Official Review: The Governor's Daughter by Sambath Meas

ritah · Post by **ritah** » 09 Sep 2017, 04:18

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "The Governor's Daughter" by Sambath Meas.]

4 out of 4 stars

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Imagine waking up one morning to the horrific news that your friend was savagely beaten up, raped, left for dead, and now in the hospital barely clinging to life. On top of that, you and certain people aren’t allowed to visit her. To complicate matters, the man who stands accused of this horrendous crime is none other than — the man who has won your affections.

Anjali Chinak finds herself in such a predicament. Born in 1903, she finds her reality and that of those around her marred by the French colonization of her country, Cambodia: which was previously known as the Khmer Empire. Racism, social hierarchy, sexism, ageism, and oppression, etcetera, cloud their day-to-day lives. With the support of her Father, she becomes a detective. However, given the time-period and society, she is only assigned to solve petty crimes.

Determined to solve the mystery of identifying the person who had brutally attacked her friend, while unshackling herself from the menial tasks that had become routine, she embarks on a dangerous investigation to oust a possible serial killer hoping to find justice for her friend while clearing her crush of the charges. Caught in a love triangle – will the man of her dreams ever reciprocate her feelings? Will her friend survive the senseless attack? And finally, will her quest turn her into a heroine or another victim?

The Governor’s Daughter by Sambath Meas is a historical fiction novel doused with elements of mystery. The novel is the first book in the series, The Mysteries of Colonial Cambodia, published in 2017 by Red Empress Publishing.

Set in the 1920s, the author transports readers into the colonial period by setting the atmosphere and providing detailed descriptions of the time and experiences. The author highlights the discrimination against the Khmer people, the inferiority complex that some of the Khmers had inherited as a result, and the society’s tendency to undermine women; insisting that their primary roles should be domestic.

The story is in the first person narrative, which I felt worked well in immersing the reader into the protagonist’s world; it felt as though a friend was taking me through her experiences and struggles in the set period. A recurring theme in the novel was the prejudice towards capable women in historically accepted as “male fields.” This theme is portrayed throughout the novel as Anjali pleads and sets to prove herself constantly, “I’m capable. I just want to be given a chance.” And when she desires more from her life she says, “Nothingness is for the dead, not the living.”

I appreciated the themes, and how they were broached in this novel; I found them to be engaging and very informative. The main character was quite mature, personable, and likable. Most of the secondary characters were also likable, and all other introduced characters were central to the plot. The author incorporated words in Khmer and French languages into the narrative; the meaning of these words can be easily deduced from the context, and when necessary, the author skillfully weaved in a translation.
Some of the chapter titles, I felt, gave away too much of the plot, thus killing the suspense. However, I have to say; the concluding chapters amazed me. The unexpected plot twist made things a little more interesting.

Overall, I thought the book was well written, and I enjoyed reading the narrative of a strong female protagonist with so much to overcome. I also appreciated the bits of wisdom and encouragement she got from her grandfather and father who reminded her that matriarchy was once the foundation of her country. I, therefore, rate this book 4 out of 4 stars. I have to mention that there were descriptions of victims of rape, attempted rape, and murder; but these weren’t too detailed. All in all, I’d recommend this book to young adults and anyone who loves a nice historical based mystery.

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The Governor's Daughter
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Ubyamos · Post by **Ubyamos** » 10 Sep 2017, 03:14

Nice review.
I always love historical stories, especially one that explains how people were treated in different parts of the world during the colonial period.

Sysybombaya · Post by **Sysybombaya** » 10 Sep 2017, 04:23

girl power!

geoffrey ngoima · Post by **geoffrey ngoima** » 10 Sep 2017, 05:05

I like the way Anjali reacts to all that happens, sounds like a captivating read...

ritah · Post by **ritah** » 10 Sep 2017, 06:22

Thank you all, I appreciate it. History, Strong female protagonist, Mystery - it's all there.

Post by **kandscreeley** » 10 Sep 2017, 08:09

This sounds like an intense book. The subject matter, while violent, has been treated with delicacy. I love that the protagonist is a woman. Thanks for a good review.

ritah · Post by **ritah** » 10 Sep 2017, 08:25

kandscreeley wrote:This sounds like an intense book. The subject matter, while violent, has been treated with delicacy. I love that the protagonist is a woman. Thanks for a good review.

Hey, Kandscreeley - thanks! The book wasn't a fast-paced read, but the historical subject matter and mystery made for a worthwhile read.

Donatelloo · Post by **Donatelloo** » 10 Sep 2017, 09:21

This one seems like to touch one's heart and kinda intense.
Very nice review

ritah · Post by **ritah** » 10 Sep 2017, 10:19

Darakhshan Nazir wrote:This one seems like to touch one's heart and kinda intense.
Very nice review

Thanks, I appreciate you reading my review. The book was a nice read.

juliusotinyo · Post by **juliusotinyo** » 10 Sep 2017, 10:45

I love History, reading about how people lived. One of the Khmer area would be a treat. Nicely done ritah.

MrsCatInTheHat · Post by **MrsCatInTheHat** » 10 Sep 2017, 14:31

Your review truly inspires me to want to read "The Governor's Daughter." The historical time period combined with strong women and culture influences, all put into an excellent story, makes me want to put down what I'm reading and start reading this one. It's definitely going on my list.

ritah · Post by **ritah** » 10 Sep 2017, 16:08

juliusotinyo wrote:I love History, reading about how people lived. One of the Khmer area would be a treat. Nicely done ritah.

Thanks. I realized that you like history, this book really delves into the history of Cambodia aka Kambuja aka Khmer Empire during the time they were colonized by the French - so I'm sure this is a book you'll appreciate.

-- 10 Sep 2017, 16:17 --

CatInTheHat wrote:Your review truly inspires me to want to read "The Governor's Daughter." The historical time period combined with strong women and culture influences, all put into an excellent story, makes me want to put down what I'm reading and start reading this one. It's definitely going on my list.

You know, when I read the blurb - I knew this is a book I wanted to read and it did not disappoint, I totally appreciated the themes and the new knowledge I acquired on what was once known as the Khmer Empire. I'm glad the book is on your list ( happy that my review had that effect), hope you'll enjoy the immersion into the time in history and mystery. Thank you for reading review, I appreciate your comment.

Mallory Whitaker · Post by **Mallory Whitaker** » 10 Sep 2017, 20:49

Ritah, I absolutely love reading your reviews. They're always so insightful and well-said. This sounds like the sort of book I would love to read. I love mystery books. Put that mystery at any point in the past and you've got me. I'm super intrigued by this era/setting because I know so little about it. It sounds brilliantly fascinating. I love reading books with a strong female character as well and it sounds like she fits that bill beautifully. I can't wait to read this!

The Researcher · Post by **The Researcher** » 11 Sep 2017, 01:34

Nice review. I have seen this book around. After reading the review, I think I will grab a copy.

kislany · Post by **kislany** » 11 Sep 2017, 02:22

Oh wow, this review sent shivers down my spine. Just the topic alone is so scary (and all too true). And finally, we have a book featuring a strong female protagonist.