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 | 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 is a young boy growing up in racist South Africa. He has been taught to always tell the truth and consequently represents innocence. 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 Marnus's Dad is not explained until the end of the novel.
A guest comes to stay at Marnus' house. He is a general from Chile who Marnus suspects is flirting with his sister. Marnus begins to spy on the general at night and, looking through a crack in the flooring in his upstairs bedroom, believes he sees his sister's reflection in the general's mirror. Marnus’ world is shattered, however, when he discovers that it is his Dad, not the general, and he is actually watching his Dad sodomising Frikkie. 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.
The book shows up the hypocrisy in both the political world and in family relationships and describes how a loving father and national hero can harbour secret paedophile desires.
In a parallel plot line Marnus is a lieutenant in the army and fights in the Angolan war.
