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blairmahoney's review
5.0
It was both the best and the worst time to be reading this collection of short stories based on the Black Saturday bushfire tragedy as the smell of smoke permeated Melbourne from the current bushfire tragedy. It's about as topical as it could be, but there is plenty of craft here as well. Essential reading.
jadeneedy's review
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
jager123's review
5.0
Telling the innermost stories of survivors of the catastrophic Black Saturday bushfires this book is best described as an exhalation. I felt like I was reading with held breath, tasting the miasma swirling with disintegrating ash, broken dreams and devastating grief. The reader is given blissful moments of light finding its way through the haze that I think will stay with me for some time.
“The women dream in amber, now, of cracked Coonara glass’.
It is a hard subject being based in recent history but is beautifully written.
nina_reads_books's review
4.0
At only 240 pages this collection of short stories may not be long but it packs a real punch.
The collection focuses on the lives of people impacted by the Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009. The characters have been impacted in vastly different ways and each story sheds a little light on the grief and the enduring impact so many people experience after disasters such as bushfires. The author herself experienced the loss of her home.
The fact that I was reading the book while massive bushfires were impacting homes and communities all throughout our country was not lost on me! In fact I think it made the read even more powerful.
Having not read many short story collections I wasn’t sure how I would experience reading A Constant Hum but I was amazed that each individual seemingly standalone story could collectively wield such an overall impact. Alice Bishop’s writing was compelling and thoughtful. I hope she writes more.
The cover design of this book was just perfect as well – it completely adds to the overall impact.
The collection focuses on the lives of people impacted by the Black Saturday fires in Victoria in 2009. The characters have been impacted in vastly different ways and each story sheds a little light on the grief and the enduring impact so many people experience after disasters such as bushfires. The author herself experienced the loss of her home.
The fact that I was reading the book while massive bushfires were impacting homes and communities all throughout our country was not lost on me! In fact I think it made the read even more powerful.
Having not read many short story collections I wasn’t sure how I would experience reading A Constant Hum but I was amazed that each individual seemingly standalone story could collectively wield such an overall impact. Alice Bishop’s writing was compelling and thoughtful. I hope she writes more.
The cover design of this book was just perfect as well – it completely adds to the overall impact.
shiftyelliott's review
emotional
informative
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? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
2.25