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A review by beautifulpaxielreads
Us Mob Walawurru by David Spillman, Lisa Wilyuka
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-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? No
3.5
Us Mob Walawurru is an interesting, thoughtful, and important read that I really should have finished much sooner given its relatively short length.
I think my main issue with it was that I felt the beginning was quite slow paced and I got a bit bored - although I remember the discussion about the concept of land ownership as it was viewed by Indigenous folk as very striking and thoughtful.
The second half was stronger as it dug deeper into the history of colonial Australia and the intergenerational trauma it inflicted on Indigenous people. Throughout the novel, you could really feel the deep connection that the Luritja people of the Northern Territory (and indeed all Australian Indigenous folk) have with the land and how the concept of owning it in "whitefella law" was meaningless to them.
I did feel the time jumps towards the end were a little rushed, but I understand the authors' (David Spillman, a white man, and Lisa Wilyuka, a Luritja woman) intentions in moving the plot forward this way.
This was a thought-provoking read.
I think my main issue with it was that I felt the beginning was quite slow paced and I got a bit bored - although I remember the discussion about the concept of land ownership as it was viewed by Indigenous folk as very striking and thoughtful.
The second half was stronger as it dug deeper into the history of colonial Australia and the intergenerational trauma it inflicted on Indigenous people. Throughout the novel, you could really feel the deep connection that the Luritja people of the Northern Territory (and indeed all Australian Indigenous folk) have with the land and how the concept of owning it in "whitefella law" was meaningless to them.
I did feel the time jumps towards the end were a little rushed, but I understand the authors' (David Spillman, a white man, and Lisa Wilyuka, a Luritja woman) intentions in moving the plot forward this way.
This was a thought-provoking read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Forced institutionalization, Racism, and Colonisation