First of December
South Africa

First of December

by Karen Jennings

Freedom & Resistance Historical Fiction 2026

Summary

Set during the final week before the emancipation of enslaved people in South Africa, First of December follows three individuals whose lives intersect on the eve of a historic turning point. Caroline Kendrick, an English bride living in the Cape Colony, finds herself trapped in an unhappy marriage and a place she despises. Her husband, James, is determined to build a successful future and restore his fortunes through an ambitious banking venture, even as his relationship with Caroline deteriorates. Meanwhile, an unnamed enslaved woman, devastated by the loss of her stillborn child, escapes and travels along the coast toward Cape Town, desperate to reunite with her lover before freedom is declared.

As their journeys unfold, the characters confront loneliness, ambition, desperation, and the brutal inequalities of colonial society. Their personal struggles take place against the historical reality of emancipation, which formally took effect in the Cape Colony on 1 December 1838, following a period of compulsory apprenticeship for formerly enslaved people.

With restrained prose and profound psychological insight, Jennings explores the distance between legal freedom and lived experience. The novel examines how historical change transforms individual lives while exposing the enduring power imbalances embedded in society.

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Country
South Africa
Africa
About the author
Karen Jennings
Karen Jennings

Karen Jennings is a South African novelist, poet, and short-story writer born in Cape Town in 1982. She holds master’s degrees in English literature and creative writing from the University of Cape Town, as well as a PhD in creative writing from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. Her work frequently explores colonialism, historical memory, social inequality, and the overlooked lives of ordinary people. Jennings made her literary debut with Finding Soutbek (2012), which was shortlisted for the inaugural Etisalat Prize for Literature. Her other works include the short-story collection Away from the Dead (2014), the memoir Travels with My Father (2016), and the poetry collection Space Inhabited by Echoes (2018). Her novel An Island (2020) was longlisted for the Booker Prize in 2021 and won the K. Sello Duiker Memorial Award. Her novel Crooked Seeds (2024) was longlisted for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2025. In First of December (2026), Jennings turns to the history of slavery and emancipation in the Cape Colony, examining how the forces of history shape intimate human lives. She has also supported emerging African writers through mentorship initiatives and founded The Island Prize, which helps unpublished African authors reach international readers.

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Details
Published
2026
Author
Karen Jennings