For Your Bookshelf: Gerook
Cobie thought Vaalberg would be boring, but he didn’t expect it to pull him into a mess. Left with a distant grandmother and her mysterious helper, he falls into a pattern of risky behaviour and dangerous secrets. What started as escape turns into something darker than he could ever imagine.
Author: Eldridge Jason
Genres: Young adult, coming-of-age
Format: Paperback
Pages: 104 pages
Publisher: LAPA
Published: 2013
Plot Summary
Cobie had big plans for the holidays—lazy mornings, hanging out with friends, and doing whatever he felt like. Instead, his parents dumped him in the middle of nowhere: Vaalberg. It’s a small, dusty town on the West Coast, where nothing ever happens, and no one ever wants to be. While they jetted off to some mystery destination, leaving him with a wad of cash and no explanation, Cobie found himself stuck on his grandmother Anna’s porch, watching the days drag by.
Anna isn’t the warm, cookie-baking kind of grandma. She’s sharp, cold, and impossible to please. Cobie’s spent years trying to win her over, but no matter what he does, it’s never good enough. She’s polite when his mom is around, but the second they’re alone, Cobie feels like an unwanted guest in her house. The only thing keeping him sane is Sêra, Anna’s helper, who makes the best breakfasts he’s ever had. She seems to like him—though she’s awkward about it—and her nervous glances make him wonder what she’s hiding.
With nothing better to do, Cobie starts sneaking cigarettes, careful to keep his secret from Anna. But even smoking can’t fill the endless hours. That’s when he hears about the “Vaak Apies,” a group of sketchy locals who stay awake for days and roam the town at night, breaking into houses. It’s weird and a little thrilling, and Cobie can’t help but be curious. At the same time, he’s talking to someone named Lady Zee on Mxit. She’s mysterious, funny, and makes him feel seen in a way no one else does.
But what starts as harmless distractions soon pulls Cobie into something darker. First, it’s just a drink to pass the time. Then it’s something stronger. Before he knows it, he’s in over his head, tangled in a world of drugs, secrets, and regret. Vaalberg might be a sleepy town, but for Cobie, it’s turning into a nightmare he can’t escape.
Meet The Author
Eldridge Jason, born on 25 May, 1978, grew up in the small fishing village of Paternoster on the West Coast. After completing a journalism course in 1996, he conducted his employment training at the SABC’s Radio Division in Kimberley, Northern Cape. He has since worked on the West Coast at a community newspaper and spent nearly 20 years at a Cape daily newspaper. His first novel, Gerook, was published in 2013 and targets young readers. In addition, he sometimes contributes to poetry and anthologies. A few years ago he was also co-editor of Women of Atlantis, a collection of works.
Read A Study Guide of Gerook by Joan Hambidge
About The Author
