From a Far and Lovely Country is the latest instalment in Alexander McCall Smith’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels. After a long absence from the series, I looked forward to immersing myself once again in the delightful world of lead detective Mma Precious Ramotswe and her friends.
Initially, this was not easy, for wandering from the topic at hand is part of the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency experience, and this novel especially is laden with asides, tangents, and assorted departures from the plot. Once I had settled into the style and accepted that a simple question or observation might, several pages later, wind to an unrelated conclusion after consideration of many topics, I began to enjoy the meanderings and smile over the endless changes in direction – these became part of the book’s appeal. The extensive ramblings at the beginning set the tone for the novel, and there is a feeling that life takes its course, that something often is true simply because “that is well-known.”
I am not in a position to comment on cultural accuracy, but it is clear that the author, who lived his formative years in neighbouring Zimbabwe, loves the people and places in his Botswana setting. The endless asides, tangents, and conversations unfold with humour, but never with ridicule. At times, too, a sense of poignancy and yearning for the land permeates the writing: “They stood in silence, each lost in the thoughts that come to us when we look upon a place we love or are ready to love. Then the sound of cattle bells drifted from below…. It was the sound that all those raised in Botswana had imprinted upon their hearts: the anthem of the land, the notes of the country.” (140) He does not idealize the people or the land, and the shortcomings in the characters are not hidden, but there is always this sense of appreciation for all that is.
Our central character, Mma Ramotswe, has a well-developed sense of fairness and an acceptance that people are usually doing the best they can do. She has a pragmatic, small-town practicality and is an astute observer of life. Although she has a simple outlook, she is not naïve or gullible. She studies all aspects of a situation and weighs the evidence, not clinically perhaps, but with a depth of wisdom. There is warmth and charm in the author’s presentation of her character, and gentle humour in her observations on life and living: “If there were a Talking Olympics, then America and Botswana would both get gold medals, she imagined.” (51) There is also her brand of feminist logic: “There were occasions when it was best not to try to tell men what to do. Half the time they never listened to you, and the other half they did the opposite of what you said.” (54) That said, she appreciates the goodness in her husband, and he is devoted to her.
Her assistant Mma Makutsi appears, on the surface, to be a critical and judgmental character. There is in her, however, a rich warmth and loyalty to those she loves. It is her great joy to prepare a surprise to celebrate Mma Ramotswe’s birthday, and her passionate exaggerations, as we get to know her, bring a chuckle. She has set opinions on her old classmate, who now runs a nightclub: “I remember thinking if God is planning to strike anybody down with lightning, then this woman must be at the top of his list.” And later: “We need to stop that famous husband stealer from causing emotional havoc on an industrial scale. Yes, on an industrial scale.” (154) These are but small examples. One would not want to be on the bad side of Mma Makutsi, but she is a marvellous character.
Mma Ramotswe’s cases might not appeal to some detective mystery devotees, for they are hardly thrilling; they lack suspense and dramatic tension. In one case, an American visitor wants to locate the family of her grandmother’s dear friend, the one who stood by her and came with her to North America. She wants to share his story, and perhaps articulate her place in it. Another case emerges when a mother wants the legal but immoral Cool Singles Evening Club investigated and shut down following her daughter’s disastrous experience. (It seems that the male “cool singles” are married men pursuing unattached young women.) These situations lack the danger and tension of detective fiction, but they are perhaps more true to life. And to each case, Mma Ramotswe brings her warmth and compassion.
The cases themselves do not even appear to be central to the novel, with the emphasis on the aftermath after a brief investigation. Central to the plot, though, and woven throughout it from the first page to the last, through all the conversations and encounters and discoveries about life, from Mma Ramotswe anticipating her birthday with delight to Mma Makutsi with humble triumph presenting her amended birthday gift, is friendship and kindness –celebrated in warm conversation over Red Bush tea with, hopefully, a slice of fruit cake. And that, after all, is what the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is all about.
The novel does lack dramatic tension, a fast-paced plot, characters bold and sinister, graphic details, and the assorted features of a detective novel. However, for human interest, characters that bring a smile of appreciation (with an occasional sigh of frustration), gentle wisdom, and the riches of true friendship, this novel is a fine choice. That, after all, is “well-known.”
ALEXANDER McCALL SMITH is the author of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency novels and of several other series and standalone books. His works have been translated into more than forty languages and have been bestsellers throughout the world. He lives in Scotland.
- Publisher : Knopf Canada (Oct. 31 2023)
- Language : English
- Hardcover : 256 pages
- ISBN-10 : 1039004415
- ISBN-13 : 978-1039004412
- Anne Smith-Nochasakhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/annesn/
- Anne Smith-Nochasakhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/annesn/
- Anne Smith-Nochasakhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/annesn/
- Anne Smith-Nochasakhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/annesn/
- Anne Smith-Nochasakhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/annesn/
- Anne Smith-Nochasakhttps://miramichireader.ca/author/annesn/
