Christine Balint's Water music was a joint winner of the 2021 Viva La Novella Prize with Helen Meany's Every day is Gertie Day (my review), but they are very different books. Meany's is contemporary, perhaps even near-future, and tackles some up-to-the-minute issues regarding fact, truth and authenticity, while Balint's is historical fiction, a coming-of-age story, … Continue reading Christine Balint, Water music (#BookReview)
Novellas
Helen Meany, Every day is Gertie Day (#BookReview)
Helen Meany's Every day is Gertie Day is the third Viva La Novella winner that I've read and posted about on my blog, the other two being Julie Proudfoot's The neighbour (my review) and Mirandi Riwoe's The fish girl (my review). All are memorable reads, and do this award proud - and no, I am … Continue reading Helen Meany, Every day is Gertie Day (#BookReview)
Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 6: Novellas
Yes, I know, novellas aren't really a genre, but when I started this sub-series I couldn't find one word to cover all the types of literary works I thought I might end up covering, so we are all going to have to live with "genres". OK? Many of you will know why I've chosen novellas … Continue reading Monday musings on Australian literature: Supporting genres, 6: Novellas
S-S-S Snake, Kate Jennings’ Snake, that is
I thoroughly enjoyed Tegan Bennett Daylight's essay on Helen Garner's Cosmo cosmolino (1992) in Reading like an Australian writer. Consequently, I plan, over time, to read and share other essays in this book - at least those discussing books I've reviewed here. As it happens, there is an essay by Debra Adelaide on Kate Jennings' … Continue reading S-S-S Snake, Kate Jennings’ Snake, that is
Trevor Shearston, Hare’s fur (#BookReview)
While I want to, I often don't manage to follow up books recommended by Lisa but Trevor Shearston's Hare's fur particularly caught my attention. He was an Australian author I didn't know; the novel is set in the Blue Mountains; and the protagonist is a potter, which sounded intriguing. So, I bought it - over … Continue reading Trevor Shearston, Hare’s fur (#BookReview)
Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, Black cockatoo (#BookReview)
Black cockatoo is a young adult novel written by Indigenous Australian author, Carl Merrison, and his non-Indigenous collaborator, Hakea Hustler, and illustrated by Indigenous Australian illustrator, Dub Leffler. It is a beautiful, little (in size, not value) book that made quite a splash when it was published. It was shortlisted for several children's literature awards … Continue reading Carl Merrison and Hakea Hustler, Black cockatoo (#BookReview)
Carol Lefevre, Murmurations (#BookReview)
Murmurations is a beautiful, evocative word, and Carol Lefevre's latest book, titled Murmurations, does beautiful, thoughtful justice to it. It is though an unusual book. Styled by its author as a novella, it reads on the surface like a collection of short stories, except that the stories are not only connected by the various characters … Continue reading Carol Lefevre, Murmurations (#BookReview)
Sayaka Murata, Convenience store woman (#BookReview)
Convenience store woman, which won Japan's prestigious Akutagawa Prize, is Sayaka Murata's 10th novel, but her first translated into English. Hopefully, it won't be the last. A rather unusual book, it elicited a stimulating discussion at my reading group last week. The convenience store woman of the title is 36-year-old Keiko Furukawa. She isn't "normal", and her … Continue reading Sayaka Murata, Convenience store woman (#BookReview)
Elizabeth Jolley, The orchard thieves (#BookReview)
Elizabeth Jolley's twelfth novel, The orchard thieves, is a little different from most of the other Jolleys I've read. It's a little less black, a little less about alienation, but it's unmistakably Jolley in style and preoccupations. By preoccupations, I mean her interest in family relationships and dynamics - and, related to that, her humane, … Continue reading Elizabeth Jolley, The orchard thieves (#BookReview)
Wendy Scarfe, The day they shot Edward (#BookReview)
There's something about novellas, about the way they can combine the tautness of the short story with the character development of a novel, and then hone in on an idea, undistracted by side-stories. This, in any case, is what Adelaide-writer Wendy Scarfe achieves in her book, The day they shot Edward. Like her previous novel, … Continue reading Wendy Scarfe, The day they shot Edward (#BookReview)
