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Carpentaria
Carpentaria is an epic novel set in the Gulf country of north western Queensland. The novel's portrait of life in the precariously settled coastal town of Desperance centres on the powerful Phantom family, leader of the Westend Pricklebush people, and its battles with old Joseph Midnight's renegade Eastend mob on the one hand, and the white officials of Uptown and the neig...more
Paperback, 519 pages
Published
2006
by Giramondo Pub.
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My isbn: 9781845297213
Withdrawn from Libraries NI
Dedication: For Toly
Quote:
The first words got polluted
Flowing with the dirt
Of blurbs and front pages.
My only drink is meaning from the deep brain,
What the birds and the grass and the stones drink.
Let everything flow
Up to the four elements
Up to water asnd earth and fire and air.
Seamus Heany 'The First Words'
Opening: The ancestral serpent, a creature larger than storm clouds, came down from the stars, laden with its own creative enormity.
This was se...more
"One evening in the driest grasses in the world, a child who was no stranger to her people, asked if anyone could find hope. The people of parable and prophecy pondered what was hopeless and finally declared they no longer knew what hope was. The clocks, tick-a-ty tock, looked as though they might run out of time. Luckily, the ghosts in the memories of the old folk were listening, and said anyone can find hope in the stories: the big stories and the little ones in between."
Carpentaria is a stunn...more
“One evening in the driest grasses in the world, a child who was no stranger to her people, asked if anyone could find hope. The people of parable and prophecy pondered what was hopeless and finally declared they no longer knew what hope was. The clocks, tick-a-ty tock, looked as though they might run out of time. Luckily, the ghosts in the memories of the old folk were listening, and said anyone can find hope in the stories: the big stories and the little ones in between.”
Wright is an Aborigina...more
Wright is an Aborigina...more
Huh. Weird book. I had really wanted to read this book, had it on my list for a long time before I could get it in the U.S. Then, when I actually read it, not so much. Maybe it's because I am neither Australian nor Aboriginal, but I didn't understand what was going on for substantial stretches of a very long book. Character showed up after being gone for 200 pages (Norm Phantom, Bruiser). Major plot issues just occurred, as if they included in some other addition with more build up on them (the...more
I didn't understand much of what I read in this book - so my 'two star' rating isn't really a judgment on the quality of the novel, but on how much I enjoyed it, and how much I, personally, could piece together. I imagine if you're a literary sort, you could mine this deliciously for all kinds of repeated metaphor and thematics and meaning. I mostly spent the read going, "what is going on?"
In the largest terms, this is a book about the Aboriginal spirits of Australia being mightier than the work...more
In the largest terms, this is a book about the Aboriginal spirits of Australia being mightier than the work...more
“Carpentaria” is an incredible novel. The second fictional work from Alexis Wright, it deals with sweeping issues such as the clash of cultures in Australia, the different goals and focuses of whites vs. those of the native Aboriginals; and does so by looking at just one small imaginary town which the author calls Desperance which is located on the very real Gulf of Carpentaria in Queensland. The relations between black and white Australia play out on the small stage of Desperance, often in a vi...more
Don't be misled by my rating. I gave it 4 stars because it is an outstanding work - but it has defeated me this time. It's not the sort of book I can listen to, despite the superb narration of Isaach Drandich. There is just too much going on in this book to follow while I'm driving to and from work. Characters come and go, plot lines are left hanging, and events jump around in time. There is so much to absorb, so many events and characters to remember, that it is difficult to appreciate without...more
I can see why Carpentaria won a Miles Franklin Award. It is a big book which tells an important story in a manner likely to be novel to many readers.
On its face, Carpentaria is the story of a town, Desperance, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, giving the reader an insight into tensions within the Aboriginal communities on the outskirts of the town and between them and the white people who live in the town itself. Underneath that, and far more importantly, it is a story about family, Country and Cultu...more
On its face, Carpentaria is the story of a town, Desperance, on the Gulf of Carpentaria, giving the reader an insight into tensions within the Aboriginal communities on the outskirts of the town and between them and the white people who live in the town itself. Underneath that, and far more importantly, it is a story about family, Country and Cultu...more
Alexis Wright is one of Australia's finest Aboriginal writers. Carpentaria is her second novel, an epic set in the Gulf country of north-western Queensland, from where her people come. The novel's portrait of life in the precariously settled coastal town of Desperance centres on the powerful Phantom family, leader of the Westend Pricklebush people, and its battles with old Joseph Midnight's renegade Eastend mob on the one hand, and the white officials of Uptown and the neighbouring Gurfurrit min...more
Wow, a big book, and a long time reading. Nevertheless, it's an absolutely unique take on the meeting of two cultures. "Desperence", a town founded by white australians on the north coast has the expected conflicts between the whites and the aboriginal people who live on its edges. It has complex conflicts among each of these groups as well. And then there is the international mining company working nearby -- hiring locals and ignoring the traditional views of land use. Alexis Wright, an aborigi...more
This is definitely not a book for public transport. This book needs quite time with no distractions. I was interested to see that other peoples reviews all say, still reading, still reading. It is an epic read- it takes concentration and time. It is exhausting and when I would go to sleep after reading it, it would work its way into my dreams.
The book group I am taking tomorrow has read it and I will be interested to see who managed to finish it, I honestly wonder if I would have finished it oth...more
The book group I am taking tomorrow has read it and I will be interested to see who managed to finish it, I honestly wonder if I would have finished it oth...more
IT took me a while to get into and understand Wright's style. She flicks from reality, to dreaming, to spirituality, and back again. At times I didnt know if I was in a reality bit or a dreaming bit. Once i got into the swing of it all I couldn't put the book down. 518 pages of mostly riveting reading. Set in the Gulf of Carpentaria the novel focuses on a small town and its characters along with the mining industry setting up a new mine in the region; those who want it and those who dont. Wright...more
I really enjoyed this book although at times I found it a bit repetitive. There where times I had to force myself to keep reading it but in the end the story came together beautifully. The characters were fantastic and very well rounded. It's also great to read an Aussie book where the characters speak our language (not the fake Aussie lingo used in some overseas books). I especially enjoyed the dream time and the perspective from our indigenous population.
This book certainly took me far away from my real world! It was fascinating the way fantasy and reality entwined to create a place that while I knew it was real seemed to exist on another plain. It was not clear to me until about 2/3 of the way through what the real world story was. At that point there was an aha moment and it all became clear. The characters were tightly drawn and vivid. In the beginning it was hard to tell who's story it would turn out to be and the end was a true surprise. I...more
Mar 24, 2010
Sharron
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
australia,
magical-realism
I liked this despite the fact that it is a magical realism book and has plot lines that - at least initially - are convoluted and wander all over creation (no pun intended). But I think the primary reason I finished it is because I have been to that part of Australia and I find nearly all things Australian interesting. The writing is good but, that said, I don't think I know anyone I could recommend this book to.
Great book, once you've managed to get past the first 150 pages. They could have been cut or at least severely edited with little loss to the story. After that, things get going. Beautiful story and beautiful writing. A monumental Australian novel and quite an achievement for Alexis Wright.
I heard an interview with Alexis Wright a couple of days ago where she was talking about the current indigenous issues and her book. She sounded like a woman who loves stories, telling them and hearing them, and she is so deeply involved in finding a place for herself and her people. We are not two people but one - never let us forget this. I'm looking forward to diving head first into this book.
some time later....
This was not a book to rush through. Once I took my time and slid slowly into the...more
some time later....
This was not a book to rush through. Once I took my time and slid slowly into the...more
for review...i've been excited to read this for years.
Ok, I've finally finished it and it's taking me forever to review it. A very challenging book for me, a North American with a North American background and education, to read. There are parts that really resonated with me, humor, gorgeous poetry, wonderful characters like Will and Norm and yet it was very hard for to enjoy this just as a reader because it really stretched out my brain with all of its Australian oral tradition wonderfulness. I...more
Ok, I've finally finished it and it's taking me forever to review it. A very challenging book for me, a North American with a North American background and education, to read. There are parts that really resonated with me, humor, gorgeous poetry, wonderful characters like Will and Norm and yet it was very hard for to enjoy this just as a reader because it really stretched out my brain with all of its Australian oral tradition wonderfulness. I...more
A truly moving epic. You can't tell sometimes whether it's dreamtime or real time and it all doesn't matter as the story overwhelms and takes you in.
One of my favourite books ever. A massive task to read, though well worth it.
One of my favourite books ever. A massive task to read, though well worth it.
Could it be true that 'every major Australian publisher rejected this book'? And even after it won the Miles Franklin one of Australia's leading chains refused to stock it.
If so, shame on you Australian literary establishment. Shame!
If so, shame on you Australian literary establishment. Shame!
I stopped reading this book after 60 pages. To disjointed a story line and could not see where things were going. About aborigies in Australia.
Do not recommend unless you are willing to read more without enjoyment than I am. This would have been a tought English assignment to get through.
Do not recommend unless you are willing to read more without enjoyment than I am. This would have been a tought English assignment to get through.
I enjoyed parts of this book but overall I found it was trying a little too hard (or maybe not hard enough in some areas). The language was quite evocative, however the unstructured plot was annoying at times. I feel like there could have been more editing as the book was too long and I found several errors. I did engage with the characters, setting and the overall idea/theme. This is between 3 and 4 stars.
I started this, got about 30 pages in, and decided I'm not in a place where I can read this right now. With a month to go til my PhD defense, I just don't have the bandwidth. I'll pick it up later this year!
This was a hard one. Took forever to find the hook, and by then I was worn out. I will say this: there are some beautifully constructed sentences and symbols here...but my god, Alexis Wright makes you work hard to find the gold at the end of her rainbow.
Worst of all, when I finally found it, I no longer cared.
Worst of all, when I finally found it, I no longer cared.
4 pages into this book, I'm hooked despite the fact that the print in small and the book large...
Okay, a week in and I am still slowly reading this book and think I will probably have to give it back to the library before I have finsihed it.
The problem with my disabilities is that sometimes, no matter how much I love a book, I just can't continue reading them. In some cases its because they are physically too heavy, in other cases its because the writing is too dense for me to concentrate. Unfor...more
Okay, a week in and I am still slowly reading this book and think I will probably have to give it back to the library before I have finsihed it.
The problem with my disabilities is that sometimes, no matter how much I love a book, I just can't continue reading them. In some cases its because they are physically too heavy, in other cases its because the writing is too dense for me to concentrate. Unfor...more
I'm going to return this unfinished for now. I may pick it up later. The writing requires concentration, and may be better suited to the lazy days of winter.
I won this book on the goodreads give away and tried so hard to stick with it. I got to around 60 pages and had to give it up. Very hard book to read. Maybe sometime in the future I will pick it up again and try to finish it. That being said, I do think the author is a good writer, and maybe once I got more into the story I would like it. I was just itching to read other books at that time though!!
You'll love it, or you won't.
enjoyable australian outback novel
Brilliant read.
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| Books I Want To T...: General Discussion - Carpentaria | 2 | 8 | Nov 27, 2008 12:59am |
Alexis Wright is from the Waanji people from the highlands of the southern Gulf of Carpentaria. Her acclaimed first novel Plains of Promise was published in 1997 by University of Queensland Press and was shortlisted in the Commonwealth Writers' Prize, The Age Book of the Year, and the NSW Premier's Awards. The novel has been translated into French.
Alexis has published award-winning short stories a...more
More about Alexis Wright...
Alexis has published award-winning short stories a...more
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Oct 18, 2012 05:26pm
Hello Gaeta1: What I shall say with conviction is that it was most definately not...more
Oct 19, 2012 02:30am