The Breaker by Kit Denton

I had heard of Breaker Morant as a historical figure before I read this book; I knew that he had something to do with the Boer War and that there was a movie about him. I also knew that The Breaker was an Aussie classic and so I thought that I would read it, although I admit that buy the time I read this book I was feeling a little over Australin literature having read so many classic Australian novels recently.

It was a very interesting book though; easy to read and very enjoyable. It follows the story of 'Breaker' Morant. The book starts at the beginning of his new life as a worker in outback in Australia, where he makes friends with Paddy whom he works with for a few years to come. Eventually, with the outbreak of war, he decides to join the army and go to South Africa to fight the Boer on behalf of England. He feels compelled to do so because of his family history with the armed forces and the time he previously spent in the military in England before he was disgraced and came to Australia to escape his humiliation. The book then follows Morant throughout his war participation and eventually the trial that sees him and some of his fellows executed at the end of the book.

Breaker Morant is an interesting character as depicted in this fictionalisation of him. He is so stubborn and internal. Sometimes I had trouble understanding him, although I think that this difficulty came down to difference in time and sex. Im sure if I were a male from that time I would understand him completely, but to me sometimes he just felt like a bit whimp, someone who ran away from his troubles and then made life more difficult for himself than it needed to be through pride.

It as also a valuable history lesson. I have no trouble believing that Breaker Morant did nothing differently to how other soldiers behaved during the war. He and his fellows simply became the scapegoats for an English government that realised the war was not going well and needed something to distract the public from their failures. Breaker Morant and the others were this distraction, and they paid for it with their lives.

It was definitely a good read, particularly if you liek historical fiction and you want to make more of an effort to read Australian literary works. Still, it wasn't the mostgripping read, but I would recommend it nonetheless.

Star Rating

5 / 8

Good and worth reading if you have the opportunity, but there's no need to prioritise it.

Originally posted 22 November 2009 Page Turners