catalyst book pr

Sisters, friends, mothers, daughters

In her debut collection of short fiction, Reneilwe Malatji invites us into the intimate lives ofSouth African women, their whispered conversations, their love lives, their triumphs andheartbreaks. This diverse chorus of female voices recounts misadventures with love, family, andcommunity in powerful stories woven together with anger, politics, and wit.

We overhear the hushed stories of women who endure their husbands’ nyatsis (mistresses),their abuse, or both. We reflect on the legacy of South Africa’s past for today’s relationships.We laugh at the ribald tale of a spinster woman encountering a male stripper for the first time,or the story of a woman befriending the gigolo next door. Reneilwe crafts an engagingcollection full of rich, memorable characters who navigate work, love, patriarchy, and racismwith thoughtfulness, strength, and humor.