Irma Rissanen, a book blogger from Finland got in touch with me on Friday to ask for the cover of Team Trinity. She is a big fan of Fiona Snyckers’ Trinity character and has read all three of the books in the series so far. She sent a link to her blog where she writes about the Trinity series. This is one of the thrills of being a publisher, seeing written evidence of one of your books travelling to another part of the world.
In our back and forth correspondence, Irma offered to send an English translation of her blog for Fiona and I. I’ve posted some of the Finnish blog. And you can read the whole blog in English too. Irma compares Fiona’s writing to Sophie Kinsella! Read the translated blog to get the same goosebumps I got. She gets Trinity and she loves her.
Suomessa ollaan chick litin saralla vielä aika untuvikkoja. Muualla maailmassa chick litiä on kuitenkin kirjoitettu jo…noh, maailman sivu.
Etelä-Afrikan vastine Himoshoppaajalle on Fiona Snyckersin Trinity. Kirjasarjan päähenkilö on Trinity Luhabe, shoppailuhullu sinkkutyttö Johannesburgista.
Mutta kun isä on ollut Nelson Mandelan vankilatoveri Robben Islandilla ja äiti valkoihoinen aktivisti rasisminvastaisessa taistelussa, ei Trinitynkään elämä ole ollut sieltä normaaleimmasta päästä. Isä on nimittäin sen tason kansallissankari, että hänet tunnistetaan missä vain. Isän lisäksi tunnistetaan myös tytär, ainakin heti kun hänen sukunimensä paljastuu.
South African chick lit: single in Johannesburg
When it comes to chick lit, Finnish authors are still fledglings. But when it comes to the rest of the world, chick lit has been written… well, the world over.
Fiona Snyckers’s Trinity is South Africa’s answer to the [Sophie Kinsella’s] Shopaholic. The protagonist of the book series is Trinity, a shopaholic single girl from Johannesburg.
But Trinity isn’t just any old girl. Her father is one of the last activists who was imprisoned in Robben Island, the same prison as Nelson Mandela, and her mother is the daughter of Afrikaans farming family who spent her university days protesting against apartheid. Trinity’s father is now a national hero recognized wherever he goes. And so is Trinity, at least the minute people find out what her last name is.
In Trinity Rising, the first of the series, Trinity starts a degree at university. Trinity would like to be just like any other student but because of her famous background it’s not always that easy. Trinity’s favorite subjects, shopping and good-looking boys, and the teacher’s demands (of making it to lectures on time) don’t always go hand in hand.
Trinity Rising is a witty, funny, engrossing chick lit book with the additional value of an exotic, South African setting.
In Trinity on Air, Trinity has graduated from university and is looking for a job in Johannesburg. When her dream job at a radio station, her gorgeous boyfriend and her handsome neighbourg all turn out to be something else entirely, Trinity finds herself in the ride of her life.
Team Trinity, published last year, is the third of the series and my absolute favorite. In addition to fun and excitement, it also deals with more serious issues, like racism and violence.
The book is a prequel to the series. Sixteen year old Trinity and her brothers have to spend a term in the school boarding house while their parents are dealing with urgent matters overseas. The first person Trinity meets in the common room is a boy who treats Trinity with an outrageously racist manner. When he sees Trinity, he presumes that she is the cleaning-lady! Trinity is obviously furious. Who is this mysterious boy who dresses in retro clothes and behaves like someone from the old South Africa? And why does he disappear whenever Trinity’s friends are around?
Then Trinity bumps into his dream guy, Zach, who is a couple years older. At first everything is hunky-dory between the two but soon Trinity turns into a shadow of her old self. Will Trinity realize why before it’s too late?
Fiona Snyckers writes about the teenage world engagingly and skillfully. She balances extremely well with teenage issues such as crushes, crash diets, self-image and bad relationships.
The book ends on such a cliffhanger it leaves you yearning for a sequel!
So, treat yourself with a cup of rooibos and melktert and let South Africa’s Shopaholic carry you away!
Book details
- Team Trinity by Fiona Snyckers
Book homepage
EAN: 9781920590376
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