Reviews tagging 'Ableism'

Cloudstreet by Tim Winton

2 reviews

serendipitysbooks's review against another edition

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emotional reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Cloudstreet is a modern Australian classic. It is set in Perth from 1943 to 1963 and tells the interconnected story of two working-class families, the Pickles and the Lambs who, fleeing their own tragedies, come to share a house, the titular Cloudstreet.
The families are very different. The Lambs are hard working and religious while the Pickles tend to rely on luck. There’s plenty of tough topics in the story including addiction, gambling, an eating disorder, a child disabled as the result of an accident, ableism, trauma and guilt. Yet there is also humour and warmth. I enjoyed the exploration of themes including the stereotypes of the Aussie battler and Australia as the lucky country, as well as the characters’ search for belonging in community and family and the way this sometimes conflicted with their desire for individuality. The characters themselves were vivid and memorable. Fish will forever have a spot in my heart, while Quick’s realisation that a sadistic killer is no different from him - “there’s no monsters, only people like us” - was a poignant scene that will linger in my consciousness. However, my abiding memory of this book will be its quintessential (white) Australian-ness - the slang, the environment, the archetypal characters.

Content Warnings

jayeless's review against another edition

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sad slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? No
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.5

Content Warnings