The Smell of Apples
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| Author | Mark Behr |
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| Country | South Africa |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Novel |
| Publisher | Queillerie (RSA), Abacus (UK) |
| Released | 1993 |
| Media Type | Print (Hardback & Paperback) |
| Pages | 200 |
| ISBN | 0 349 10756 4 |
The Smell of Apples is a 1993 debut novel by South African Mark Behr.
Mark Behr describes the Afrikaner mentality and in apartheid South Africa as seen through the eyes of a 10-year-old boy called Marnus. Marnus’ Dad is an Army General and Dad and Mum share the same prejudices.
The Smell of Apples won the M-Net Award and the Eugene Marais Prize and the Betty Trask Award in the United Kingdom
[edit] Plot summary
Marnus Erasmus a young boy growing up in racist South Africa. He is been taught to always tell the truth and consequently represents innocence. Yet his milieu has changed ( war between black and white approximates )he proceeded telling lies and altered. Marnus and his father have a very close relationship, go [skinny dipping] together in the sea, go fishing and share the shower cubicle at home. Marnus' best friend is Frikkie and he is always been scared of Marnus' Dad. The reason why Frikkie is afraid of Marnu's Dad is never explained until the end of the novel. During the course of the story a guest stays at Marnus's house. The guest is a general from Chile who Marnus suspects is flirting with his young sister. As the tale progresses, Marnus begins to spy on the general at night and believes he see's his sisters reflection in the general's mirror. Near the of the novel however, the reader is made aware that it is Marnus's father who is sexually abusing his best friend. The reason Frikkie is so afraid of Marnus's dad is because he is a victim of pedophilic child abuse. Despite knowing the truth, Frikkie keeps it to himself and never reveals what he knows to his mother. In the last pages of the novel, his sister tries to approach him about what is truly happening, but Marnus demands she leave his room.
