If You Want to Make God Laugh

I wasn't aware of Bianca Marais' second novel until my re-read of Hum If You Don't Know the Words. That was a wonderful book so I immediately requested If You Want to Make God Laugh from the library as soon as I read about it.

If You Want to Make God Laugh did not disappoint. Another truly wonderful novel. Once again, the setting of the novel is Marais' birthplace, South Africa. It takes place in the early 1990s, just as apartheid is ending. That's more of the backdrop of this novel. It's much more a novel about the lives of the women, the three main characters of the novel, Delilah, Ruth, and Zodwa. Each one is facing really dark days and  all are dealing with their own demons and disappointments. It's a novel about acceptance of life and moving forward. It's also a novel about love and commitment. The novel deals with other things - power, wealth, racism, AIDS, sexuality. But I can't say too much more without spoiling the novel for anyone who might read it.

Just know that I highly recommend this novel - and this author - to anyone.