Finding courage, humour, and humanity within oppressive circumstances is a rare but hopeful thing in this bitter world. One such discovery is Rosa’s District 6, a series of short stories situated in 1960s Cape Town, South Africa, during the era of apartheid. The stories are linked by a little girl named Rosa, who has a passion for writing and is eerily wise beyond her years. These tales reflect an inner knowledge of the secrets in people’s lives, emerging through the eyes of this precocious child.

The characters – mostly women – are colourful, utterly believable, and filled with contradictions and contrasts. Among those who form the backbone of the District 6 community are the local healer, Auntie Flowers; Rosa’s aunt and caretaker, Mamma Zila; and Auntie Flowers’ sometime lover, Mrs. Hood.

Although Rosa’s District 6 tells of a specific era, a particular culture, and a unique community, these stories show the kind of universal truths that can provide inspiration and courage. The confusing and painful reality of apartheid is most vividly portrayed in one story about the Collingwood family, who reside on the “right side of the tracks” and who appear to be more “white” than their neighbours in the District, and therefore much more respectable. The interaction between these two solitudes is painful, but it also creates humour, conflict, and, ultimately, a changed reality for both sides of the divide.

The stories are filled with wit and pathos, and while the plots occasionally feel improbable, the reader is completely engaged with the strange goings-on in this singular community. The sometimes rambling storytelling style reflects the importance of the characters’ oral traditions. It also allows for delightful surprises in the telling. And for those who need a map through the cultural terrain of the book, Maart provides a glossary for the patois of the District 6 inhabitants.