** 'This immensely absorbing and poignant novel starts out as a love story, set in Ceylon just prior to its independence from Britain in 1948, and develops into a family epic that plays out in postwar England . . . her themes are consistent with her earlier work and just a potent: race, class, the tumultuous politics of identity and belonging, and a dogged refusal to let her characters forget the consequences of their actions

Evelyn, Emil and the children, particularly the boy, Milton, endure a great deal of Englishness, the effortless and understated nastiness that Slovo captures superbly. What we end with is a novel about exile, about homelessness, about identity and loss. These are strong, poignant themes - The Australian Slovo convincingly relays the sense of otherness - Sun Herald Black Orchids invokes cross-racial tensions and connections subtely woven into a story that leaves the reader with a startling awareness of a time when individuals pushed back at pressures and toplled the system. A five-star novel - Australian Country Style'It's a compelling book, a thoughtful and beautifully written journey to an exotic time and place.' - Sydney Sunday Telegraph