Review: The Accident by Kate Hendrick

I don't think I've read an Australian YA that hasn't been great. The Accident by Kate Hendrick is another amazing addition to the genre. It tells the interweaving story of three teenagers, jumping back and forth in time around an accident, and slowly unraveling how they're all connected and exploring how your life can collide with others in unexpected and irreversible ways.

Eliat's story is "before", she is a teen mum AND foster child who does well at school but copes with life by drinking every night and partying on the weekends. Will's story is "after", as he struggles to connect with his writer mother and two sisters as they go about their own separate lives, despite living in the same house, and Sarah's story is "later", as her family struggles to move on from a car accident that killed her brother and left her severely injured. At the heart of each subplot is the importance of family, and how the relationships we build with the people in our lives form a home more than any blood ties do. It's also largely about grief, isolation, loneliness and identity, the struggle so many teens face of trying to find who you are and where you fit in. It's an emotional, powerful read.

The switching points of view and timelines is a little hard to get used to at first, and can be a bit confusing, but once you get into the rhythm of it it's quite engaging. You don't want to put the book down as the three timelines converge and you begin to see how all the pieces fit together. Hendrick did an amazing job of balancing the three plots and time periods, making each character sound distinct and authentic, and creating an individual emotional journey for each that somehow complemented the others beautifully.

I loved the way Hendrick used the weather - the drought and a threatening storm - to enhance the atmosphere of the story and reflect the turmoil in each character's lives. The writing overall is truly beautiful, without being too verbose. There is some powerful imagery and vivid symbolic moments that allow the reader to connect with these characters on an emotional and intimate level. It's just such an elegant, thoughtful and well-written book.

Rating: 4/5

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Text Publishing
Get It: Bookworld

Mini Reviews: His Convict Wife and The Convict's Bounty Bride By Lena Dowling

His Convict Wife by Lena Dowling (via Netgalley)
I actually didn't realise this was the second book in this convict romance series - though both are only novellas and you can definitely read this one without having read the first, but certain references made more sense once I did read the other. This book focuses on Colleen Malone, an Irish convict forced into prostitution who gets pregnant and then manages to get virtuous settler Samuel Biggs to marry her. Samuel is still grieving the death of his first wife and wants Colleen more as a housemaid than an actual partner, but Colleen wants to pass her baby off as his, so she has other ideas. I quite liked Colleen's tenacity and the tension between her and Samuel, and the ups and downs of their relationship made for a pretty entertaining read. This is my first foray into romance set in colonial Australia, so I don't know if it's common in the genre, but one thing that put me off a little bit was Samuel's uptightness and slightly controlling behaviour at times. Aside from that he was pretty swoon-worthy.
Rating: 3.5/5

The Convict's Bounty Bride by Lena Dowling
This story actually comes before His Convict Wife, focusing on ex-convict James Hunter, who becomes Samuel Biggs' employer in the later book. James made a deal with a noble family to take the blame for a crime committed by their son in exchange for their daughter's hand in marriage. This is news to Lady Thea, who has no interest in marriage and only wants a career. James decides to show her how good being his wife could be... you can see where this is heading. This novella was half the size than His Convict Wife and there wasn't a great amount of development of the characters and their relationship. The insta-love was pretty unbelievable and I just wasn't invested in their story. Also the whole premise, and the inevitable outcome, left a really bad taste in my mouth.
Rating: 2.5/5

Review: Wildlife by Fiona Wood

Note: Wildlife is a companion novel to Six Impossible Things. While there are no explicit spoilers in this review, you may be able to guess what happens between Six Impossible Things and Wildlife. Just in case you’re really allergic to even the hint of a spoiler.

My favourite kinds of stories are the ones you can relate to. The stories that leap from the page, wrap their arms around you and say, “It’s OK, you’re not alone.” Wildlife is one of those books. I connected with so many aspects of this story – the grieving process, the struggle to fit in, the best friend who is really a bitch, the nervousness and excitement that goes along with first relationships, the loneliness that is being a teenager – there is so much in there. The only other author that has represented the teen experience so authentically, with such raw emotion, is Melina Marchetta. Yep, I’m putting Fiona Wood up there with Ms Double M herself. That’s how much I loved this book.

I almost couldn’t read it. I got seven pages in and discovered something that made me sick. I seriously had to hide the book - I was so devastated, I couldn’t even look at it. After a day or so I finally forced myself to pick it up again and I’m so glad I did. The writing was exquisite and as much as I hated what had happened, it was beautifully dealt with.

Lou from Six Impossible Things is at the centre of this sad story, and her isolation and despair are palpable as she comes to grips with her grief in the middle of nowhere, at a school camp where she knows no one. The short, unfinished sentences that open her chapters in the beginning of Wildlife perfectly encapsulate the breathlessness of depression – the pain so deep, so overwhelming, that it numbs you and leaves you unable to speak or even function properly. It’s utterly heartbreaking, but importantly it’s also incredibly cathartic, as you watch Lou slowly heal and find her way back to contentment, if not complete happiness.

Lou’s intense grief and loneliness are perfectly balanced by the alternate chapters that focus on Sibylla’s story. While she is dealing with her own problems, they’re not as dark as Lou’s, and in comparison her story is light and fun. She has a new, hot boyfriend who is pressuring her to move fast, her best friend is acting strange, and her oldest friend is strangest of all. It might sound like this kind of plot would contrast too starkly with Lou’s chapters, but actually they’re wonderfully integrated. A similar sense of isolation underpins both characters’ experiences, and ultimately they both represent significant life events, for better or worse.

As with Six Impossible Things, the secondary characters are a highlight in Wildlife. There were a few that I loved, and a couple that I hated, which was just as it should be. I adored both main characters. Sometimes I just wanted to shake some sense into Sibylla, but I think that’s because I identified with her so much and, you know, I’ve got hindsight and all. Lou I just wanted to hug and squish and make all the problems go away. My heart still hurts for her.

Wildlife is pretty much the perfect teen book. It is so incredibly realistic, while also being touching and inspiring. It's a fun, easy read, but it also explores very important and deep issues. It will make you feel happy and sad and worried and excited and so many things all at once. It will tear you apart into tiny pieces, before patching you up again, just as whole, but not quite the same.

Rating: 5/5

Fine Print
Published: June 2013, Pan Macmillan
Get It: Bookworld

Review: Six Impossible Things by Fiona Wood

This book is adorable. It’s the coming-of-age story of Dan Cereill, who is feeling a bit overwhelmed due to the fact that his family not only has no money, they are also no longer a family – his dad has come out as gay and left Dan and his mum to flounder with a failing cake business in the drafty house they were lucky enough to inherit from a great aunt. Throw in the fact he has to change schools and has developed an instant crush for his next door neighbour, Estelle, and it’s not hard to see why Dan is a bit of a mess.

Poor Dan. I really felt for the guy. His life has done a 180 and the way he tries to deal with everything is by turns heartbreaking and heartwarming. He does some really awful things sometimes, and you can’t help but cringe from the sidelines, but he’s a young, silly boy who is just trying to make sense of the world. And, not gonna lie, I’d probably be tempted to do the things he does if I had the opportunity, too. I’m nosy like that.

While I had sympathy for Dan, I really adored the secondary characters, from the boarder out the back to Dan’s best mate Fred to his new friend Lou and especially to Howard the dog. They are all realistic and complex and completely likable. You’ll want to pay attention to these characters. They enhance the story so much and are an important part of it.

Wood deals with even the trickiest subject matter with heart and compassion and a good dose of humour. Six Impossible Things is funny, witty, lighthearted and just a lot of fun.

Rating: 4/5

Related
Here is a playlist of all the music mentioned in the book. 

Fine Print
Published: 2010, Pan Macmillan
Get It: Book Depository

Mini Review: A Straight Line To My Heart by Bill Condon

I've had this book sitting on my shelf for years. I picked it up because I adored the cover and liked the concept of a budding journalist, Tiffany, dealing with leaving school, starting an internship, and of course finding love and dealing with family problems at the same time.

Unfortunately, A Straight Line to My Heart was very average for me. There were some beautiful lines, but overall I just didn’t connect with the story or characters. Which is strange, because I thought I’d really be able to relate, having grown up with journalistic ambitions of my own.

There was nothing particularly bad about this book. It's a quick read. Covering only a week in Tiffany’s life, there isn’t a big narrative arc; it’s a taste of a girl’s life, rather than a full story. That’s not to say there’s no story - a lot does happen, and there is a decent amount of closure. But it felt like it was just skimming the surface and it all left me strangely unaffected. There were some sweet scenes and some really sad ones but my heart didn’t burst or break at any point.

Maybe it was just that I wasn't in the right mood, because several of my friends have read and loved this book. All it got out of me was a resounding “meh”.

Rating: 3/5

Fine Print
Published: 2012, Allen & Unwin
Get It: Book Depository

Review: Life in Outer Space by Melissa Keil

Life in Outer Space is an adorable Aussie contemporary YA novel. It’s told from the perspective of Sam, a film nerd who gets bullied on a daily basis. His world is rocked when the quirky, cool Camilla shows up at school – and surprisingly takes an interest in him. She provides a welcome distraction from his best friend’s strange behaviour and the fact that his family is slowly falling apart. Maybe too much of a distraction…

I really liked that this book was told from a guy’s perspective - it’s not something you get very much in YA these days, and Keil does it really well. I loved all the film references, the relationships Sam has with his mum and his mates, and the many cute moments in the budding relationship between Camilla and Sam. The secondary characters all had substance and played an important part in the story. I am torn on how I feel about Camilla. She annoyed me a bit at first because she just seemed like the perfect Manic Pixie Dream Girl, but as the plot unfolded and she acted on her own dreams and dealt with her own issues I warmed to her a lot more.

I enjoyed the subplots a lot, even more than the main romance plotline at times. The reason Sam’s best friend, Mike, quits his much-loved karate is an intriguing mystery, and the effect of the disintegration of Sam’s parents’ marriage on both him and his mother is heartbreaking and touching. Keil beautifully combines this drama with a snarky, pop culture-laced humour to create a very fun read.

What stopped this book from being perfect for me were the few things that were hard for me to believe. Like the fact that Camilla managed to make friends with everybody, and Sam's bullying mysteriously stops when she appears. Sam acknowledges this “magic” in the story, which helped a little, but it still didn’t feel realistic to me. There was also the fact that from the descriptions, Sam and Mike don’t sound like the kind of guys who really get bullied or even ignored. But the thing that really bugged me was the fact the high school had more of an American vibe with the lack of school uniforms and the spring dance and so on. I wanted to recognise Australia and what it's like to grow up here more than I did.

But these were only minor niggles in what was overall a really enjoyable book. It’s a quick, easy read, with just the right mix of humour and heart. And, of course, plenty of my favourite thing - pop cultural references!

Rating: 4/5

Headcast
So I'm pretty sure he looks nothing like how Sam is actually described, but I think because I've been watching way too much Dance Academy lately, I couldn't help but picture Sam as Thom Green, who plays Sammy on DA.

 

And in a sign that I watch a ridiculous amount of teen TV, I pictured Kaya Scodelario, a.k.a. Effy on Skins, as Camilla.

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Peachtree Publishers (this edition)
Source: Netgalley
Get It: Book Depository

Top Ten Books Set in Australia

1. Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey. This book beautifully encapsulates so much of Australian culture and what it's like to grow up in this country. It also has the most exciting description of a game of cricket ever. Like, it's actually exciting.

2. Graffiti Moon by Cath Crowley. Two teens explore Melbourne over one night. I want to go there so bad (yes, I've never been and I know, it's terrible).

3. On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta. The isolated rural setting of On the Jellicoe Road is as beautiful as it is haunting. Pretty much all of Melina Marchetta's contemporary novels could go on this list, the Australian setting is so central to all of them.

4. The Reluctant Hallelujah by Gabrielle Williams. A roadtrip with a difference. It made me want to see Australia this way. Minus the surprise in the boot.

5. And All The Stars by Andrea K. Host. I haven't come across too many (read: any) sci-fi stories set in Australia so I was pleasantly surprised by this one. 

6. Puberty Blues by Kathy Lette and Gabrielle Carey. This is an iconic Aussie book, putting a spotlight on the darker side of surfie culture.

7. I Came to Say Goodbye by Caroline Overington. This book showcases a variety of Australian settings and the main character, Med, is the epitome of an Aussie battler. 

8. Picnic at Hanging Rock by Joan Lindsay. An Australian classic, this atmospheric and eerie tale explores the tension between European settlers and the harsh landscape.

9. Cinnamon Rain by Emma Cameron. This verse novel tells an Australian story that's not often told - teens who leave school before year 12. That's it. But it's also so much more. 

10. Preloved by Shirley Marr. Aside from the 80s reference, ghostliness and general awesomeness, I love that the main character in this book has Asian heritage and highlights what it's like to grow up in a migrant family.


Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish.

Review: The First Third by Will Kostakis

Mollin' manicure for my readalong with Eleanor, Mandee, Mel and Melanie.

When I was little - I think about seven or eight - I spent my pocket money on a key ring with a little book attached, for a Mother's Day gift for my mum. On the front was a picture of a mumma cat with her two kittens. Inside, I wrote a story about a mum who got angry with her two kids and then felt bad about it. I was totally creative (or so I thought) and gave my characters names that were one or two letters off my own family's. I proudly showed my gran - my mum's mum.

"Why did you change the names?" she exclaimed. "It's bleedin' obvious it's you."

I was a teensy bit crushed. But she was right. It was bleedin' obvious it was us.

Which is pretty much how I feel about The First Third.

Will (short for William) Kostakis is a Sydneysider with Greek heritage. He grew up with his mum and two brothers (according to the acknowledgements of The First Third - which also suggest his mum is looking for love). As he mentioned at the Penguin Teen Live (PTL) event I attended a few weeks ago, he has an absent father, which contributed to making him incredibly close to his grandparents - his yiayia in particular. Judging by the story he told at PTL that inspired The First Third, he finds his grandmother's poor English skills and attempts to interact with unsuspecting retail workers hilarious. He also has a gay best friend with cerebral palsy. People confuse him with another Greek Australian writer, Christos Tsiolkas.

Bill (presumably William) Tsiolkas is a Sydneysider of Greek heritage. He grew up with his mum and two brothers. His mum is looking for love. He has an absent father, and has grown up incredibly close to his grandparents - his yiayia in particular. He finds his grandmother's poor English skills and attempts to interact with unsuspecting retail workers hilarious. He has a gay best friend with cerebral palsy. His surname is Tsiolkas.

I know they say to write what you know, but this just seems a bit much to me. I felt uncomfortable reading this with the knowledge that it was so heavily autobiographical. Like the author was somehow taking advantage of the people in his life. Now, they might not feel that way at all, but it's just the impression I was left with.

This was especially troublesome in regards to the treatment of his mother and grandmother. They were frequently the butt of  WBill's jokes - with his mother's looks in particular subject to demeaning remarks, such as she looked like a "reanimated corpse" after a night at the hospital, or that in her underwear "her body frowned". I don't think the writer intended to be sexist - in fact, there's a nice speech in there on feminism by Sticks, the main character's best friend. But it oddly came in response to another character's mention of "dropping" a girl. Apparently, that's misogynistic. Now, unless there's some history to being "dropped" that I'm not aware of, it's really not sexist. It's slang for breaking up with someone and can be (and is) applied to both sexes. It's not a gendered term. Repeatedly disparaging the female body, however? Pretty damn offensive. So while it was nice to see an explicit, positive discussion of feminism in a Young Adult book, this was seriously undermined by the problematic undercurrent of much of the novel's humour.

On the subject of humour, a lot of it was just plain unfunny. Early on in the book, Bill and Sticks head to Melbourne, and Sticks comments about the city, "I get the feeling that it's trying too hard to make me love it." I couldn't have said it better myself. The comedy in this book felt forced in many places, like the author was trying way too hard.

Kostakis was actually at his best when he forgot about attempting to be funny and just let his story flow. At its heart, this is a touching tale that centres around something I think pretty much everyone can relate to - the fear of losing loved ones. I know it got me all weepy just thinking about it. The importance of family, and the unbearable idea that they might not be around forever, is an admirable theme and was one of my favourite parts of The First Third.

I also loved that Kostakis featured multiple gay characters and a character with a disability and treated them with respect. There was no tokenism and they weren't just there for added drama. They were well-rounded and important parts of the story. If only I could say the same for the treatment of the female characters.

The First Third is a good book, but for me it was not great. The potential was there, and if certain parts of the novel were stripped back - especially the forced humour - it could have lived up to it and been amazing. As it is, I'll be interested to see what Kostakis does next.

Rating: 3/5

Fine Print
Published: July 2013, Penguin
Source: I received a review copy from the publishers.
Get It: Bookworld

Review: Song in the Dark by Christine Howe

This book was just not for me. It wasn't bad. In fact, it was rather well-written. But for some reason I just couldn't connect with it. Which really surprised me because it's set in my hometown of Wollongong - a rare experience and something that I was very excited about. But even though the setting was familiar, I felt distant from the narrative and I can't quite put my finger on why.

Song in the Dark is the story of Paul, a young drug addict who does something terrible in his quest for drug money. His grandmother, Hetty, is left to reflect on her broken relationship with her grandson - when she had done nothing but love and support him. Paul is wracked with guilt at hurting the one person who has always been there for him, and his path to redemption is an interesting one.

Song in the Dark obviously deals with some very heavy issues. But it does so with respect and realism. Paul does some very bad things yet you can't help but feel for him. It's a sympathetic portrayal of addiction - something that not everyone views with sympathy. And your heart just breaks for Hetty. The sense of betrayal is gut-wrenching, and yet she still loves and hopes.

I did experience many emotions while I was reading Song in the Dark, and yet, as I've mentioned, it didn't particularly get under my skin. Perhaps it was the bleak nature. The frustration at everything going wrong. The briefness of it all. The third person perspective. I think the inconclusive ending certainly didn't help. I wanted more closure, but was just left confused. I think the writer intended it to be powerful and symbolic, but I was left wanting more.

Song in the Dark would probably be a powerful experience for many readers. It unfortunately just didn't quite hit the mark for me.

Rating: 3/5

Spoilery Talking Point

• OK, can someone who has read the book please tell me what they thought of the ending? I can't decide. I really hope Paul and Hetty managed to reconnect and she was just dreaming, and not dead. 

Fine Print

Published: February 2013, Penguin

Source: Netgalley

Get It: Bookworld

Review: All This Could End by Steph Bowe

All This Could End is told from the third person perspective of two teenagers, Nina and Spencer, whose budding romance is cut short when Nina has to move away. Because her family are secretly bank robbers on the run. Yeah, not your average YA love story, that’s for sure!

I have to admit, I had a bit of trouble getting into All This Could End to start with. It wasn’t that I didn’t like it, I just didn’t particularly connect with it. I found once I put it down I wasn’t really compelled to pick it up again ASAP. So I read the first 50 or so pages and then a week went by when I didn’t even touch it. I was a bit frustrated by this, and was considering putting it aside to come back to at a later point, but decided to read another chapter first to see if it would grab me.

Boy, did it grab me. A couple of hours later I found myself more than half way through the book and realised I was sticking with it after all. So I decided to read one more chapter before bed. The next thing I knew, it was 1am and I had finished. After the initial speed bump it was a page-turner for me, and I loved it.

I think what finally drew me in was when Spencer and Nina met and spent one intense night together, talking and laughing and adventuring. It reminded me of all-in-one-night stories like Graffiti Moon, which I adore, and there was a real sense of connection between the characters. After that, I was interested in the development of their relationship and how the events would lead up to Nina holding a gun to Spencer’s head (that’s not a spoiler, BTW, it’s the start of the book, with the rest told in flashback).

But while I really liked Nina and Spencer’s chemistry, I have to say I agree with my Goodreads friend Eleanor in that I wished there had been more “on-screen” time between the two. A great deal of the book is actually focused on their disastrous family lives, and although I definitely appreciated that aspect, and liked that the story wasn’t all-romance-all-the-time, I think it did come at the cost of the development of their relationship. It’s never even really clear whether they are in a relationship or are just friends who have kissed at least once. I liked what was there, I just wanted more.

That said, I did really like the exploration of family dynamics. They were tense and heartbreaking and beautifully rendered. I especially loved the sibling relationships that both Nina and Spencer had. Although I do kinda wish at least one character in the novel had a decent mother. I wanted to throttle both Nina and Spencer’s mums. Especially Nina’s. But I didn't mind too much - because while she was truly awful as a mother, she was fascinating as a character.

Overall, All This Could End is a unique, refreshing Aussie YA with a great plot, interesting, flawed characters and some lovely – and not-so-lovely – relationships. I can’t wait to see what Steph Bowe does next.

Rating: 4/5

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Text Publishing
Get It:  Bookworld

Review: Between the Lives by Jessica Shirvington

 
I didn’t think I would like Between the Lives. I don’t know why. Maybe because the only other books Jessica Shirvington has written are a series about angels, which is SO not my thing. And even though the plot of THIS book – about a girl living two parallel lives – sounded interesting, I probably let the anti-angel thing colour my judgment a bit. I wasn’t even going to read Between the Lives. Then I saw some positive reviews from bloggers I trust, and I decided to give it a go.

I’m glad I did, because this was such a great read. That will teach me to be Judgey McJudgerson! Sure, it was a little bit telly-not-showy in places, but overall it was a compelling and unique story. While initially I was dubious about the world building, my judgments once again proved too quick and in the end everything was explained to my satisfaction. There were still some things left mysterious, but I thought that made sense considering the main character, Sabine, didn't fully understand everything herself. The reader doesn't know any more than she does – which is that for as long as she can remember, she’s been “switching” between two different lives. She hasn’t been able to tell anyone – until she meets Ethan.

Now, when Ethan first appeared, I still had my massive Judgey pants on and was ready to roll my eyes at what looked like just another clichéd YA romance. Once again, I was wrong. Ethan and Sabine's love story did not play out how I initially expected it to at all. While I still guessed what was going to happen before it did, I found I was really interested in where these characters were going. Their relationship was quite touching and actually really got under my skin. To the point where over a week later I still catch myself thinking about the two of them and their stories.

There was some really lovely moments in Between the Lives, but there was also some incredibly brutal and emotional scenes. Fair warning, there is some violence which is quite sickening. There’s a lot of heartache, too. Shirvington definitely doesn't shy away from heavy subjects. Ultimately, though, this story featuring a girl with two lives is quite life-affirming. It’s about how we make meaning in each day and what we do to make our lives count. Even if we only get to live one.

Rating: 4/5

My Fancast

Willa Holland as Sabine

A younger Jay Ryan as Ethan

Fine Print
Published: May 2013, HarperCollins.
Get It: Bookworld

Review: Floundering by Romy Ash

This book was such a disappointment.

I picked it up at the Sydney Writers' Festival after it won the SMH Young Australian Novelists of the Year award. Seeing that it also made the Miles Franklin Award shortlist, amongst others, I expected it would be amazing, and I liked the concept. Told from the perspective of a little boy, Floundering details a road trip and stay in a caravan park with his brother and his mum – who has actually kidnapped the boys away from their grandparents because she's a terrible mother.

For the first part of the road trip I was quite enjoying the ride. I liked Ash’s interpretation of a child’s view of the world, and while some of the language seemed too adult, I thought it was mostly quite authentic. The lack of quotation marks was strange but effective.

Then the road trip just kept going. And Loretta, the boys’ mother, got progressively more awful. I was impatient for them to get where they were going and things to start happening. The language started to bother me a little, but I was still willing to stick with it.

When they finally got to the caravan park I thought, now we’re getting somewhere. Except we didn’t. We didn’t get anywhere. Ash achieved an atmosphere of intense, hot, boredom – but while that was probably what she was going for, it was unfortunately incredibly boring to read. It felt like nothing ever happened, except Loretta was becoming more and more neglectful. When something did finally happen, it was so utterly sickening that I don’t even want to think about it.

By that stage the language was well and truly grating on me and the formatting just felt like it was trying too hard. I had to actually force myself to finish the last half of the book, and it was only because I had already come so far that I kept going. There seemed no point to the story, other than to show a snapshot of some really terrible things happening to two children. Even when there’s some hopeful imagery, it gets dashed and the kids just wind up more miserable than before. Floundering was bleak, boring and ultimately a horrible reading experience.

Rating: 2/5

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Text Publishing
Get It: Book Depository

 

Review: In Falling Snow By Mary-Rose MacColl

In Falling Snow tells the story of two amazing women: Iris, who travels from Australia to France during World War I to bring her little brother home, and ends up helping to run a hospital in Royaumont Abbey that’s fully staffed by women (including the doctors); and Grace, Iris’ granddaughter, who as a doctor in 1970s Australia is still facing the same kind of sexism her grandmother’s co-workers experienced decades earlier.

It was the WWI aspect that initially drew me to In Falling Snow, and the story of Royaumont Abbey is a fascinating one. Although Iris is an invention, many of the characters are based on real people and Royaumont really was an all-female WWI hospital. The tenacity and bravery of those women is absolutely awe-inspiring. Still, while I admired the idea of Royaumont, I did find some parts of the chapters set there a little slow. The little details about how the place worked were interesting but distracted from the overall story for me. Iris herself was a bit hard to connect with as a young woman, as she seemed quite reserved, but I felt for her as an ailing old woman looking back on her life. As the story progressed and I gained further insight into her character I admired her all the more and understood why she was telling her story in this way.

Unexpectedly, although they weren’t what interested me to begin with, I found myself falling in love with Grace’s chapters and growing impatient to get to them. Even though it was still set 30-40 years ago, it was a more recognisable setting and a situation not too far removed from what women still face today (unfortunately). Grace’s struggle to balance work and family, especially when things went wrong, is one I think many women can connect with. I don’t currently have kids, but the tension between wanting a career and wanting to take care of a family is something that already plays across my mind. I can only image how tough it is for women actually doing it. While In Falling Snow shows how far we’ve come, at the same time it also reveals how little has really changed.

There’s a few twists in this book which I saw coming but I don’t want to spoil them for others. Even though I predicted what would happen, the story was still compelling to me. It’s quite an emotional journey, as you’d probably expect from a generation-spanning war tale. The setting of WWI France is beautifully rendered, and I really, really want to visit Royaumont now. Overall this is a gorgeous book; I definitely recommend it for fans of historical fiction.

Rating: 4/5

Related
-Fascinating photographs and footage of the real women of Royaumont.
-Author Mary-Rose MacColl discusses writing the novel.

Fine Print
Published: 2013, Allison & Busby
Source: I was provided with a review copy of this book from The Book Depository in exchange for an honest review, as part of their affiliate program.
Get It: The Book Depository (Belle's Bookshelf affiliate)

Review: Take My Word For It By John Marsden

Superficial note: I can't imagine this cover ever looked attractive, even in the 90s.

I was so excited to discover the existence of this book after reading So Much To Tell You. I was pretty blown away by that one, so I was thrilled to know there was a companion novel which, according to Wikipedia, would fill in the gaps and detail the aftermath of the first book.

Told from Lisa’s point of view, we get a little insight into how she and the other girls view Marina, the troubled protagonist of So Much To Tell You, but overall the focus is on Lisa’s own life. Which makes sense, seeing as how this is her “journal” and all. Considering the journals were a class project it was understandable that it would be used as a narrative device once again here. But while it worked incredibly effectively for Marina, I found Lisa’s journal quite ordinary. Perhaps it’s unfair to compare them, but being companion novels, it’s kind of impossible not to. The characters and events are largely the same, it’s only the perspective that changes.

I just didn’t connect with Lisa emotionally and wasn’t as invested in her story. The central “mystery” wasn’t as compelling as it was in the first novel, and it was all a bit predictable. Plus I didn’t get anywhere near as much insight into the events left out of Marina’s journal as I was hoping to. And while I’ve noted that So Much To Tell You is the type of YA novel that would appeal to readers of any age, I really don’t think Take My Word For It has the kind of cross-over factor that would make it of interest to anyone who isn’t a teen – and probably a young one at that. There is some beautiful writing, but overall it’s quite a bland book.

Rating: 3/5

Fine Print
Published: 1992, Macmillan
Get It:  Bookworld

Review: Black Painted Fingernails by Steven Herrick

It's going to be hard for me to review Black Painted Fingernails because a) I've had reviewer's block which means b) I read this over a month ago, but also because c) It was a very "meh" book for me. I didn't hate it but I didn't love it - it was just OK.

James does everything right. Despite being an adult at uni, he's still very much a mummy's boy. He does what his parents want him to do and never puts a foot wrong. Until a random, wild girl named Sophie ambushes her way into his car (and, predictably, his heart) on a roadtrip into the country. James abandons his plans, his direction and all contact with his parents as Sophie takes him on the ride of his life. But she's hiding a secret, of course.

So... having summarised the plot, I can't think of much more to say about this book. There's nothing wrong with it, but there's nothing particularly great either. It's a quick read but a little boring in parts - especially the chapters told from the POV of James' parents, whose empty nest syndrome didn't particularly interest me. James himself was quite bland and Sophie's "dark" secret and wild personality felt underdeveloped. I just didn't connect with the characters in any significant way. I did enjoy the depiction of the landscape and country towns. But my favourite part of the book was the title. It made me want to paint my nails. I think that says it all, really.

Rating: 3/5

Fine Print
Published: 2011, Allen & Unwin
Get It:  Book Depository

Review: Sea Hearts By Margo Lanagan

Like the men of Rollrock Island, Sea Hearts has me enchanted by selkies. I didn't know a great deal about the mythology going into this book, but the story of Rollrock Island and its inhabitants, whose relationship with the selkies is fraught with obsession, possession and heartbreak, captured my fascination and left me wanting so much more. While the mythology itself is interesting, it's the wonderful way Margo Lanagan expands on it and builds her world around it that makes Sea Hearts truly magical.

Rollrock Island is an isolated, wind-swept, sea-drenched setting that is powerfully evoked through Lanagan's beautiful writing. She will make you actually feel the damp air, smell the salty ocean and taste the sea-heart delicacies. Not to mention all the emotions - from wonder to fury to heartbreak, you're fully immersed in the feelings of the characters, leaving your heart raw and exposed, but ultimately satisfied.

The story is told from multiple perspectives across generations. The first part focuses on Misskaella, the witch who can transform seals into humans. We learn why she's determined to give all the men on Rollrock Island "sea wives", and it's quite a heart-wrenching journey, although it also has some magical and delightful moments. Of course, it's not spoiling anything to say she doesn't exactly have a happy ending (the book opens with her as an old woman), and her bitterness has devastating consequences for everyone, as the subsequent chapters, telling the stories of the women and men from two of the Rollrock families, reveal.

While Misskaella's section was a highlight, my favourite part of the book was probably Daniel's. As the son of a Rollrock man and a sea wife, he's torn between wanting his family together and wanting his mother to be happy. What he does to make things right is powerful, rendered especially so through Lanagan's stunning language and imagery. As awful as it is, I have to say I felt kinda gleeful at the comeuppance the men of the island got for their sexist, possessive selfishness.

Sea Hearts explores some pretty significant themes - love, passion, grief, revenge, obsession and even gender roles. It's intense, but never too heavy. Lanagan's beautiful way with words, elegant plot structure, whimsical world-building and remarkable cast of characters weave together to form a breathtaking book that I think everbody should read.

Rating: 5/5 

Related
This Q&A with Lanagan about the book is fascinating. I can't believe she got the idea for the story from something as simple as knitting a scarf!

Fine Print
Published: February 2012, Allen & Unwin
Get It: Bookworld

Review: Picnic at Hanging Rock By Joan Lindsay

Isn't this edition purdy?!

Picnic at Hanging Rock is an iconic Australian story. The disappearance of three girls and one woman from a “civilised” picnic into the mysterious Hanging Rock plays on the worst fears of the landscape that are ingrained in the Australian psyche, which is why I think it has become such a classic. The tension between the European settlers and the harsh Australian bush depicted in the story is central to our cultural heritage. It’s an important story, so it makes me cringe to admit that I didn’t love it.

I’ve always been fascinated by the central mystery itself, but this book is less about the actual disappearance of the girls and more about the effects the event has on those connected. It was interesting to see the “ripples” come into play, although it sometimes took a while to get there. I found the beginning quite good and the ending great, but the whole middle section was pretty tedious for me. I’m not sure if it’s because I knew what was going to happen (or rather, what wasn’t going to happen), but I just wasn’t compelled to pick it up. In fact, I kind of dreaded it, because every time I did, I’d get two pages in before I started to do this:

Maybe it’s the magic of Hanging Rock, which makes anyone who comes into contact with it sleepy and delirious. Maybe it's just a boring book. It doesn’t help that it’s more character than plot focused, when many of the characters are two-dimensional stereotypes. There’s the perfect, pretty, popular girl; the fat, ugly, dunce; the strict and frugal headmistress; the pretty young French governess… none of these characters had any real depth, and I didn’t particularly care about any of them.

What I did love was the vivid imagery and evocative atmosphere, which was by turns dream-like and oppressive. The contrast between the open and uncontrollable Hanging Rock and the repressive, closed-in boarding school is powerful. Unfortunately it wasn’t enough to make me really enjoy Picnic at Hanging Rock. Am I going to be kicked out of the country now?

Rating: 3.5/5

Spoilery Talking Points

• I thought I desperately wanted to know what really happened to the girls, so I looked up The Secret of Hanging Rock. I think the editors were right to leave out the last chapter. Because it's kinda effed up, and not in a good way. Keeping the mystery, well, mysterious, makes the story so much stronger.
• Maybe this is me being stupid again, but I was unsure whether Sara committed suicide or was murdered by the headmistress. 
• I also couldn't figure out why Michael suddenly went off Irma, considering how well they were getting on. He seemed to just drop it without any real explanation. Weird.

Eye Candy
It was impossible to get the images of the actors from the movie out of my head. 

Fine Print
Published: Viking, 2012 (first published 1967)
Get It: Fishpond

Ten Reasons You Should Read Graffiti Moon By Cath Crowley

1. It takes place all in one night, which adds at least 70% more awesomeness.
2. It's told from two (and a half) perspectives: Lucy, who is on the hunt for graffiti artist Shadow and Ed, who secretly is Shadow. Seeing both points of view as they get to know one another, keep secrets and miscommunicate is a lot of fun. The half perspective is the occasional poetic insight from the mind of Leo, a.k.a. Shadow's partner in crime, Poet.
3. The writing is gorgeous. It reminds me of Melina Marchetta in its raw beauty.
4. The characters are all well fleshed-out, unique and likable. Even when they're planning to do kind of terrible things, you can't help but root for this bunch.
5. There are so many adorable interactions that will make you want to squee. Ed and Lucy have a strong chemistry from the start, even when they supposedly hate each other.
6. It's about art and the way it touches your soul. Crowley paints colours with her words as vividly as Shadow does with his spray cans.
7. It's also about love and finding yourself, but not in a cheesy, naff way. It's incredibly authentic in its untidiness while still being uplifting and hopeful.
8. It's set in the beautiful city of Melbourne. I want to go to there (seriously, I can't believe I've never been!).
9. You won't want to put it down. It's one of those books you devour every chance you get.
10. It won't take long to read, but it will leave a lasting impression. It's lovely and brilliant and wonderful and every good adjective you can think of.

Rating: 5/5

Review: So Much To Tell You By John Marsden

So Much To Tell You by John Marsden is an Australian classic and I can’t believe I’ve not read it before now. It’s one of those books that I always thought I had read, but when I sat down with it last week, it wasn’t familiar at all. Which made me feel like a very Bad Australian.

Anyway, I’ve read it now and I can see why it’s such a classic. It’s raw and emotional and so authentic, which is particularly impressive when you consider this female-dominated story, told in diary style from the perspective of a Year Nine girl, was actually written by a 30-odd year old man. It’s amazing how right the voice is.

Despite being written more than two decades ago, the story is still very much relevant to today. Change out the references to tape decks and snail mail for iTunes and Facebook and you would think it was written today. I believe it’s because emotions and relationships and the messiness of life never really change, no matter what trappings society is obsessed with at the time. And it’s these things that Marsden captures so brilliantly in So Much To Tell You.

The protagonist is a young girl starting a new boarding school and being forced to keep a diary for English class. Her family has sent her there in an attempt to get her to talk again, as she hasn’t spoken since a traumatic event that left her scarred on the inside as well as the outside. While she initially remains closed off and refuses to talk to anyone, she slowly begins to open up in her journal. You learn, bit by bit, exactly what has happened to her through her diary entries. You also see her slowly becoming more confident, as others show her kindness and she begins to connect, however silently, with the people in her life.

But nothing is straightforward or perfect in this book, because life isn’t that way. The protagonist takes one step forward and two steps back. She’s conflicted about not only the new people she meets, but the old ones from her “former” life. Her family in particular arouses contradictory emotions, and her struggle is laid bare in her diary. Her relationship with her father is particularly harrowing.

But it is perhaps her relationship with herself which is most poignant of all. Her scarred face represents her confused sense of identity; something that is further reinforced by the fact that her name is never revealed until the very end. When you do see it, it’s a powerful moment, and you realise how far she has come to get where she is. Then the last line of the book completely hits it home – but I won’t spoil it for you. You'll have to read this masterful little book for yourself.

Rating: 4/5

Fine Print
Published: 2012, Hachette (25th anniversary edition). Originally published 1987.
Get It: The Nile

Review: Alaska By Sue Saliba

Alaska by Sue Saliba is a gorgeous book. From the beautiful cover art to the lyrical, emotive language, it's a delight to hold and devour. 

Alaska tells the story of Mia, a Melbourne student who defers Year 12 to live with her sister, Em, in Alaska while their mother is in hospital. Once close to her sister, Mia now finds herself struggling to find a place in the world, as Em is focused on her new family, leaving Mia feeling adrift. She seeks solace in the nearby forest and in the arms of a man she meets there. But external forces threaten the safety of Mia's newfound sanctuary and she must look within herself for strength.

Mia's sense of helplessness and disconnection is palpable from the start. Although told in the third person, the lack of capital letters, frequent section breaks and long, rhythmic sentences lend the narrative a stream-of-consciousness style that gives you the feeling you're in Mia's head. Her confused, hurting and hopeful head. I connected very strongly with this aspect of the novel, and felt Mia's desire for belonging and for happiness deeply.

Aside from the amazing design, the language was my favourite part of Alaska. It's the kind you want to read aloud and roll around in your mouth, savouring the texture of each word and the cadence of each sentence. Although it's not a verse novel, there is something distinctly poetic about Saliba's writing style. It was sparse but powerful, with each word seemingly deliberately chosen and each space particularly placed. What isn't said is almost as loud as what is. This is especially true of Mia's relationship with her sister. Having finished the book, it feels like they barely spoke to each other at all, and yet their silence spoke volumes. It's heartbreaking and raw and so very real.

The setting of Alaska is one I've never read before, but Saliba makes it real and vivid and incredibly beautiful. Her descriptive writing made me feel the exquisite coldness of the frozen landscape, even though I was sitting in 30-degree heat. In the words of Liz Lemon, I want to go to there.

I only wish Alaska was a little bit longer. I appreciated that not everything was tied up in a neat little bow, but I did wish for a little more resolution to certain plot points – mainly the relationship between the sisters, and the future of the forest. I felt like much of the novel was building up those two interrelated stories, just to basically drop them at the end (Spoiler: I liked how Mia realised she had to go home, but I felt like she just forgot about the forest when she’d been so passionate about it just pages before). Nevertheless, Alaska is a dreamy coming-of-age story, with authentic characters, elegant writing and a lovely touch of whimsy.

Rating: 4/5 

Fine Print
Published: 2011, Penguin
Get It: Bookworld