Brave beginning in Dunedin

Press, 17 April 1982, Page 16

Brave beginning in Dunedin

The Broken Tree. By Elspeth Sandys. Hutchinson, 1981. 386 pp. $15.95. (Reviewed by Hugh Priest)

In structure, this is an historical novel. It begins in early nineteenth-century Scotland and moves, with the hero, to the founding of Dunedin in New Zealand. Young John MacLaine becomes disillusioned with Scotland, abandons his girlfriend, refuses the offer of a university job, and joins a -group of “Wee Free” emigrants headed for Dunedin. By this account the leaders of the group range from very intolerant religious fanatics to extremely intolerant religious fanatics. Perhaps a shade overdrawn? The hero being strong on tolerance and liberty, there is continual friction between himself and the leaders, particularly while all are closely confined in a small sailing ship. This- first part of the book is especially well done, with the rigours, hazards and inevitable tensions of shipboard life vividly brought home to the reader. The next part of the book deals with the gradual development of Dunedin and our hero. The author, an expatriate Kiwi who was born and brought up in Dunedin, writes with skill and loving care about life in early Dunedin and the country round about.

The book tries to be many different kinds of book. The historical, adventure,

romantic and Horatio Alger components go well. enough together. However, the attempted dissection of a marital relationship and the exploration Of MaoriEuropean relationships, do not fit in so well. Nevertheless, all goes fairly well until near the end. Then there is a sudden, and very obvious, change of pace and style. It is as if the author got fed up with writing and decided to finish it off in a hurry. All loose ends are hastily and sometimes quite unbelievably swept under the rug. The villains get their comeuppance and everyone else lives happily ever after. Despite this, it is still a worthwhile book for a New Zealander to read.

There is one glaring fault which one presumes has nothing to do with the author — the person who wrote the blurb on the dustjacket had not read the book. The dustjacket refers to “the death from despair of his father.” In the book he is shot by soldiers and dies of musket balls. Again, the dustjacket tells us that the hero’s sweetheart “. . . has rejected one proposal of marriage already.” In the book he was too shy and confused to ask her. And so on. Such carelessness is inexcusable. The blurb finishes: “With this book Elspeth Sandys truly emerges as a major historical novelist.” One more proof that they hadn’t read it. It is a brave beginning, no more.