Mine

MINE
James Russell
Dragon Brothers Books

REVIEWED BY JESSIE NEILSON

Though the premise of Auckland writer (and keen surfer) James Russell's Mine sounds far-fetched, this is a surprisingly addictive and highly enjoyable foray into island life and a culture removed from the rest of the world. Self-published, the product itself is packaged attractively and is so readable that one could complete it in a single indulgent sitting.

Jimmy is in his mid-20s, living in Queensland, working as a tiler while he sorts out what he wants to do with his life. His home situation is increasingly dismal. When a relationship collapses, he heads off first to Bali, and then onwards to, of all places, the Andaman Islands. His passion is surfing, and what he cannot abide is beaches clogged with packs of fellow Australian surfers, or ‘‘expat goons’’,  hogging the good spots. In the Andamans lies the chance of isolation and of reaching new personal records in the lush, exotic waters, with great new waves that he can name for himself.

In the capital of Port Blair, Jimmy meets a local fisherman whose offer is wholly enticing. He and his son will take Jimmy to an unbeatable location, and there will be no one else competing. The catch is that it is in the disturbing vicinity of North Sentinel Island, the home to a tribe of people living in a separate microcosm with their own, as yet undocumented language. The fisherman warns him to keep his distance, but fate has it otherwise.

Most of the action takes place on North Sentinel, and in first person, Jimmy narrates happenings and his evidently dire emotional state. He is an easygoing Australian, and his colloquial language runs through the account and is very funny. It highlights the oxymoronic situation in which he finds himself, where every gesture and interaction between the two peoples must be surmised.

With adventure, mystery, turns of fate, lone heroes, warriors, villains, and a tropical island locale, Mine demonstrates why reality television shows in such settings are all the rage. We as audience or reader are more than willing to suspend disbelief and enter a new world of fantasy. The strength of this work is that it is grounded in reality, the only fantastical element being the sheer unlikeliness of the scenario. However, contact with the Sentinel Islanders has been made several times before, albeit sometimes ending in tragedy, notably when American missionary John Allen Chau attempted, illegally, to proselytise to these protected people.

Author James Russell is an Otago graduate with a career in journalism, editing, and writing for children. His Dragon Brothers trilogy and five Dragon Defenders books demonstrate his passion for engaging young readers is a world of lively make-believe.

This is his first adult novel and it is highly recommended. It also encourages further reading into this fascinating island and its people.