The Virgin in the Treehouse by Willemien de Villiers

A young woman with an unshakable faith in the Immaculate Conception awaits celestial instruction while living in a treehouse at the back of a friend's home. A failed artist whose deepest desires are only ever revealed to her in the dreams which she never remembers. A wise woman who lives in a red car. A domestic worker whose daily experience of atrocity forms the fabric of her life. And the King whose chest is home to a bird of paradies. These are some of the unforgettable characters in Willemien de Viller's new novel. Her delicate touch and sensual flair for storytelling is both thought-provoking and timely.

I read this very slowly. It's not a bad story, in fact it's beautifully written if you like interesting characters. But not so much of the plot ... many things are merely alluded to, even more aren't explained at all. It's just a nice meandering story about people's lives. Even nicer is that it's written and set in South Africa, which is always a little extra bonus, I think.