2023/056: Savage Beasts — Rani Selvarajah

2023/056: Savage Beasts — Rani Selvarajah

"...Jans is always hungry. Not as much as Frederick here ..."
"'Jans'? Why have you given them such strange names?" Meena asked as she stroked the boar behind its ears. He turned his head and nestled his face in her hand.
"They're Dutch names. They're the names of the former occupiers of this place," said Kiran.
"You named the boars after the Dutchmen who lived here?"
Kiran chuckled. "Something like that..." [loc. 2299]

A retelling of the story of Medea and Jason, transposed to seventeenth-century India and, later, South Africa and England. Meena is the daughter of the Nawab of Bengal. She lives in luxury and privilege, but is made miserable by her abusive brother. One day, sneaking out to the docks, she encounters James Chilcott, nephew of Sir Peter Chilcott of the East India Company. James tells Meena he has been sent to infiltrate the palace but has decided to betray his uncle's cruel plans. Will Meena help him? ( Read more... )