Philida by Andre Brink

 A book about slavery in the wine regions of South Africa just before emancipation.  The novel is narrated by Philida, a slave who has a relationship with her owner, and this makes it a very immediate read.  Philida is a very well developed character and it is easy to engage with her, which makes this book very readable.  The language is simple but very well crafted and enjoyable to read.  The plot does move quite slowly in parts but it is still an engrossing story.  I enjoyed this book and would recommend it, but it is not a light read.