Daniel

(Paperback)

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Description

A compelling story of a child driven to violence through loss and loneliness. Hans Bengler, a young entomologist, leaves Sweden for the Kalahari Desert, determined to find a previously undiscovered insect to name after himself and advance his career. Instead, he finds a young boy, whose tribe has been decimated by European raiders. Accustomed to collecting specimens, Bengler re-names the traumatised child Daniel and brings him home to Sweden, intending to 'civilise' him. But Daniel yearns desperately for the desert and his real family. His only consolation is his friendship with a vulnerable young girl who is also an outsider in the community, but even this bond is destined to be violently broken, as Daniel's isolation and increasing desperation lead to a chilling tragedy.

Reviews

An acutely observed and slow-burning psychological thriller, written with Mankell's typically detached prose, making the violently tragic end all the more powerful -- Doug Johnstone * Big Issue Scotland *
Mankell pulls no punches in this bleak but brilliant examination of misguided humanism -- Tina Jackson * Metro *
A powerfully involving and uncompromising novel about the loss of childhood and innocence -- Barry Forshaw * Daily Express *
Thought-provoking -- Jennifer Cunningham * Sunday Herald *
A sombre, gripping story about alienation and the clash of cultures * The Times *

Author Bio

Henning Mankell (1948-2015) became a worldwide phenomenon with his crime writing, gripping thrillers and atmospheric novels set in Africa. His prizewinning and critically acclaimed Inspector Wallander Mysteries continue to dominate bestseller lists all over the globe and his books have been translated into forty-five languages and made into numerous international film and television adaptations- most recently the BAFTA-award-winning BBC television series Wallander, starring Kenneth Branagh. Driven by a desire to change the world and to fight against racism and nationalism, Mankell devoted much of his time to working with charities in Africa, including SOS Children's Villages and PLAN International, where he was also director of the Teatro Avenida in Maputo. In 2008, the University of St Andrews conferred Henning Mankell with an honorary degree of Doctor of Letters in recognition of his major contribution to literature and to the practical exercise of conscience. www.henningmankell.com