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jaclyncrupi's review against another edition
4.0
I really admire ambitious historical fiction. It’s not often what I feel like reading but when I do it’s usually richly rewarding reading. McFarlane covers so much literal and metaphorical ground in this book, she provides multiple perspectives from a huge cast of characters and her commentary on the colonial rendering of the Flinders Ranges landscape is evocative and thought-provoking. When you think of how much she does in this book it’s remarkable that it takes place over just seven days. The colonial imagination loves a story of a missing white child and here McFarlane plays with and seeks to subvert it. Wildly impressive and wise at every turn.
johnbyers1500's review against another edition
emotional
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? It's complicated
4.5
Drive to mushroom hunting
emrlane's review against another edition
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
megancortez's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Beautifully written. Poetic in parts that needed poetry. So human, it was almost vulgar, in parts that needed raw humanity.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racism
Moderate: Infidelity and Sexual content
Minor: Colonisation
gobbler's review against another edition
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.5
This is a historical novel set in the rugged South Australian outback. I enjoyed the vivid descriptions and the wide range of characters.
peita_hansen's review
emotional
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
lottie1803's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
hopeful
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
maddy_allchurch's review against another edition
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
laurapoulosky's review against another edition
4.0
McFarlane's evocative writing effectively transported me to the Australian plain and kept me intrigued throughout. I appreciated how she put me in the thoughts of the various characters, too, from the children to their parents to many individuals involved in the search for the missing boy.