Notes

Zimbabwe. 1980s. A young English boy, Robert Jacklin, is starting at a boarding school just after the war for independence. Robert Mugabe has come to power, offering hope, land and freedom to black Africans. Robert's school is still predominately white with a few token black pupils. Robert makes friends with Nelson, a black boy in his class. And then he spends half term with a white classmate, Ivan, on his parent's farm. He sees white farmers being forced to give up their land by Mugabe's government, and he starts to sympathise with them. Back at school Robert gets friendlier and friendlier with Ivan. But then the rug is suddenly pulled from under him (and us) as he realises how dark and sinister Ivan has become. Nelson disappears, as do other local black children and it slowly becomes apparent what Ivan is capable of. He's a twisted white supremist capable of murder. When Robert Mugabe is going to visit the school, Robert realises that Ivan plans to assassinate him and so he reveals the plot and prevents the shooting. Ivan is killed in the process. 2010 Won Costa Book Awards 2011 Nominated Carnegie Medal