Marcia Ramodike, second-year
law student and author of From
an Empty Price to a Full Price.
Photo: Leroy Seeletse

“It is about giving back to your family and never giving up.” This is how Marcia Ramodike, a second-year Law student, describes her book From an Empty Price to a Full Price. It is a gripping African story teaching us about gratitude.

A graduate through hope and hard work

It took the Kovsie four years to finish the book, even through difficult times such as the death of her mother.

Inspired by stories of unexpected life changes after graduation, Marcia tells the story of an impoverished black female graduate, Nthathi, who turns against everything she hoped and worked so hard for.

The sacrifices of a young woman

When Nthathi graduated with ten distinctions, her mother burst into tears of joy, since she had raised her single-handedly through daunting conditions. After two months of struggling to find a job, Nthathi (with money from a loan shark) heads for Pretoria where she gets run over by the car of a man she thought was her future husband.

She then sacrifices her family to a traditional healer for this man, but regrets it afterwards. Only later she realises that he is a monster. In light of all these events, she gets hit by a stroke.