THE ENGLISH MAJOR’S DAUGHTER

Compelling novel yet fails to reach the potential of its predecessor. (Review by Caroline Smart)

Rubendra Govender’s new novel, The English Major’s Daughter follows his highly successful Sugar Cane Boy which was published in 2008 and has sold over 5,500 copies.

In Sugar Cane Boy, Govender draws on his upbringing in a pioneer Indian sugar cane farming family and tells the tale of two youngsters who rise from humble beginnings to positions of high importance. It tells of a way of life about which many people know very little and provides an invaluable insight into a particular community. It is now prescribed as an English setwork for grades 8, 9 and 10 in several KZN schools.

The English Major’s Daughter was inspired by a chance meeting with an expatriate English couple at an exclusive golf resort on the KZN south coast. Sadly, for me, it does not follow the potential created by Govender’s first novel.

He describes the family as “dysfunctional”. This is putting it mildly. Major Ronald Parker-Swann, is a tough-nut British Army Intelligence Officer. He is an overbearing autocratic father who is both mentally and physically abusive. He also has murderous tendencies.

Marjorie, his alcoholic wife is defiantly loyal to her husband, despite the way he treats her, because he shares her life-altering secret.

Their clever beautiful 14 year-old daughter Caroline survives in this unpleasant atmosphere until the family moves from Kenya to Bazley Beach on the KZN South Coast. Here she finds solace in the form of a sympathetic music teacher who opens up the world of piano music to her. The teacher also connects Caroline to a top model agent who starts the girl off on a successful modelling career.

Set in 1992, it’s a compelling story and presumably one that is based on fact. However, the plot and characters’ actions sometimes transcend logic or overstate the obvious. I would have liked Govender to have been less specific with speech and moods, allowing his readers to exercise their own imaginations. “Less is always more” is a good dictum to follow

The book is dedicated to all victims of abuse and if it changes certain mindsets through its narrative, it will have achieved its goal.

The English Major’s Daughter is published by Bambata Publishing and retails at R125. It is available at local branches of Exclusive Books Stores and Adams Books in Musgrave Centre. ISBN 9781920546144. – Caroline Smart