A Kind of Cousin is a daring collection of short stories by Suenel Bruwer-Holloway that whisks readers on a journey through the raw and unapologetic facets of human experience. Like a fresh breeze, blowing irreverently through old taboos, sweeping away the cobwebs of political correctness, Holloway shatters the confines of political correctness, delving into the resilient and complex spirit that pulses through her homeland, a place of beauty, sorrow, and resilience.

From the wily old woman in ‘The Statistic’, cleverly hoarding her exit from this world, to the candid wisdom of a child in the titular ‘A Kind of Cousin’, and the unflinching gaze cast upon society’s underbelly in ‘The Healer’, these stories are as provocative as they are enlightening. ‘The Right Therapist’ delivers a satirical jab at the mental health profession, while ‘Horseflesh’ pays homage to the enduring spirit of an old donkey, a symbol of unyielding courage in the face of adversity.

Strap in and prepare to be swept off your feet as Bruwer-Holloway tackles subjects often muffled by societal discomfort—farm murders, religious zealotry, the deep-rooted connections of the Afrikaner people to their land, and the poignant realities of aging and death. A Kind of Cousin promises a literary escapade that’s as thought-provoking as it is entertaining.