Shadow Sisters

A brave, heartrending memoir of family, love and longing in the turbulent era of Apartheid in South Africa. During the terrifying years of Apartheid in South Africa, Shelley Davidow’s family was a crime. At a time when it was illegal for black and white people to live together, Shelley’s social activist parents took in Rosie, an abandoned black three-year-old. Rosie grew up as a beloved daughter and sister in a white household. Against the backdrop of racist laws and ever-present threats of violence, Shelley’s parents did all they could to provide a safe, happy home for their five children. But when Rosie was sixteen, devastating truths came to light, shattering the family’s understanding of the past. In this haunting memoir, Shelley Davidow sifts through the memories of her early life, searching for hope and reconciliation. Shadow Sisters leaves us with a deeper understanding of family love and of how, sometimes, that love is not enough.

Shelley Davidow is originally from South Africa but has spent the last two decades living and teaching in Europe, the Middle East and the USA. The author of forty books, she writes across genres. Her work includes children’s fiction, award-winning young adult fiction, and adult non-fiction. Now based in Australia, she lives on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast with her husband and son. www.shelleydavidow.com