Lesley Caves

Lay Down Your Heart Lesley Caves

Set in racially and politically charged Zimbabwe, Lay Down Your Heart is a richly textured, emotionally honest story of one woman?s struggle for love and belonging in a world spiraling out of control. Constance, a Canadian woman, comes to a hopeful, newly independent Zimbabwe and finds herself teaching at a rural school. She is drawn to Moses, a charismatic former freedom fighter who is now a member of the government. However, as the divisions within the country begin to widen, and the realities of the Aids epidemic, poverty and political violence become starkly obvious, Constance is forced to acknowledge the paradoxes that surround her. This tale is a vivid, nuanced portrait of the beauty and sadness of Zimbabwe. We hold our breath as we watch Constance struggle to accept that beauty and sadness and in doing so, become part of the larger struggle.