wtb_michael's review against another edition
2.0
I think this book suffered from my attempt to read it on a cross-continental flight. I found it quite disjointed and struggled to follow the threads linking Stow with Carey's family. I also must confess to being basically unfamiliar with Stow's work, which further distanced me from the memoir's explorations of the geographies and landscapes of Stow's writing.
archytas's review against another edition
4.0
I enjoyed this gentle meditation on Stow, family, nationality and the growth that comes through ageing. Carey asks the reader to shift focus with her frequently, giving the narrative both a sense of intimacy and an occasional disconnectedness. Not having read her previous books, some of the material around her family felt like coming in part way, and I would suggest reading earlier works first.
The most powerful parts of this book are the portrayal of mid-century life in Geraldton: Stow swimming across a river to picnic at the Carey's mother's vineyard; outsiders enthusing about their favourite ballerina over dust and native flowers. Carey evokes both the world, and her own wonder at it. Similarly, Stow's seaside town retreat - of four streets and seven pubs - evokes a wet world of isolation and community that bled into my subsequent reading of [b:The Suburbs Of Hell|25912454|The Suburbs Of Hell|Randolph Stow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436938712s/25912454.jpg|10884539].
The most powerful parts of this book are the portrayal of mid-century life in Geraldton: Stow swimming across a river to picnic at the Carey's mother's vineyard; outsiders enthusing about their favourite ballerina over dust and native flowers. Carey evokes both the world, and her own wonder at it. Similarly, Stow's seaside town retreat - of four streets and seven pubs - evokes a wet world of isolation and community that bled into my subsequent reading of [b:The Suburbs Of Hell|25912454|The Suburbs Of Hell|Randolph Stow|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1436938712s/25912454.jpg|10884539].
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