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Dalene Matthee Bosboeke #3
Moerbeibos
Afrikaans
363 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1987
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553 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
February 3, 2013
The Mulberry Forest, or How the Government Ruined Everything Through Shortsightedness, Willful Ignorance and Obstructionism
I struggled with how to rate this book. Objectively, it’s more like a 3, but I did not enjoy it at all. So a 2 seems more honest, but keep in mind that you might like it better than I did.
(Note: this review is a tad spoilerish, although I’ve kept it vague.)
The Mulberry Forest is essentially a book about red tape; or, about how the colonial South African government’s bad policies, apathy and lack of accountability ruin the lives of its main characters. For that reason, I found it an unpleasant read; rather like spending several hours in a car with a driver who’s speeding in the wrong direction and pays no attention when you point out the problem.
The premise is this: the government moves several dozen Italian immigrants out to a remote forest clearing where they’re supposed to start a silk industry, promising them a "mulberry forest" which does not in fact exist; the government refuses to acknowledge or remedy the problem. The clearing is inhabited by Silas, the narrator, who’s upset about the situation because he’s obsessed with keeping his 17-year-old daughter away from male eyes. Silas is quickly drawn into being responsible for the immigrants (who have few practical skills beyond silk farming), because as much as he blusters, the other characters pretty much walk all over him.
And his story is an incredibly frustrating one to read, because like the immigrants, he is forever getting screwed (for lack of a better word). He tries to talk sense into government agents, and fails; he falls for false promises; he allows people to alternately threaten him into submission when he challenges them and wheedle favors out of him when it’s convenient for them; he works hard but it never comes to anything. At one point Silas likens a local official to “a blooming blowfly against a window pane, buzzing and buzzing and getting nowhere”--that’s this book (and Silas's role in it) in a nutshell. And there’s never even any payoff; it’s “red tape ruins everything” from beginning to end.
On a more literary level, it’s not necessarily a bad book, although it’s a predictable one once you realize nothing is ever going to go right. The principals’ characterization is decent, and Silas’s voice seems appropriate to his character. His daughter, Miriam, is interesting and Matthee does a good job of building her character arc despite the fact that she and Silas communicate poorly. None of the Italians get much characterization, though; it’s always difficult to build a complex character who can’t speak the story’s language, and Matthee doesn’t really try; the Italians are seen mostly as a group, with several of them serving as secondary characters of roughly equal importance. As for the government agents, while realistic enough (colonial governments, in particular, are not exactly known for their efficiency or responsiveness to the local population), there’s no real insight into why they’re so obnoxious.
The plot moves at a reasonable pace, the writing and dialogue are decent and the sense of place is pretty good. But I would strongly recommend another of Matthee’s works, Fiela s Child, over this one; the characterization is stronger and the sense of place seemed better (admittedly, perhaps because I read that one first), and the story is not so depressing. While The Mulberry Forest relentlessly condemns the bureaucracy, Fiela’s Child has room for other themes--family, identity, and a more in-depth look at life in the late-19th-century Knysna rainforest. My dislike of this one has a lot to do with my own reading quirks, but it’s not a book I’d recommend to anyone.
I struggled with how to rate this book. Objectively, it’s more like a 3, but I did not enjoy it at all. So a 2 seems more honest, but keep in mind that you might like it better than I did.
(Note: this review is a tad spoilerish, although I’ve kept it vague.)
The Mulberry Forest is essentially a book about red tape; or, about how the colonial South African government’s bad policies, apathy and lack of accountability ruin the lives of its main characters. For that reason, I found it an unpleasant read; rather like spending several hours in a car with a driver who’s speeding in the wrong direction and pays no attention when you point out the problem.
The premise is this: the government moves several dozen Italian immigrants out to a remote forest clearing where they’re supposed to start a silk industry, promising them a "mulberry forest" which does not in fact exist; the government refuses to acknowledge or remedy the problem. The clearing is inhabited by Silas, the narrator, who’s upset about the situation because he’s obsessed with keeping his 17-year-old daughter away from male eyes. Silas is quickly drawn into being responsible for the immigrants (who have few practical skills beyond silk farming), because as much as he blusters, the other characters pretty much walk all over him.
And his story is an incredibly frustrating one to read, because like the immigrants, he is forever getting screwed (for lack of a better word). He tries to talk sense into government agents, and fails; he falls for false promises; he allows people to alternately threaten him into submission when he challenges them and wheedle favors out of him when it’s convenient for them; he works hard but it never comes to anything. At one point Silas likens a local official to “a blooming blowfly against a window pane, buzzing and buzzing and getting nowhere”--that’s this book (and Silas's role in it) in a nutshell. And there’s never even any payoff; it’s “red tape ruins everything” from beginning to end.
On a more literary level, it’s not necessarily a bad book, although it’s a predictable one once you realize nothing is ever going to go right. The principals’ characterization is decent, and Silas’s voice seems appropriate to his character. His daughter, Miriam, is interesting and Matthee does a good job of building her character arc despite the fact that she and Silas communicate poorly. None of the Italians get much characterization, though; it’s always difficult to build a complex character who can’t speak the story’s language, and Matthee doesn’t really try; the Italians are seen mostly as a group, with several of them serving as secondary characters of roughly equal importance. As for the government agents, while realistic enough (colonial governments, in particular, are not exactly known for their efficiency or responsiveness to the local population), there’s no real insight into why they’re so obnoxious.
The plot moves at a reasonable pace, the writing and dialogue are decent and the sense of place is pretty good. But I would strongly recommend another of Matthee’s works, Fiela s Child, over this one; the characterization is stronger and the sense of place seemed better (admittedly, perhaps because I read that one first), and the story is not so depressing. While The Mulberry Forest relentlessly condemns the bureaucracy, Fiela’s Child has room for other themes--family, identity, and a more in-depth look at life in the late-19th-century Knysna rainforest. My dislike of this one has a lot to do with my own reading quirks, but it’s not a book I’d recommend to anyone.
January 24, 2013
Dalene stel die Knysnabos se misterie bloot in die Bos-trilogie wat 'n verryking vir die geskiedenis van Suid-Afrika word. 'n Stukkie hartroerende geskiedenis in verhaalvorm met 'n sterk storielyn en ewe sterk karakters.
July 30, 2023
An intriguing picture of a resilient group of Italians who came to live in uncharted forests of Knysna South Africa.
October 2, 2025
I read Mathee's other Knysna forest novels about two decades ago and it was a delight to reacquaint myself with her writing after I stumbled upon this at a second-hand bookstore. It is simply a magical and lyrical read which provides insight into an interesting little chapter in South African history - and how people react when they are suddenly confronted with big, dangerous animals ...
January 7, 2011
Silas Miggel had lived on the Kynsna Highland with his daughter Miriam for fifteen years in relative isolation. One day five sleds came through the clearing bringing a group of 33 Italian immigrants lured there to develop a silkworm industry in a mulberry forest (that doesn't exist). Silas ends up getting drawn into the process of caring for the Italians and their interpreter in exchange for dwelling rights on the property as the Crown is taking over more and more of the forest. As if caring for the Italians isn't enough of a concern for him, he is very protective of his beautiful daughter, wanting her to have no contact with men. It seems that Miram's mother and grandmother each died during childbirth and Silas doesn't want the same fate to befall Miriam.
This is the third book I've read by Matthee and I've thoroughly enjoyed each one. The descriptions make me feel like I know the forest and the people. Character names are mentioned in this book that I recognize from each of the other books which is fun.
This is the third book I've read by Matthee and I've thoroughly enjoyed each one. The descriptions make me feel like I know the forest and the people. Character names are mentioned in this book that I recognize from each of the other books which is fun.
February 23, 2012
Dalene Matthee is a South-African novelist who has written four novels about the people who live in the Knysna rain forest. This is the second that I have read, and apparently all four have some historical background. This novel is told by Silas Miggel, a widowed woodcutter who lives in the forest with his daughter Miriam. In 1881, a group of Italian silkworm farmers arrived in Knysna under the impression that there was a forest of mulberry trees growing there and that they could successfully raise silkworms. Silas wanted nothing to do with these people, but they were tented near his home, and little by little he found himself caring for them, and caring about them. The people hoped to return to Italy but were wound up in a lot of bureaucratic red tape and only a few actually left the area. Matthee writes well and I am anxious to read the other two books about these forest dwellers.
February 13, 2014
Silas Miggel is inwoner en self-aangestelde bewaarder van die Platrand. Hier, is sy dogter, die beeldskone Mirjam, veilig weggesteek van al wat ‘n potensiele minnaar is – of so hoop hy. Juis daarom is hy meer as net bekommerd toe daar op ‘n dag ‘n span waens met ‘n stuk of twinting Italianers daar opdaag om ‘n sywurmboerdery in Knysna te vestig. Maand na maand baklei en swoeg Silas Miggel om ‘n stukkie grond terug te kry vir homself en Mirjam. Gaan hy hierdie stryd wen? En wat gaan hy moet prysgee in sy soeke na oorwinning?
‘n Uitgerekte, tog boeiende verhaal wat mens aangryp, veral omdat hierdie gebasseer is op historiese gebeure. Hierdie storie word vertel sonder voorgee of aansit, met plat-op-die-aarde en soms gekruide taal. Die dwaasheid van die mensdom kom weereens na vore in hierdie realistiese vertelling van Dalene Matthee en los mens talle male verslae en bedroef.
‘n Uitgerekte, tog boeiende verhaal wat mens aangryp, veral omdat hierdie gebasseer is op historiese gebeure. Hierdie storie word vertel sonder voorgee of aansit, met plat-op-die-aarde en soms gekruide taal. Die dwaasheid van die mensdom kom weereens na vore in hierdie realistiese vertelling van Dalene Matthee en los mens talle male verslae en bedroef.
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September 19, 2009Excellent as usual.
Read
August 8, 2019I am becoming such a fan. Biggest incentive to learn Afrikaans would be to read her work in the original.
October 29, 2025
quick enjoyable read...so THIS is how the Mangiagalli's and co. made it to South Africa!!!
October 5, 2012
Brilliant. Afrikaans literature at its best!
March 14, 2013
Amazing,reading her writing in Afrikaans is a truly beautiiful experience
January 25, 2014
Baie lekker rustige lees-boek met 'n hele paar onderliggende lesse
July 11, 2018
Hierdie is my gunsteling van al Matthee se "bos-boeke".
February 1, 2024
To start this review honestly I don't entirley know how I felt about this book the only thing I know is I was let down. On one hand the book was written quite well and as I expected the author used South African slang and phrases numerous times throughout the book. However, I was disappointed, I expected the book would take place over a larger time period and would have had more focus on the voortrekkers. The book seemingly only focused on the failures and shortcomings caused by the British government and not any of the successes or families that would come out of it rich and famous. I could predict nearly the entire book, that being everything goes wrong at the worst possible moment and Silas is the one that pays for it, while also trying to fix the fault. For as famous as Dalene Matthee is in South Africa I was shocked that this was praised as highly as it was. The only recommendation I have for a book is Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari, an extremly well written book that will not diassapoint, unlike The Mulberry Forest.
September 13, 2024
Dit is een door en door triest boek. Het speelt aan het eind van de 19e eeuw in Zuid-Afrika. Een groep italianen arriveert in het bos omdat hun verteld was dat daar een moerbeibos was. Dat hadden ze nodig om zijderupsen te kweken.
Voor hun wordt het leven zwaar en ook voor de hoofdpersoon Silas en zijn dochter, die al op dezelfde plek wonen. Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit het oogpunt van Silas, die zijn best doet het bestaan van zichzelf en zijn dochter in het bos te redden en de italianen te helpen.
Voor hun wordt het leven zwaar en ook voor de hoofdpersoon Silas en zijn dochter, die al op dezelfde plek wonen. Het verhaal wordt verteld vanuit het oogpunt van Silas, die zijn best doet het bestaan van zichzelf en zijn dochter in het bos te redden en de italianen te helpen.
May 13, 2024
Van Matthee se vier bosboeke was hierdie een nie my gunstelling nie. Dis wel soos gewoonlik pragtig geskryf maar die storie het vir my bietjie gedwaal en gevoel asof dit nie by 'n punt uitkom nie. Ek dink dit is wel 'n pragtige beskrywing en insig oor die menslike gees en waar 'n mens die krag vind om voort te gaan.
November 27, 2024
Silas Miggel (van Huysteen) stry verbete teen die goewermentswiel en probeer terselfdertyd sy dogter veilig hou, maar in altwee is dit 'n verlore stryd.
Dalene Matthee se navorsing oor die boslewe is so noukeurig gedoen, dit skep 'n fyn prentjie van die lewe van die boswerkers in die Knysnabos van die 1880s.
Dalene Matthee se navorsing oor die boslewe is so noukeurig gedoen, dit skep 'n fyn prentjie van die lewe van die boswerkers in die Knysnabos van die 1880s.
March 16, 2021
A tale of self-interest turned to goodwill, without mercy. Extremely well written and part of a storyteller’s repertoire that cements her legacy of heartfelt stories, still applicable today. The characters develop, yet a leopard never changes his spots.
March 6, 2022
Nie so goed soos van haar vorige Bos boeke nie, maar tog n boeiende verhaal in eie reg.
July 19, 2024
Mooi tweede deel in deze reeks. Zeer speciale stijl dus even tijd nodig om in het boek te komen maar het is zeker de moeite om vol te houden. Naar mijn mening eerder geschikt voor ervaren lezers.
September 22, 2024
Dalene matthee skryf altyd so dat dit maklik lees uitstekende boek Sillas laat jou dankbaar wees vir die onreg wat jou aangedoen word en die boek is nie voorspelbaar nie great boek
December 30, 2020
Puik!
Dalene Matthee se boeke is ‘n taalskat wat beslis op almal se leeslys moet wees. Moerbeibos is die tipe boek wat jy nie te vinnig wil klaar lees nie, sodat die lekker langer kan aanhou.
Dalene Matthee se boeke is ‘n taalskat wat beslis op almal se leeslys moet wees. Moerbeibos is die tipe boek wat jy nie te vinnig wil klaar lees nie, sodat die lekker langer kan aanhou.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews