lemondogz's review
challenging
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.5
davidup_15's review
adventurous
dark
informative
mysterious
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
The intersecting stories of the three characters are really interesting, but the book leaves too much unresolved and ends way too abruptly.
Content Warnings
Moderate: War, Xenophobia, Sexual harassment, Slavery, and Islamophobia
ellapatterson's review
3.0
I loved the writing but it felt like it was meant an anthology of short stories. The connection between characters felt weak, and the jumping between time periods and characters was a bit disorientating. I really hope the author writes more fiction because I definitely think there was potential for this to be amazing.
essjay1's review
5.0
Loved this one. Clever structure, great characters. Robbie, Gerry, Nasim/Sabeen ... I want to know more. Even the supporting characters were interesting... especially Toohey & Danny - both written with such compassion.
jouljet's review
challenging
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Rape, Child death, Violence, Torture, Sexual violence, Racism, Racial slurs, Drug use, Dementia, and Death of parent
silverliningsandpages's review
4.0
"More than 20,000 Aborigines were killed in Australia’s frontier war, thousands more displaced, then displaced again, kept on the fringe of townships, starved, had their children, their children’s children, taken away, their cultural links severed. Many still face inequitable hardship and poverty today.”
.
I read this several months ago, but still remembered some episodes very vividly when I came to draft this post last night. It is a debut for this Australian author, who has a high profile as an investigative journalist and essayist. She is an excellent, empathetic storyteller, and I was often carried along but it is a very ambitious, bold book with a huge amount going on. It’s about fear, sacrifice, trauma and survival, intertwining four narratives across time and continents. There’s Australian soldier Toohey, who has returned from the Iraq War injured and dealing with PTSD; aspiring pianist Nasim who had fallen from favour with Saddam Hussein leading to her flight to safety; Robbie in Melbourne at the turn of the Millennium facing her aboriginal father’s dementia and family silences, and Gerry trying to seek refuge and healing from his father Toohey’s rage and tyranny.
.
I found most of the characters brittle and unlikeable, yet all of them have experienced deep trauma and suffering, so I understand that they would be hardened. I’d have preferred to focus on just one or two of the characters as this novel covers so many big, serious themes: race, skin colour, cultural appropriation, heritage, PTSD, domestic abuse, drugs and complicity for starters. However I’ve learned from reading it, and subsequently disappeared down some rabbit holes to discover more about Aboriginal heritage, such as Dreamtime, Uluru and the “Sorry rocks” (souvenirs posted back by remorseful tourists) episode was interesting.
.
Thank you @serpentstail for this gifted copy. It’s given me plenty of food for thought.Published 6 August.
3.5/5
.
I read this several months ago, but still remembered some episodes very vividly when I came to draft this post last night. It is a debut for this Australian author, who has a high profile as an investigative journalist and essayist. She is an excellent, empathetic storyteller, and I was often carried along but it is a very ambitious, bold book with a huge amount going on. It’s about fear, sacrifice, trauma and survival, intertwining four narratives across time and continents. There’s Australian soldier Toohey, who has returned from the Iraq War injured and dealing with PTSD; aspiring pianist Nasim who had fallen from favour with Saddam Hussein leading to her flight to safety; Robbie in Melbourne at the turn of the Millennium facing her aboriginal father’s dementia and family silences, and Gerry trying to seek refuge and healing from his father Toohey’s rage and tyranny.
.
I found most of the characters brittle and unlikeable, yet all of them have experienced deep trauma and suffering, so I understand that they would be hardened. I’d have preferred to focus on just one or two of the characters as this novel covers so many big, serious themes: race, skin colour, cultural appropriation, heritage, PTSD, domestic abuse, drugs and complicity for starters. However I’ve learned from reading it, and subsequently disappeared down some rabbit holes to discover more about Aboriginal heritage, such as Dreamtime, Uluru and the “Sorry rocks” (souvenirs posted back by remorseful tourists) episode was interesting.
.
Thank you @serpentstail for this gifted copy. It’s given me plenty of food for thought.Published 6 August.
3.5/5
wtb_michael's review
3.0
This had lots of interesting threads, but they didn't really come together for me - the stories deflect off each other, but the connections feel tangential and the broader themes didn't entirely hit home. Krien is a lovely writer, but some of the structural decisions were a bit disorienting - time and perspective jumps that didn't click in my brain.
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