Theresa Smith's Blog, page 14
July 1, 2024
Book Review: Water by John Boyne
From internationally bestselling author John Boyne, a masterfully reflective story about one woman coming to terms with the demons of her past and finding a new path forward.
The first thing Vanessa Carvin does when she arrives on the island is change her name. To the locals, she is Willow Hale, a solitary outsider escaping Dublin to live a hermetic existence in a small cottage, not a notorious woman on the run from her past.
But scandals follow like hunting dogs. And she has some questions of her own to answer. If her ex-husband is really the monster everyone says he is, then how complicit was she in his crimes?
Escaping her old life might seem like a good idea but the choices she has made throughout her marriage have consequences. Here, on the island, Vanessa must reflect on what she did – and did not do. Only then can she discover whether she is worthy of finding peace at all.
Released November 2023
My Thoughts:Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: I like John Boyne’s novels. He’s a terrific storyteller.
Themes: Starting over.
For fans of: Irish fiction.
The good: A quality quick read – I’d say it’s a novella at 170 pages. It packs a lot into its pages and is quite fast paced. You can read it in one sitting.
The not so good: I struggled at first with feeling empathy for Vanessa, being more inclined to judge her, and it wasn’t until almost the end of the novel that I felt a shift within me towards her. Why is this not good? I don’t want to be that judgmental person that questions another woman’s actions and intelligence, so it was uncomfortable to realise that sometimes, I am.
In brief: This fast-paced quietly unfolding story deep dives into the life of a woman who has fled her current existence in the hopes of finding some answers to the questions that are plaguing her regarding how complicit she was in the crimes her husband has been found guilty of and imprisoned for. Did she genuinely not know what was going on or was she aware on some level but unable/unwilling to see? Escaping to an island where she hopes no one will recognise her, she spends time dwelling on all that has gone on, the death of her eldest daughter and the estrangement between herself and her youngest daughter. Deeply introspective, Water is a thought-provoking look at blame, grief, and starting over. I enjoyed it, the Island life, the way the story unfolded in pieces, and the ending, which was hopeful and seemed exactly right.
Book Review: The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir by Sandie Docker
Sisters Eleanor and Maggie have been running the Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir for fifteen years. It has become a haven for the lost and lonely women who have found their home in the stately federation house by the lake. When Eleanor enters the choir into the All Voices Championship, it offers them all a chance to make up for lost dreams.
Single mum Hannah arrives in Lyrebird Lake, homeless after being widowed and hoping for a new start with her son. With her angelic voice, Hannah could give the choir a winning edge. But when Eleanor hears her singing a long-forgotten lullaby, she is transported to her past, a traumatic time when two teenage girls were banished from their Irish homeland to a faraway country.
Will Hannah’s arrival mend old wounds, or will the secret she unknowingly carries tear the sisters apart?
A lyrical, deeply moving story of facing secrets, finding your way back home, and the power of discovering your voice.
Published by Penguin Australia
Released June 2024
My Thoughts:Rating: 5 stars
Why I chose it: Sandie Docker can always be relied upon for a good read.
Themes: Homelessness, forced adoption, friendships, family, starting over.
For fans of: Contemporary Australian novels that combine feel good aspects with topical themes.
The good: This was a brilliant novel. Sandie’s chosen topic of homelessness of people we don’t generally associate with homelessness is of rising importance. Older women are fast making up more and more of the homeless population within Australia due to life factors rather than substance abuse.
The not so good: Nothing to report here. I loved it all.
In brief: The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir is a thought-provoking look at the growing epidemic of homelessness in Australia alongside a dive into a dark part of Australia’s social welfare history, the forced adoptions that were in place from around the mid 1950s to the early 1980s. The heavier parts of the narrative are balanced with the cheeriness of the choir and its members. I really enjoyed this one and found it tugging on my heartstrings in unexpected ways. Highly recommended, very well suited to book clubs.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Penguin Australia.
June 29, 2024
June: Read, Listen, Watch, Repeat…
June proved more productive in terms of reading than May. Four of these were sent to me for review and all four were excellent. Kairos was our book club selection for June, and it was a bust. It may have won the International Booker Prize for this year but as far as I’m concerned, it’s a bin fire. I got to 53% (reading on my Kobo – great for stats!) and pressed remove from my device. No one in our book club finished it. And that’s all you’re going to get on that one!
Heartsease is a story of sisters, grief, and ghosts. Beautifully written and deeply felt, there was a possibility that this novel would have become weighted down by its own sadness and multiple layers of grief, but the author infused enough rays of hope, humour, and love into the narrative to lighten it all up. Thanks to Pan Macmillan Australia for this one. Four stars.
Edenhope is a thought provoking and deeply emotional story about a woman who has been driven to the point of destitution by her daughter’s drug habit and her quest to save her grandchildren from certain harm. I was gripped by this story from the outset and loved all of it, far more than I had been expecting to. Thanks to Text Publishing for this one. Five stars.
The Concierge is a nod to the cosy mystery genre of bygone days (think Agatha Christie’s blend of the quaint with murder and mayhem), however it is also distinctly meta in style. It was a lot of fun to read, and Hector Harrow was such a gem of a narrator. Thanks to Ultimo Press for this one. Four stars.
The Lyrebird Lake Ladies Choir is a thought-provoking look at the growing epidemic of homelessness in Australia alongside a deep dive into a dark part of Australia’s social welfare history, the forced adoptions that were in place from around the mid 1950s to the early 1980s. The heavier parts of the narrative are balanced with the cheeriness of the choir and its members. I really enjoyed this one and found it tugging on my heartstrings in unexpected ways. Thanks to Penguin Australia for this one. Five stars.
Listen:
My audio book consumption increased greatly across June. I was unwell for about a week and found reading fatiguing, whereas I could lay and rest with an audio book playing, so they won out. Each of these were really good! All of these were purchased from and listened to through Kobo.
The Lonely Hearts Book Club is a book about books – my favourite kind. When librarian Sloane risks her job to check on an elderly library patron who has failed to show up to the library at his usual time, she sets in motion a change to not only her own life, but to the lives of several others, all of whom end up forming a book club as a way of banding together to care for an elderly man who is alone in the world. As the story progresses, what becomes apparent, is that the kindness of strangers can move mountains when even just one person won’t take no for an answer. This one is a love story of a different kind, that of friendship, where age is no barrier and everyone, no matter their background, can bond over a common cause and a good book. Five stars.
At The Foot of the Cherry Tree is set-in post-war Japan and Australia, spanning seven years, and tells the story of a young man’s fight to change the immigration laws in Australia preventing him from bringing his Japanese war bride home. It’s a thought-provoking and deeply moving story of love set against a backdrop of Australian political history. Based on a true story, it’s an ideal novel for book clubs, offering up many topics for discussion. The narration was fantastic. Four stars.
White Noise and Black Lies I listened to back-to-back, a first for me, following one story up immediately with its sequel, but I enjoyed White Noise that much, there really was no other option but to keep on going. I loved Laura, our psychologist and main character, as she battled her demons, her ex-husband, her sultry teenage daughter, her co-workers, her growing feelings for a close friend, and the criminal justice system. I relished seeing her grow in confidence and get the respect she deserved across the two novels. I’m hoping for a third instalment in Laura’s story. The narrator was the same for both of these novels and she did a fantastic job. It got tense at times! Highly recommended to those who enjoy crime reads. Four stars for each.
Funny Story is the latest release by Emily Henry, whose books I find irresistible. In this one, she once again treats us to a book about books, in that, her main character is a librarian and much of the story revolves around the library – and books. It’s a fabulously funny and heartfelt story about love, friendship, family, finding your true self, and the value of libraries. Funny Story is indeed a funny story, and the narrator was just fabulous in this one. She really added so much into her reading and turned this into a fully immersive and entertaining experience. Five stars. It’s our book club selection for July, so I’m winning now with having already finished it.
Watch:
I watched a few more movies throughout the month of June than is normal for me. Maybe it’s the weather, we had a cold snap and there’s nothing cosier than curling up on the couch with a blanket when it’s very cold. Although it’s not pictured, I am still watching The Great British Sewing Bee, having finished the month of June halfway through season nine. Season ten is currently airing in Britain, so I hope they hurry up and make it available here in the very near future.
Colin from Accounts returned for its second season. This quaint Aussie series is pure entertainment with all the feels and even more laughs. I talked the first season up so much that M binged it so we could watch the second one together. What’s more fun than watching Colin from Accounts on your own? Watching it with someone else and laughing yourself silly together. Love this show and with that ending, there better be a series three in the pipeline! (Binge)
All of Us Strangers has been on my watchlist even before it was released. It never screened in the cinema here (they are dreadfully unsupportive of Indie films) and I waited and waited for it to pop up on streaming, but in the end, I paid to rent it because I was sick of waiting. It’s unlike any other film I’ve ever seen. Emotionally charged, and then some, the story is so incredibly unique. Andrew Scott and Paul Mescal are both incredible in this, two very fine actors who had a terrific chemistry and also showed such raw emotion throughout. It was worth the wait, and the rental charge. (Prime)
The Pale Horse is a contemporary remake of an Agatha Christie classic. I’m enjoying these remakes, they retain the essence of the original but have a more edgy, and in this case, chilling, vibe. This had a bit of a Hitchcock feel to it. It was a limited series and I devoured it over a Sunday afternoon and evening. My memory on the original storyline was hazy, so I didn’t see any of the twists coming. (Britbox)
Wicked Little Letters was so much fun to watch. Really heavy use of profanity (obviously) but in the most hilarious ways. It was based on a true story! Swearing aside, the storyline was very enjoyable, touches of sadness, and a range of issues delved into. Olivia Coleman is such a terrific actress, honestly, she’s just a queen. (Prime)
The Fall Guy is not my usual go to watch, but it was show holiday, and I avoid the show, so M and I spent the afternoon watching this instead. A very funny nod to all the stunt people in action movies, those unsung daredevils that make the stars look like heroes but never get their own parts. The Fall Guy sees you! Ryan Reynolds and Emily Blunt had terrific chemistry too which just added to the entertainment factor. (Telstra Movies)
The Cleaning Lady returned for its third and what I expect to be its final season. The actor playing one of the main characters actually passed away between seasons (Adan Canto) and the show did a terrific job of working this into the storyline instead of just killing him off and returning without him. I enjoyed this season, but it had a definite wrap up feel to it at the end, which I think is a good thing – better to finish on a high with everything tied up neatly. (Binge)
Mothers’ Instinct is a slow burn psychological thriller starring Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastin as neighbours and best friends with young sons the same age. When tragedy strikes for one of the families, the social network unravels. And boy, did it unravel and go to some unexpected and dark places. This was a chilling film, slow and steady, twisting its way to an ending that left me speechless. Both Hathaway and Chastin were excellent in it. (Prime)
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June in a (very large) nutshell. Stay warm and until the end of next month, good reading, good listening, and good watching.
June 11, 2024
Book Review: At The Foot of The Cherry Tree by Alli Parker
Gordon Parker is an eager eighteen-year-old Australian boy desperate to fight for his country, and Nobuko ‘Cherry’ Sakuramoto is a sixteen-year-old girl struggling to survive in Japan in the aftermath of World War II. But when they fall in love, they change the course of history.
When Gordon arrives in Japan, he expects ruthless samurai, angry Japanese men ready to kill Australians at every corner. Instead, he finds Cherry, terrified of ex-enemy soldiers, a survivor of the atomic bomb. Against all the rules and all the odds, they fall in love. But when Gordon discovers the White Australia Policy prevents Cherry coming home with him as his war bride, he does what any 20-year-old soldier would do. He vows to fight. Leaving Cherry alone and pregnant in post-war Japan, Gordon has to convince his family to accept his marriage and wage a desperate campaign against a xenophobic and war-scarred government to allow his wife and children to come home.
A sweeping story spanning seven years and two countries reeling from the aftermath of war, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree is a powerfully moving novel about faith, trust, and the power of a love that alters history – written by Gordon and Cherry’s granddaughter, accomplished scriptwriter, Alli Parker.
Published by HarperCollins Publishers Australia
Released August 2023
My Thoughts:Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: It’s based on a true story, written by the granddaughter of the main characters.
Themes: War, displacement, racism, xenophobia, Australian immigration history, love, family.
For fans of: Novels set in the post WWII era that focus on social and political issues.
The good: There was a lot that was good about this one. I love that it was written by the granddaughter of Cherry and Gordon, making it such a personal project for the author. The author notes at the end detailing the family history were fascinating and my favourite part of the novel. That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy the novel, far from it, but it was so wonderful to hear the ‘real’ story behind the story and the way in which Cherry and Gordon’s marriage changed history, in terms of changing the law to allow Japanese war brides into the country. Cherry was also the first Asian person to be naturalised as an Australian. I’m thrilled that Alli Parker decided to write this story and share it with everyone. One of the other parts of the story I really appreciated was the focus on life in a war-torn country, post war. So many war stories end at the time of peace, but I’m always fascinated by the way in which a country and its people build their lives and society back up from the brink. I wasn’t aware that Japan was occupied for so long after the war by Australian and American troops. The devastation of the atomic bomb was well realised within this story too, with a harrowing chapter whereby Cherry recollects the day the bomb hit in Hiroshima. One other thing I loved – the title of the book is what Cherry’s Japanese name means translated into English. How lovely is that?!
The not so good: It’s heavy on the romance in the start, giving the impression that it’s a romance novel set against the backdrop of war, which is not a favourite trope of mine. Fortunately, it moves on from this rapidly.
In brief: Set-in post-war Japan and Australia, spanning seven years, At the Foot of the Cherry Tree tells the story of a young man’s fight to change the immigration laws in Australia preventing him from bringing his Japanese war bride home. It’s a thought-provoking and deeply moving story of love set against a backdrop of Australian political history. Based on a true story, it’s an ideal novel for book clubs, offering up many topics for discussion. I listened to it on audio and enjoyed it immensely. The narration was fantastic.
June 10, 2024
Book Review: The Concierge by Abby Corson
I suppose it would be fitting to explain that I am talking into a dictaphone and the lovely Helen will be typing out my story for you to read. She will have a certain amount of creative control—sorting out moments when I get a bit tongue-tied or slightly muddled—but I have told her to leave in as much as possible, so as not to miss any of the important bits. This is my account of the Cavengreen Hotel murder, best we get that bit in early on.
The peaceful setting of Cavengreen Hotel has been shattered by a shocking murder. Hector Harrow, the hotel’s concierge, has been accused and is determined to clear his name. Hector enlists the aid of Helen, a retired publisher, to document the shocking crime that has unfolded, with the intention of publishing a truthful account.
Amid interruptions from a nosy journalist and the egotistical antics of the hotel’s new owner, American Dave, Helen works tirelessly to keep Hector focused on finishing his book.
As suspicions fall on different guests and one makes a shocking confession, Hector must navigate a web of secrets to uncover the truth.
Released February 2024
My Thoughts:Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: Who doesn’t like a cosy mystery every now and then?
Themes: Cosy crime.
For fans of: Agatha Christie, Molly the Maid series (The Maid and The Mystery Guest by Nita Prose), Sulari Gentill .
The good: Hector Harrow was such a gem of a narrator. I really loved the way the author structured this novel, with Hector narrating his version of events so as to release a book detailing the truth of the murder at Cavengreen Hotel. Along the way, we get a potted history of Hector’s life, how he came to be the Concierge of Cavengreen Hotel, and his sad but not all that uncommon family history. We are treated to a lively bunch of characters, the good, the bad, and the absurd. The final twist, where we find out who the killer really is, and how Hector came to draw out that particular confession, was very well done and I didn’t see it coming at all.
The not so good: The detective was a little too much of a rogue player and his investigative tactics were not so believable all the time – he was definitely no Poirot. I had to put out of my mind the whole ‘there’s no way that would happen’ a few too many times.
In brief: The Concierge is a nod to the cosy mystery genre of bygone days (think Agatha Christie’s blend of the quaint with murder and mayhem), however it is also distinctly meta in style. Hector is narrating his story, but the story he is narrating is the book you are reading, right down to the title and the cover. It’s very clever how the author has written it this way. Meta fiction is not easy to pull off, and when it’s done well, as it has been here, it’s one of my favourite writing styles. Hector was a brilliant narrator of his own story, often funny, but also vulnerable enough to tug on my heartstrings. Such a dashing old gentleman.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Ultimo Press.
June 8, 2024
Book Review: The Lonely Hearts Book Club by Lucy Gilmore
Sloane Parker lives a small, contained life as a librarian in her small, contained town. She never thinks of herself as lonely…but still she looks forward to that time every day when old curmudgeon Arthur McLachlan comes to browse the shelves and cheerfully insult her. Their sparring is such a highlight of Sloane’s day that when Arthur doesn’t show up one morning, she’s instantly concerned. And then another day passes, and another.
Anxious, Sloane tracks the old man down only to discover him all but bedridden…and desperately struggling to hide how happy he is to see her. Wanting to bring more cheer into Arthur’s gloomy life, Sloane creates an impromptu book club. Slowly, the lonely misfits of their sleepy town begin to find each other, and in their book club, find the joy of unlikely friendship. Because as it turns out, everyone has a special book in their heart—and a reason to get lost (and eventually found) within the pages.
My Thoughts:Rating: 5 stars
Why I chose it: It was on sale for five dollars, which is a terrific bargain for an audiobook, and I liked the idea of listening to a story about a book club. Books about books!
Themes: Friendship, loneliness, reading, books, libraries, books, books, and more books.
For fans of: Feel good fiction that focuses on finding friendships in unlikely places.
The good: This whole story was a delight. I’m not usually a fan of the ‘old curmudgeon’ (don’t get me started on A Man Called Ove), but Arthur grew on me and fortunately, the story was told from multiple perspectives, so there wasn’t an over doing of Arthur and his negativity and rudeness. Each of the characters were so different to each other and the narrator of the audio book did a wonderful job of capturing their voices. The book focus, as in, the actual book chat about the books the book club were reading, was divine. There’s a couple they read that I haven’t, which I now want to. I also really, really love books that deep dive into the wonder of reading and how impactful books can be on a person’s life. This was explored so well within this story and demonstrated beautifully in many ways.
The not so good: Honestly, I liked everything about this one.
In brief: When librarian Sloane risks her job to check on an elderly library patron who has failed to show up to the library at his usual time, she sets in motion a change to not only her own life, but to the lives of several others, all of whom end up forming a book club as a way of banding together to care for an elderly man who is alone in the world. As the story progresses, what becomes apparent, is that the kindness of strangers can move mountains when even just one person won’t take no for an answer. This one is a love story of a different kind, that of friendship, where age is no barrier and everyone, no matter their background, can bond over a common cause and a good book.
Book Review: Edenhope by Louise Le Nay
Marnie is sixty-three and downwardly mobile. Her middle-class marriage is long gone, her only child more or less estranged. She’s living in a granny flat behind a stranger’s house.
Still, things could be worse. She likes her new boss, Trinh, and her flat has a leadlight window depicting a galleon in full sail. Also, her daughter Lenny has just brought Marnie’s adored grandchildren to stay.
She’s also brought her repellent boyfriend and raging drug habit, so nothing new there. But this time it’s different. This time Marnie can see with absolute clarity the danger the children are in.
And this time—she’s going to do something about it.
This is the revelatory story of an ordinary woman who will let nothing, not even the law, stand in the way of her grandchildren’s safety. Simply, elegantly told and utterly compelling, Edenhope is an adventure for those who believe adventure can come from anywhere. And it is a love story for those who understand that love can be found everywhere.
Released 4 June 2024
My Thoughts:Rating: 5 stars
Why I chose it: I loved the sound of the description and was drawn to the cover.
Themes: Family, friendships, addiction, child neglect, social welfare, homelessness in women over 50, grandparents parenting their children’s children.
For fans of: quietly unfolding novels with contemporarily impacting themes of Australian society woven through the narrative.
The good: There is so much that was good about this novel. I loved Marnie’s fierce determination to protect her grandchildren from their own mother, her daughter. She faced down the unknown and stood her ground so many times when I could picture myself wavering if placed in the same situation. I loved the demonstration, many times over, of the kindness of strangers towards Marnie and the little ones. The way in which the author depicted navigating the channels of Centrelink and Child Safety was realistically frustrating, but also balanced, as there were people within the system trying to assist, despite the system not being set up to allow for speed and certain services. Kudos as well to the family lawyer giving their time pro bono and going more than the extra mile to help people like Marnie out.
The not so good: Lenny was a hard character to muster any empathy towards. She was an addict, yes, but she was also just a mean, selfish, entitled loser. I could empathise with Marnie, from a mother point of view, as to why she kept trying and caring, but from an outsider point of view, I just wanted Marnie to cut her loose. The author dug into this dilemma so well – at what point do we step back from being a parent and just focus on parenting the grandchildren? When is it okay to give up on your own child and accept they are a lost cause? Such a profound dilemma, with no real answers, of course.
In brief: A thought provoking and deeply emotional story about a woman who has been driven to the point of destitution by her daughter’s drug habit and her quest to save her grandchildren from certain harm. I was gripped by this story from the outset and loved all of it, far more than I had been expecting to. It would make for a terrific book club pick. Highly recommended.
Thanks to Text Publishing for the review copy.
June 1, 2024
Book Review: Backwaters by Emma Ling Sidnam #AYearofNZLit
Winner, Michael Gifkins Prize, New Zealand, 2022
Laura is tired of being asked where she’s really from. Her family has lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for four generations, and she’s ambivalent at best about her Chinese heritage. But when she’s asked to write about the Chinese New Zealander experience for a work project, Laura finds herself drawn to the diary of her great-great-grandfather Ken, a market gardener in the early years of the British colony.
With the help of her beloved grandpa, Laura begins to write a version of Ken’s story. She imagines his youth in Guangzhou and his journey to a new land—unaware that soon, spurred on by a family secret that comes to light, she will go on her own journey of self-discovery, sexuality and reckoning with the past.
A tender, nuanced novel about the bittersweet search for belonging, Backwaters marks the arrival of a brilliant new talent.
Released 26 September 2023
My Thoughts:Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: It fit the brief for #AYearofNZLit
Themes: Identity, migration, Chinese heritage, family, adoption, internalised racism.
For fans of: Quiet character driven stories that gently unfold.
The good: There’s some really interesting history in this one about early Chinese settlement into New Zealand.
The not so good: The main character’s internalised racism was at times difficult to resonate with and subsequently appreciate, however, the author’s intent was clear, and I think this is just a case of lived experience in terms of relatability.
In brief: Laura has always been resistant to embracing her Chinese heritage and resents that she is not considered a New Zealander despite being born and raised in New Zealand. At the height of this identity crisis, she begins to work with her grandfather on translating her great-great-grandfather’s diary of his experiences as an early Chinese settler in New Zealand. A series of family crisis results in Laura embarking on a trip to Hong Kong in a bid to find out who she really is. This one is one of those novels that is about the character journey more than the end result.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Text Publishing.
Quick Shots Book Review: Backwaters by Emma Ling Sidnam
Winner, Michael Gifkins Prize, New Zealand, 2022
Laura is tired of being asked where she’s really from. Her family has lived in Aotearoa New Zealand for four generations, and she’s ambivalent at best about her Chinese heritage. But when she’s asked to write about the Chinese New Zealander experience for a work project, Laura finds herself drawn to the diary of her great-great-grandfather Ken, a market gardener in the early years of the British colony.
With the help of her beloved grandpa, Laura begins to write a version of Ken’s story. She imagines his youth in Guangzhou and his journey to a new land—unaware that soon, spurred on by a family secret that comes to light, she will go on her own journey of self-discovery, sexuality and reckoning with the past.
A tender, nuanced novel about the bittersweet search for belonging, Backwaters marks the arrival of a brilliant new talent.
Released 26 September 2023
My Thoughts:Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: It fit the brief for #AYearofNZLit
Themes: Identity, migration, Chinese heritage, family, adoption, internalised racism.
For fans of: Quiet character driven stories that gently unfold.
The good: There’s some really interesting history in this one about early Chinese settlement into New Zealand.
The not so good: The main character’s internalised racism was at times difficult to resonate with and subsequently appreciate, however, the author’s intent was clear, and I think this is just a case of lived experience in terms of relatability.
In brief: Laura has always been resistant to embracing her Chinese heritage and resents that she is not considered a New Zealander despite being born and raised in New Zealand. At the height of this identity crisis, she begins to work with her grandfather on translating her great-great-grandfather’s diary of his experiences as an early Chinese settler in New Zealand. A series of family crisis results in Laura embarking on a trip to Hong Kong in a bid to find out who she really is. This one is one of those novels that is about the character journey more than the end result.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Text Publishing.
Book Review: Heartsease by Kate Kruimink
I saw my mother for a long time after she died. I would see her out windows, or in the corner of my eye. Always in the periphery, always a dim blur, but unmistakably my mother, the herness skating through every line and flicker.
Charlotte (‘Lot’) and Ellen (‘Nelly’) are sisters who were once so close a Venn diagram of the two would have formed a circle. But a great deal has changed since their mother’s death, years before. Clever, beautiful, gentle Lot has been unfailingly dutiful – basically a disaster of an older sister for much younger Nelly, still haunted by their mother in her early thirties.
When the pair meet at a silent retreat in a strange old house in the Tasmanian countryside, the spectres of memory are unleashed.
Heartsease is a sad, sly and darkly comic story about the weight of grief and the ways in which family cleave to us, for better and for worse. It’s an account of love and ghosts so sharp it will leave you with paper cuts.
Published by Pan Macmillan Australia
Released 28 May 2024
My Thoughts:Rating: 4 stars
Why I chose it: The cover initially caught my eye – it’s absolutely stunning and flowers on a cover will always get me.
Themes: Grief, family, sisters, love, organ donation, the mother load (ie. mothers who do more harm than good to their offspring).
For fans of: Literary fiction with a touch of the paranormal to it.
The good: The writing is beautiful, passages of deeply felt, well written emotion and introspection. Josh and Lot were a highlight in terms of characters, particularly as they bonded through their grief. And the ghosts. I thought that aspect of the story was really well done.
The not so good: It took about a quarter of the book to really be able to follow the narrative structure.
In brief: There is a dark humour to this novel that gently balances the raw emotion. There was a possibility that this novel would have become weighted down by its own sadness and multiple layers of grief, but the author infused enough rays of hope, humour, and love into the narrative to lighten it all up. It’s an emotional read, for sure, but not a depressing one.
Thanks for the review copy goes to: Pan Macmillan Australia.
