Governor Of The Northern Province (2006) - Plot & Excerpts
Governor of the Northern Province is an interesting piece of Canadian literature. Upon first glance, you might be tempted to even call it anti-Canadian, with its frequent jabs at small town Canada and our political nature. These jabs hurt because like most satire, there's a grain of truth wrapped in every one. I've personal known people like those Boyagoda describes in his book. These are caricatures but they still have roots in reality. The story focuses on the parallel political careers of an African warlord named Bokarie and a young Canadian girl Jennifer. Both grow up in radically different countries yet experience some similar situations. Early defeats, discouragement, and the desire to overcome their place in society and become something more. When Bokarie secretly enters Canada to start a new life these two meet, each deciding to use the other for their own personal gain. This is where the book shines. The story alternating from the different perspectives, each character thinking they're controlling the other while making their own plans for political success. There's a lot of humour, and Boyagoda doesn't shy away from some uncomfortable topics. He is also not shy about pointing out Canadian hypocrisies regarding our politics. Our reflexive superiority over the Americans, the political apathy of the electorate, there's a lot of material that might rattle some readers who don't want to hear what the author is laying down. Still it's a very unique novel that sets itself apart from other Canadian books through its brash attitude and merciless social critique.
What do You think about Governor Of The Northern Province (2006)?
