How far does
a woman go in trying to protect her reputation, her integrity, her status? Does
it depend on the woman in question? Would a 'fallen woman' or 'lady of the
night' be so absorbed in a quest for same dignity?
But what if the woman has it all and tends to lose everything if exposed? To what lengths might she go to protect herself? ... So let us assume here that the woman in question has some breeding, poise, stability and security.
The situation can be compounded when the pertinent woman is a looker, attractive, amiable and charismatic to boot. In such situations the man/men in their lives (or even those investigating them!) tend to be dim, slow in the uptake, enamoured - such are the beguiling charms of certain women
Femme fatale? Apparently so. It has been so for eons of time. Interestingly, some pundits reckon that the author here, O. Bolaji, was somewhat influenced in his youth by writers like Peter Cheyney, James Hadley Chase, Mickey Spillane, even Ellery Queen. In many of the works of these writers, it is not unusual for femme fatale not only to take people for a ride, but wreak havoc.
Such is the case in this book, this mystery story - Tebogo and the Haka. We know that Tebogo the African sleuth has never been immune to the charms of lovely women, and here his weakness in this wise is patently laid bare...
- R. Mokoena
But what if the woman has it all and tends to lose everything if exposed? To what lengths might she go to protect herself? ... So let us assume here that the woman in question has some breeding, poise, stability and security.
The situation can be compounded when the pertinent woman is a looker, attractive, amiable and charismatic to boot. In such situations the man/men in their lives (or even those investigating them!) tend to be dim, slow in the uptake, enamoured - such are the beguiling charms of certain women
Femme fatale? Apparently so. It has been so for eons of time. Interestingly, some pundits reckon that the author here, O. Bolaji, was somewhat influenced in his youth by writers like Peter Cheyney, James Hadley Chase, Mickey Spillane, even Ellery Queen. In many of the works of these writers, it is not unusual for femme fatale not only to take people for a ride, but wreak havoc.
Such is the case in this book, this mystery story - Tebogo and the Haka. We know that Tebogo the African sleuth has never been immune to the charms of lovely women, and here his weakness in this wise is patently laid bare...
- R. Mokoena
Interesting perspective here, Mr Mokoena. Thanks
ReplyDeleteKe a leboha...
ReplyDeleteI think I once reviewed this work briefly elsewhere too. This was the 5th in the Tebogo Mystery series, based in Ladybrand. The lady, Lorna, in the book was quite interesting, I remember
ReplyDeleteSorry, I meant the lady, Charlotte. Charlotte is the woman Tebogo was rather fascinated with in Tebogo and the haka. Lorna was the main lady antagonist in the book, Tebogo's spot of bother.
ReplyDeleteNo need to be embarrassed Mr Ozogula. It is easy to get a bit confused since Bolaji has written so many Tebogo adventures, and all of them have interesting female characters, sometimes as much as , 4 in just one adventure . The one that easily sticks in my own mind is the female character, Debbie, in Tebogo and the pantophagist… mainly because it was just one major female in the work?
ReplyDeleteGenerally, one can add here: One has to admire writers for their pure creative imagination. The titles of many of Bolaji’s books bear testimony to this. In the case of this work, Tebogo and the Haka, Bolaji’s fascination with Rugby and the All Blacks Haka performance resulted in this work. And those who have seen the Haka performed, not only in rugby but generally will tend to be impressed!
ReplyDeleteWomen and their powers … natural attraction and allure. We have examples of this in African literature too. Perhaps the most famous is Jagua Nana (about a prostitute) written by Cyprian Ekwensi. But there is also Elechi Amadi’s The Concubine, where many men find a lovely village lady irresistible
ReplyDelete