If You Want to Make God Laugh

A Novel

By: Bianca Marais

Narrated by: Bianca Amato, Katharine Lee McEwan, Bahni Turpin

Length: 12 hrs and 39 mins

Publisher's summary

From the author of the beloved Hum If You Don't Know the Words comes a rich, unforgettable story of three unique women in post-Apartheid South Africa who are brought together in their darkest time and discover the ways that love can transcend the strictest of boundaries.

In a squatter camp on the outskirts of Johannesburg, 17-year-old Zodwa lives in desperate poverty, under the shadowy threat of a civil war and a growing AIDS epidemic. Eight months pregnant, Zodwa carefully guards secrets that jeopardize her life. 

Across the country, wealthy socialite Ruth appears to have everything her heart desires, but it's what she can't have that leads to her breakdown. Meanwhile, in Zaire, a disgraced former nun, Delilah, grapples with a past that refuses to stay buried. When these personal crises send both middle-aged women back to their rural hometown to heal, the discovery of an abandoned newborn baby upends everything, challenging their lifelong beliefs about race, motherhood, and the power of the past. 

As the mystery surrounding the infant grows, the complicated lives of Zodwa, Ruth, and Delilah become inextricably linked. What follows is a mesmerizing look at family and identity that asks: How far will the human heart go to protect itself and the ones it loves?

©2019 Bianca Marais (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

"Lovely....Marais showcases her talent for pulling beauty from the pain of South African history with a strong story and wonderfully imperfect characters." (Publishers Weekly)

"A moving portrait of the choices women can make - and the ones we can't. Beautifully crafted and powerfully drawn, this book had me in tears." (Jill Santopolo, best-selling author of The Light We Lost and More Than Words)

"A story of three remarkable women at crossroads in their own lives against the backdrop of South Africa at the moment of stunning transformation that will keep you reading late into the night. Marais deftly completes a writer's hat trick, leaving you gutted, smiling through tears and soaring with hope." (Steven Rowley, best-selling author of Lily and the Octopus and The Editor) 

Well written, excellent audible! Worth the read!

I’ve never read anything by this author before, and only heard of it in another review for a different book. From the beginning, the author does an excellent job foreshadowing without giving away too much or making it predictable. She also does an excellent job of following thru with every story line and doesn’t leave any holes or dangling characters. The story itself is heartbreaking, yet full of hope. Maybe because I was adopted out of foster care, or because the characters are so relatable to my own life, I found them to be believable, and appreciated that the author made sure to look for good, even in tragedy. This is one of the best books I’ve read in the last 5 years. Interestingly enough, also very apropos for the climate of 2020.

So beautiful

This story warmed my heart. It dealt with racism, misogyny, and class. But it showed love is the cure.

LOVED IT!

It was the title that caught my eye and the sample that drew me in. Wonderful story full of loss, love and forgiveness. I was rootng for all of these ladies, but Ruth was my favorite. It's amazing how the power of love can transform.

A captivating, powerful novel

Three strong, yet vulnerable women, each with a painful past, come together in South Africa just as apartheid is ending. Each of these women is a survivor. “As women, we're told our worth and our value, and the many ways in which we fall short of others' expectations; we're told why we're whores and why society can't tolerate whores. We're reminded of the ways we dishonor the unwritten contract we didn't know we signed on the day of our birth: a contract in which we agreed to toe the line and know our place simply because we are the fairer sex.” The story is told from alternating points of view, “I’ve just come to realize more and more that if you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans. And I’ve never had more plans than I have now.”

A riveting, fast-moving, powerful novel, with an intriguing, story line and strong, well-developed characters. Marais does a tremendous job of intermingling their backstories, and their lives. The book's beautiful prose addresses many difficult issues including racism, homophobia, rape, and AIDS. A story of loss and sorry, yet full of love and heart and hope. A story that looks at what exactly it means to be a family.

This book captivated me. I loved everything about it, the characters and the storyline. It has been difficult for me to come up with a review for If You Want To Make God Laugh primarily because I’ve been dumbfounded by how much I loved the book. Bianca Marais may be my new favorite author (I’m looking forward to reading her previous book, Hum If You Don’t Know the Words). A strong 5 stars. A must read. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Beautiful, heartbreaking, inspirational

I couldn’t stop listening. As a South African living in America, it was a reminder of what life used to be like. The authenticity was incredible. The blend of truth and fiction so seamless that I was left wondering how many similar real life stories like this there could actually be. This author’s humor is also wonderful. Thank you for a beautiful, heartbreaking and inspirational story!

Great story. Fabulous narration. very emotional.

This book will make you laugh and cry. it is an emotional & enlightening read.

If you like Fredrick Backman - you'll love this.

I have a much longer blog post about thisbon my site htwearhers.com but I'd be remiss not to place this where and actual audience will see it. LOL

The richness of the story and the characters is surpassed only by the extraordinary writing. I'm a contemporary mystery/thriller girl. So for me to pick up and ADORE a book about three women from different walks of life struggling with the craziness that follows after Mandela is elected in South Africa says a lot. I thought the book was going to boringly politcal. I worried that it was set in a place I'd love to visit but have never been so maybe I wouldn't be able to connect with it fully. I was wrong on soooo many counts. I never do this, but I'm buying it now so that I can read it in print and underline the multitude of clever lines.

No, it's not too flowery, political, or hard to get into. you'll love the characters and be sad when the book ends even though she wraps it all up nicely for you.

this was so good!

narration was everything! kept me in entertained throughout the whole book. I was hit with a plot twist right at the end!

Such a good story with perfect narration

It took a few chapters to get into this book but then the story—with its twists and turns and the three terrific narrators—really picked up and held me captivated until the characters’ emotional conclusions.

Life As We Don’t Know It

Author Bianca Marais is an exceptionally descriptive storyteller. Her concise chapters leaves one wanting to know more and more and more and more. I smiled, chuckled, got insanely mad, disappointed, relieved ... my emotions ran the gamut. Can’t wait for her next book. Also, loved the varied narrators as they brought to life each character. Kudos!!!

Excellent Read

I loved each of the main characters story. Timeless Read. Must Read. Highly recommended. Thank You for writing this story.

Not impressed

I wish someone who could actually pronounce the names and words would read this because the story is very interesting, I found the accent slightly off-putting unfortunately perhaps because I know what it should sound like. Please audible employ authentic readers depending on the genre. sorry to be negative :(

Glad I read this

I really enjoyed listening to this book. I wasn't hugely excited by the title, expecting it to have a religious slant but I was pleasantly suprised. it was an intriguing story and I liked how it was set in a different time and place to what I know much about.
I found the narration generally good- I'm not South African so I can't really comment on whether it's authentic. However, I found the difference between Ruth and Delilah's accents to be off-putting. It seemed strange to give them completely different accents when they are supposed to be sisters.
I would recommend this book, it was insightful and enjoyable with a satisfying ending.

Beautiful

Absorbing sad informative hopeful loving. A really good listen and helped by hearing in local voices

Captivating

This book gripped me from the start. Well written, clever & real. South African classic.