MAURITIUS

EVE OUT OF HER RUINS

BY ANANDA DEVI

This story broke my heart.

As can be the case with so many post-colonial countries, theres a lot of unpleasantness going on behind the curated-for-tourism scenes, and this book immerses us into that unpleasantness. Outstanding natural beauty is one of a handful of stories told about Africa. And it’s a true story—many parts of Africa are arguably unmatched in their scope and beauty—but it can never be the whole story.

In EVE OUT OF HER RUINS, Devi takes us behind the luxury hotel and beaches of the island country, Mauritius, whcih is known for its tropical climate, its glamorous hotel lobbies, sun loungers on white beaches, and endless turquoise seas. The author doesn’t shy away from any of the hard demands life makes on the four young people from whose perspective the story unfolds. Eve, Saadiq, Savita, and Clélio are a group of loosely connected friends who live in Troumaron, an impoverished neighborhood in Port Louis, the capital of Mauritius. Each of their lives is hobbled by poverty and indifference. They are neglected, undereducated, preyed upon by the adults who should care for them, and filled with rage. It’s a stew of volatile ingredients, and hopelessness fuels the fire until it boils over in tragedy.

Despite her hopelessness, there is a brittle spine of strength that runs through the main character, Eve. Savita, who is the only person who loves Eve with no expectations, describes how, “Eve's silence is the rumble deep in the volcano.” Eve negotiates with her body, the only currency she has, and for which there are no shortage of takers. She persuades herself that she’s able to handle the abuse because she’s not actually giving “the bigger boys” and men her true essence, which she saves for Savita and for herself. “I knew how to do it. Someone else slipped fluidly into my gaze, someone completely separate from my bony body. I refused to be small and weak.” She uses them to get the things she wants, often simply and sadly, basic school supplies. “They… had something else to give in return: books, calculators, CDs. All I gave them was the shadow of a body.” Of course it’s clear this shattered child is disassociating from circumstances in which her perceived power is an illusion. She has none.