Picking up the Pieces

About this book

Picking up the Pieces by Maliya Mzyece Sililo is a novel about a young couple who discover that they are living with HIV/AIDS and must confront what the diagnosis means for their relationship, identity and future. The story follows their emotional struggle as they process the news, learn to live positively and eventually use their experience to support others facing similar circumstances. Rather than reducing HIV/AIDS to illness alone, the novel explores fear, acceptance, partnership, resilience and the human need for dignity in the face of life-changing information. Sililo's writing often draws on African social realities and uses storytelling to engage with difficult issues in an accessible way. Picking up the Pieces is relevant to adult readers, students, discussion groups and educators interested in fiction that addresses health, stigma and resilience. The novel was first published in 2003 and remains a social-issue story centred on recovery, responsibility and hope.