Episode 67 - CHILDREN OF SUGARCANE

 Joanne Joseph has written a brilliant work of historical
fiction, Children of Sugarcane, and so I invited her back to In
The Ring for a book interview. I simply had to engage the
thematic range of this very exciting new book that everyone
should buy and read.

In this novel, we journey with an indentured labourer, Shanti,
and through her arrival in Port Natal, and the stories that
unfold, we get a close account of the myriad ways in which the
violence of Empire impacted the lives of those oppressed by the
British. 

The deceptively easy style and accessibility of this novel belies
important complexities beneath the racy plot. From an examination
of the sheer physical violence meted out by overseers subjugating
and violating 'subjects', to a more subtle feminist critique of
gender relations within the Indian community, to complex
meditation  on the very idea of 'home', and much more in
between across law, politics and society, this book will no doubt
travel well across place and time, and find audiences
everywhere. 

It was a joy to engage Joanne by stepping back from the detail of
the plot, and having a conversation located inside the major
themes that inspire  the novelist to produce this very
important work. 

Enjoy