Chapter one When the book starts, you are in Bonang, a sub-Saharan city. A sixteen year old girl, called Chanda, is planning things for the funeral of her little sister who died. She doesn’t have a lot of money to pay for a nice chest for the burial, so she buys a very cheap one. She has to take responsibility for the funeral, because her step-father, Sara’s father, is an alcoholic. Her mother is not able to do the arrangements for the funeral, because she sitting is sick and said at home. Chanda lives at home now with her four year old brother and five year old sister together with her mom and always drunk step-father.
Chapter two When Chanda is finished at the death chest shop, she cycles to Esther, her best friend. Chanda often worries about Esther because she poses for tourists. She does this half naked and Chanda is thinking that her friend is really having sex with the tourists. When Chanda arrives at the Liberty Hotel, she doesn’t see Esther. Esther is a very naïve girl, because she thinks she can move ones to a western country with a rich tourist who wants her as wife of nanny.
Chapter 3 Chanda first tells about meeting Esther. When Chanda moved to Bonang, where her father had found work in a mine, she lived for the first time in her life in cement built house. She used to live in a mud hut. After Chanda met Esther, they went to see the toilet at Esther’s house. Chanda was amazed that that existed. Chanda also goes for the first time to a real school. Not just a school with a blackboard but with a lot more stuff. She dreams about becoming a doctor or a lawyer. When Chanda lives for four years in Bonang, her father’s boss comes. He tells her mother that father and the two brothers, who always helped in the mine after school, had died in an accident. Now they have to find another place to live.
Chapter 4 When Chanda’s mother didn’t have any money left anymore, she started to work for Isaac. He is a mineworker too, Chanda and her mother sleep at his house. Chanda’s mother started to have sex with Isaac and after a year there was a new baby, called Iris. When there is a party, because Iris got christened, Isaac starts to touch Chanda on places he shouldn’t do that. When Chanda’s mother caught Isaac with his pants down, they are kicked out of his house.
After that they found a place to stay with Mrs. Tafa. Chanda’s mother found a new husband, mr. Dube, he wasn’t very nice to see, but he was very kind. They also got a child. Mr dube dies also.
Chapter 5 Chanda couldn’t find esther so she moves back home. Chanda tells her mother that the funeral arragnements have been made. Lillian is making Sara ready. Then Lillian tells that all the money is stolen by Jonah, Chanda tells her mother that she took it and then leave to Jonah. When Chanda finds Jonah he is drunk again. She tells him to be at home in a few hours, and that he has a problem if he doesn’t. Then she takes the money and leaves.
Chapter 6 Chanda is thinking about how nice I was when Jonah entered their lives and now how he ruins it every day by drinking so much. She thinks he is a very nice man, although, when is not drunk.
Chapter 7 Chanda goes to mrs. Tafa, to ask whether she can call some friends to invite them to the funeral. Mrs. Chanda likes to have to say a lot about everything. She almost runs the complete neighbourhood. Mrs. Tafa has to think about her own son, Emanuel, who also died. Then she says to Chanda that her grandparents died of AIDS, but Chanda does not believe that. Chapter 8 Chanda knew that Mrs. Tafa could be right. No one was proud to have AIDS, and it was not tolerated as well. Esther’s parents also died from AIDS, Chanda has seem them dying herself.
Chapter 9 Esther takes the children for a drink, for when Mr. Bateman takes Sara’s body with him. Then she makes a dinner for Mr. Bateman, but Jonah still hasn’t come. When Jonah comes home it is night already, he is dumped in the front yard by his friends and Chanda and Lillian leave him there.
Chapter 10 All people arrive, but only the real good family can stay inside the house. The others have to stay in the garden. Jonah apologizes for his behavior. After that they move from home, they go to the chapel. Then Sara is pulled away in a trailer.
Chapter 11
When the car with the chest of Sara arrives at the home of Chanda and Lillian, they put the coffin in the center of the room. There is a party with lots of music and foods. Everyone tells Lillian that they are sorry and they would have liked it when everything was different. After that Lillian cries for the rest of the afternoon, lying there on the floor. Chanda thinks that it is her fault that Sara died, because when Sara cried all night, Chanda prayed that she would die.
Chapter 12 When everyone arrives at the cemetery, there are busy two seremonies already. Chanda is sad that they could afford more than just a stone with a date on it and a fence. She was already happy that this was possible, because in Tiro there wasn’t even money for that. After the ceremony, Jonah leaves very emotional, but Chanda doesn’t understand why, because he didn’t care about Sara before she died.
Chapter 13 When the bus arrives, Auntie Lizbet boards. Just before it pulls away, she hangs out of the bus and tells Chanda's mother "It's a terrible price your Sara paid. As you sowed, so you reap, sister. 'The sins are visited upon the children.' Hear the spirits of your ancestors. Repent. Beg forgiveness of those your wronged and dishonored." Chanda asks where that was all about. Lillian tells that she had to marry a guy who looked very good, but she was in love with Chanda’s father. Chanda’s father and Lillian fled to another city, the whole family was angry. Then the man who was left behind had
to choose between Lillian’s sisters, auntie Lizbet and auntie Amanthe. There came a lot of problems and Lillian was blaimed for it.
Chapter 14 Rumors came that Jonah was cheating on Lillian. She said that wasn’t true but no one could find him anymore. Even not mary, with who he had a secret relationship. After a while, Lillian got sick and had to lay in bed all day. Chanda took over the household.
Chapter 15
Most Sundays, Chanda, Lillian and mrs. Tafa visit the cemetery. There they visit all the people they loved. They always end at the grave of Sara. They put flowers and poems on the graves. When Lillian and Mrs. Tafa go to church, Chanda goes by bike to Esther. Lillian has tried to stop Chanda with being friends with Esther, but Chanda didn´t want to hear anything about it. She loves Esther.
Chapter 16 Chanda goes to the cemetery and meets Esther. When she sees her, she sees that she is hit. She asks why and she tells Chanda that her uncle threw an iron at her. Chanda offers Esther to live with her but Esther refuses; she tells Chanda’s mother wouldn’t like that. Esther starts about the health of Chanda’s mother and then Chanda gets angry and pushes Esther away. She also says that she hates her. Then Esther leaves, Chanda apologizes but Esther doesn’t matter.
Chapter 17 Chanda tells that she has more and more fights with Esther. Esther stops with school and they don’t see each other anymore. They don’t go to each other houses anymore, so they don’t know when they will see each other again.
Chanda’s mother is now for several days in bed with a headache. Mrs. Tafa says to Chanda that she knows a very good doctor who can help her mother. He is called doctor Chilume.
Chapter 18 On the hour-long drive to Kawkee Chanda laments not being able to see Esther today. Mrs. Tafa continues praising Dr. Chilume. He is the younger brother of a chief, and his family owns Chilume Greens, a large grower of morogo. She claims he can cure everything, including AIDS. When a two-story house comes into view, Mrs. Tafa points it out and tells them it belongs to Dr. Chilume's When they arrive dr. Chilume greets mrs. Tafa by first name, so he knows her well. He has a good looking clinic. When mother is diagnosed, Chanda looks at all the degrees, but she sees he is no real doctor. Then she thinks of a plan that he will give his mother a month free medication. When they walk outside mother can laugh for the first time in ages.
Chapter 19
When Chanda comes home, there is a note from Esther telling that she missed her and she wants to see her. When Chanda is heading to Esther’s house she sees that she is not home. Then Esther’s aunt and uncle come home. They tell her that a whore wasn’t welcome at their house.
