Spud by John Van De Ruit is a novel set in South Africa in 1990 at a boys boarding school. The first copy that came my way, I passed by. The topic sounded too dreary for words. But then I kept hearing more about it and finally I decided to give Spud a try. And now I'm in mourning because I've finished the book and I miss the main character whose nickname is Spud.The setting makes it sound like a political book but politics make only a brief appearance in Spud's saga. Really it's the story of his first year at boarding school: the peculiar boys he boards with, the pangs of first love, his crazy family and his joy in being chosen for the school play. I lost track of how many times I laughed out loud while I was reading. People looked at me oddly in public places but I couldn't stop reading.
This is definitely a book for older readers--14 and up, maybe 12 or 13 for mature readers. Or just read it for yourself. You won't be sorry.
