my views

Beaten but not Broken by Vanessa Govender I voraciously consumed Vanessa Govender’s story ‘Beaten but not Broken’. I hung onto her every word. Vanessa is an amazing storyteller, a journalist by profession, (you will probably remember her as the eTV news reporter). Her story is well-written, eloquently articulated and she weaves the intricate tale with such detail that it transports you to that place and memory, where you feel what she felt and experience her hurt, heartbreak, disappointment and longing for love and acceptance. I saw the book on my friend, Kim Langley’s Instagram post and she offered to borrow it to me. When she handed me the book, I asked her if it was going to bring me down. If it was difficult to read about Vanessa’s experiences even though I had no idea what the book was about. Kim assured me that it would not.  The title alludes to one of abuse but it also speaks to the strength of the human spirit and our innate ability to survive and even thrive.  This is