details for him. Although Peekay isn’t completely fascinated by the cactus they both enjoy speaking with one and other.
This book was set in the 1930’s and 1940’s in South Africa. The main setting in this book was at the prison where the prisoners are treated appallingly. This is also where Peekay learns to box. It may not be the best environment for a growing child, as some of the things that happen in the prison could, possibly influence on the decisions Peekay makes, but Peekay seems to enjoy his time there.
I really enjoyed this book; it was more exciting than a lot of books I have read. I think the reason it’s more exciting is because the kind of stuff that happens in this book did happen and still does in some parts of the world. If this book wasn’t recommended to me I probably wouldn’t have read it, because by the look of the cover it is all about boxing, but when you get into it you realise how true and realistic it really is. I’m glad now that I did read it.
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