I began reading this book taken in by persuasive and passionate comments from a friend. Now I am grateful to him - even though I would rate the experience as highly disturbing.
Those who have not read the book, please beware that there are spoilers ahead.
The story is set in post-apartheid South Africa. David Lurie is white, fading and aging professor - twice divorced and drying up fast emotionally. He , in an act of "Disgrace", becomes sexually involved (there is only one-sided involvement - his) with a black student. As a consequence, he is expelled from the university. He decides to leave Cape Town and sets off to rural East Cape to his only daughter (still single) who leads a quiet country life. Even though he finds country life not particularly attractive, slowly he gets adapted to it. But he quickly finds that the country landscape is also changing - fast. The balance of power has shifted to the blacks and he finds he has no hope left and the story ends at that point.
His escape (he is in self-denial mode about "escape" ) to the country justifies the phrase "Out of frying pan, into fire". He gets to have a preview of what lies ahead in his life for him to live through. He says to himself this is "no country for old men" and he has really solid reasons for that.
It is almost like he spells a cast of ill-fortune for his daughter Lucy who was in her elements when he first meets her at the farm. She gets raped by 3 black thieves (Two men and a boy) afterwards. He is attacked, gets locked up, soaked in Methanol and set to fire. Helpless, he is at wrath with himself. The thieves flee with their loot and his car. To make matters worse for him, his daughter doesn't want to complain to the police - about the rape. They file a complaint for theft, though.
His daughter's life is changed - inside out. Now, he is the one who maintains the farm - with the help of Petrus - Lucy's black neighbor.
Petrus is introduced to the story before the rape - Lucy mentions him as her "assistant". Petrus is a married man, middle aged and is a scheming man who would like to buy out Lucy's farm. He is no "assistant" by any standards. In fact, David thinks (rightly too) Petrus has arranged the rape. Petrus is mysteriously absent when the rape takes place.
David describes (to himself) the rape as"anthropological"!
Later, he finds the boy who raped Lucy in a party arranged by Petrus. Even though Lucy tries to stop him, he makes a scene and storms out of the party. To make matters worse, he finds that the boy is staying with Petrus now. Lucy is being outplayed by Petrus in every way. Lucy is willing to pay any price - she is even willing to be labelled as Petrus's concubine - she just wants to hold on to her land.
The story ends at a point where Lucy is pregnant (from the rape) and decides to keep the baby. In this twilight of his life, David has nothing to look forward to. Only Despair.
We, as readers will not be able to fully comprehend the motives/emotional drivers of two characters - one is Lucy and the other is Melanie - the black student with whom David is involved sexually. The reason is very simple. The story is told through the eyes of David - and he is unable to understand them too. This is where Coetzee is perfect in his narration technique.
This book got the booker prize in 1999 and was later made into a movie.
Thanks, my friend - for recommending this book.
