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The Red Shoe
From one of Australia's finest writers for young people comes this evocative novel juxtaposing the inner life of three girls, the undercurrents of their parents' marriage, and the political dramas of the adult world The earth smelt strong to Matilda and full of things growing and dying all at the same time. She thought about the grey-green tangled bush at the end of her street, full of cowboys and Red Indians, waiting with their guns and their bows and arrows. She thought about the Japs and the Germans and the shining sword and chocolate biscuits, and the Argonauts sailing across the ocean, and the silver trail of snails on cardboard. She thought about the princess in the film, 'How do you do, so glad you could come, how do you do' and the wonderful butterfly bathroom and poor little Karen and her beautiful red shoes. She thought about the sad smiling man with his chess set and the newsreel and her tennis ball, up and up and up in the air, high as the tallest tree in the Basin, and Uncle Paul with his hands in his pockets, and her mother's red shoe falling down down down into the deep green bush for ever.
Funny, tough-minded, and tender, this is the story of Matilda and her two sisters growing up in Sydney in the 1950s at the time of the Petrov Affair. Punctuated by the headlines of the time, it shows with unsettling clarity how the large events of the world can impinge on ordinary lives.
Funny, tough-minded, and tender, this is the story of Matilda and her two sisters growing up in Sydney in the 1950s at the time of the Petrov Affair. Punctuated by the headlines of the time, it shows with unsettling clarity how the large events of the world can impinge on ordinary lives.
192 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2006
17 people are currently reading
385 people want to read
About the author
Ursula Dubosarsky
100 books99 followersUrsula Dubosarsky is an award-winning author of numerous books for children and young adults. About The Golden Day, her first book with Candlewick Press, she says, "The little girls watch, wonder, respond, change, and grow — and then their childhood is gone, forever. This element of the story, I suppose, is at least partly autobiographical. But, as I say — all of our teachers come home safe and sound in the end." Ursula Dubosarsky lives in Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
December 24, 2009
Sometimes I feel like we in America are now so accustomed to a shiny, glossy, corporate edited McMansion of a novel with a tight plot and rip roaring action, that we can't appreciate anything unusual. We can't find the patience to sit with something entirely new that whispers instead of roars.
The Red Shoe is unusual, and I found it incredibly stirring. Yes, like other reviewers have said, definitely subtle, like an E.M. Forster novel. Forster was the master of subtlety. The Red Shoe reminds me quite a bit of Room with a View. Neither of them are fast food reads. They are gourmet meals with subtle flavor you have to immerse yourself in, chew on, taste and savor. The rewards are tremendous.
Similar to Forster's Room with a View, The Red Shoe addresses the disaster of living in denial, and not facing Truth. The book only appears not to have a plot simply because, I believe, plot is often defined so narrowly as a linear easy-to-understand fast-paced storyline that requires very little introspection or soul searching. In actuality, right from chapter one of The Red Shoe, we are learning about how each character has been impacted by a devastating secret, by a Truth that no one will face or speak aloud. The youngest sister, Matilda, is the least in denial. Her imaginary friend, Floreal, is a manifestation of Matilda's own inner voice, speaking Truths that she tries desperately to push away. How many of us have a Voice inside of us, almost like an imaginary friend, that persists in telling us many uncomfortable things about our own lives, friends, and families...things we'd rather not hear, because then we might have to change.
For me this book was entertaining because it was deeply, gorgeously, and thoughtfully written, and all the little stories of each sister's unique experience created a rich, intricate web of individual and family psychology. Also, and most importantly, The Red Shoe gave me a piece of wisdom, of truth, that will stay with me forever and change my life for the better. That's a great and rare gift, and worthy of five stars.
The Red Shoe is unusual, and I found it incredibly stirring. Yes, like other reviewers have said, definitely subtle, like an E.M. Forster novel. Forster was the master of subtlety. The Red Shoe reminds me quite a bit of Room with a View. Neither of them are fast food reads. They are gourmet meals with subtle flavor you have to immerse yourself in, chew on, taste and savor. The rewards are tremendous.
Similar to Forster's Room with a View, The Red Shoe addresses the disaster of living in denial, and not facing Truth. The book only appears not to have a plot simply because, I believe, plot is often defined so narrowly as a linear easy-to-understand fast-paced storyline that requires very little introspection or soul searching. In actuality, right from chapter one of The Red Shoe, we are learning about how each character has been impacted by a devastating secret, by a Truth that no one will face or speak aloud. The youngest sister, Matilda, is the least in denial. Her imaginary friend, Floreal, is a manifestation of Matilda's own inner voice, speaking Truths that she tries desperately to push away. How many of us have a Voice inside of us, almost like an imaginary friend, that persists in telling us many uncomfortable things about our own lives, friends, and families...things we'd rather not hear, because then we might have to change.
For me this book was entertaining because it was deeply, gorgeously, and thoughtfully written, and all the little stories of each sister's unique experience created a rich, intricate web of individual and family psychology. Also, and most importantly, The Red Shoe gave me a piece of wisdom, of truth, that will stay with me forever and change my life for the better. That's a great and rare gift, and worthy of five stars.
February 6, 2019
‘Will you read me a story?’
Over ten days, between Sunday 11 April 1954 and Easter Tuesday 20 April 1954, this story introduces big events into the lives of three sisters on the outskirts of Sydney.
‘In a house far away, right at the end of a long dusty road deep in the bush at the back of Palm Beach, lived three sisters with their mother, their father, and sometimes their Uncle Paul. The three sisters were called Elizabeth, Frances and Matilda.’
Mostly we see the story through Matilda’s point of view which, as Matilda is only six, provides an interesting perspective. Frances is eleven and Elizabeth is fifteen. Each day is heralded in with news headlines, so we read about new cases in the polio epidemic and the Petrov Affair. Against this backdrop, Frances worries about a school friend with polio, Elizabeth wonders about Mrs Petrov and Matilda observes all manner of things.
This is a beautifully written book. I loved the way that six-year-old Matilda could observe so much without always being able to make sense of what she saw. I felt for Frances and hoped that Elizabeth would be okay. I worried about the girls’ father and wondered about how much the mother relied on Uncle Paul. I really enjoyed the news headlines and how Ms Dubosarsky built aspects of those stories into this book.
There are some lovely scenes, and some near tragic ones. I think that this book does a really good job of bringing aspects of living in 1954 to life. But don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself. It’s a book written for a young audience (I’d suggest 12 and older), with several quite serious themes. But it’s also a book that those of us who are older can relate to.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Over ten days, between Sunday 11 April 1954 and Easter Tuesday 20 April 1954, this story introduces big events into the lives of three sisters on the outskirts of Sydney.
‘In a house far away, right at the end of a long dusty road deep in the bush at the back of Palm Beach, lived three sisters with their mother, their father, and sometimes their Uncle Paul. The three sisters were called Elizabeth, Frances and Matilda.’
Mostly we see the story through Matilda’s point of view which, as Matilda is only six, provides an interesting perspective. Frances is eleven and Elizabeth is fifteen. Each day is heralded in with news headlines, so we read about new cases in the polio epidemic and the Petrov Affair. Against this backdrop, Frances worries about a school friend with polio, Elizabeth wonders about Mrs Petrov and Matilda observes all manner of things.
This is a beautifully written book. I loved the way that six-year-old Matilda could observe so much without always being able to make sense of what she saw. I felt for Frances and hoped that Elizabeth would be okay. I worried about the girls’ father and wondered about how much the mother relied on Uncle Paul. I really enjoyed the news headlines and how Ms Dubosarsky built aspects of those stories into this book.
There are some lovely scenes, and some near tragic ones. I think that this book does a really good job of bringing aspects of living in 1954 to life. But don’t take my word for it, read it for yourself. It’s a book written for a young audience (I’d suggest 12 and older), with several quite serious themes. But it’s also a book that those of us who are older can relate to.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 9, 2018
I didn't really enjoy this book. It was written well and the original newspaper clippings from the time the book was set between each chapter was interesting, but it was just quite boring. The pacing was also a little odd, especially at the end.
October 17, 2008
I can't quite put my finger on what I disliked so much about this book. Probably a combination of a reader reading far too fast, nothing really happening until the end of CD 3 (almost the end of the book) and just being really, really boring. If this YA book is supposed to make young people read and get interested in Australian history, then I don't know...
It just seemed like a string of not very exciting, random events... "Today Mathilda's family went to the movies, the next day they went to the beach, then they had a picnic". I kept wondering what the point of the story was - obviously had to do with the father but even that didn't intrigue me in the slightest. And I can't say that I thought the characters were great too - the most interesting part in the story was about Mathilda's pet hotel but I can't even remember for what kind of pet! And I listened to the book yesterday!!
And if the newspaper articles that are interspersed in the story are meant to give you an idea of what was going on in Australia in the early 1950s, I'd rather read the articles only, without the pointless story around it.
I do hope that people don't take this to be the prime of Australian YA fiction because there is stuff out there that is sooo much better.
It just seemed like a string of not very exciting, random events... "Today Mathilda's family went to the movies, the next day they went to the beach, then they had a picnic". I kept wondering what the point of the story was - obviously had to do with the father but even that didn't intrigue me in the slightest. And I can't say that I thought the characters were great too - the most interesting part in the story was about Mathilda's pet hotel but I can't even remember for what kind of pet! And I listened to the book yesterday!!
And if the newspaper articles that are interspersed in the story are meant to give you an idea of what was going on in Australia in the early 1950s, I'd rather read the articles only, without the pointless story around it.
I do hope that people don't take this to be the prime of Australian YA fiction because there is stuff out there that is sooo much better.
April 18, 2014
I can't believe that it takes me so long to getting to read some authors. Ursula Dubosarsky is a great discovery, and I am looking forward to reading more of her books. The Red Shoe is a clever exploration of an Australian childhood in the 1950s- 3 sisters growing up on the edge of Sydney- a story to show how the large events of the world can impact on ordinary lives. Beautifully written.
http://astrongbeliefinwicker.blogspot...
http://astrongbeliefinwicker.blogspot...
January 25, 2016
I'm having a hard time putting my finger on a plot in this book. The setting is Australia post World War II and throughout the text are actual news headlines and stories about the events of the time. The newspaper clippings interested me and was why I read the book in the first place. The sad thing is, and maybe it's because I'm not Australian, but they actually added very little to the story for me. They were interesting in their own right, but almost distracting from the story.
You get a sense that it was hard to live then: dads who are home from the war are exhibiting signs of post traumatic stress, polio is rampant, the Cold War is beginning and Russia is in the news all the time. Six year old Matilda and her family are...what. I don't know. Just living. Her older sister has had a nervous breakdown. Matilda thinks spies are living next door. You get the sense that the uncle has the hots for the mom. But nothing really ever happens.
The one thing I can say for this book, and the reason it gets three stars from me, is that it is well written, in the sense that the author has a good way with words. I liked the way she expressed the thought processes of a six year old and some phrases were incredibly image provoking.
This book just left me with a weird taste in my mouth, which is disappointing because it won a major award in Australia. I guess I just didn't get it.
You get a sense that it was hard to live then: dads who are home from the war are exhibiting signs of post traumatic stress, polio is rampant, the Cold War is beginning and Russia is in the news all the time. Six year old Matilda and her family are...what. I don't know. Just living. Her older sister has had a nervous breakdown. Matilda thinks spies are living next door. You get the sense that the uncle has the hots for the mom. But nothing really ever happens.
The one thing I can say for this book, and the reason it gets three stars from me, is that it is well written, in the sense that the author has a good way with words. I liked the way she expressed the thought processes of a six year old and some phrases were incredibly image provoking.
This book just left me with a weird taste in my mouth, which is disappointing because it won a major award in Australia. I guess I just didn't get it.
August 4, 2013
The scattered debris of post war worlds is all here. The headlines of the day cut into the home lives. Disturbingly, perspectives of home mirror the crises on larger scales. This is not a novel based on a traditional, linear narrative sequence. It is like mini memoirs co-existing spiced with flashbacks; mainly the memoirs of children growing up in a world they barely understand. The effect is mesmerising; a sense of sadness grappling with the right to find some kind of happiness - with a little help from some red shoes that could be magical.
For my poetic review, see my blog Songlines on the Winds
For my poetic review, see my blog Songlines on the Winds
April 14, 2015
I finished this book earlier today and I'm still not fully sure as of what it is actually about. It's a good piece of writing, but I found it a struggle to lose myself in this book. And I still can't make sense of the plot.
I really wanted to like it and it started out really good, but it left me feeling disappointed in the end.
I really wanted to like it and it started out really good, but it left me feeling disappointed in the end.
January 11, 2025
"Ja nie chat chu
☆☆/☆☆☆☆☆
☆☆/☆☆☆☆☆
July 4, 2024
its a nice simple story; something you might want to read to your children as they fall asleep, however I feel like not everything was explained, such as, who were the men next door? who was the old man in the backyard? it does add a nice layer of mystery i guess, you can look at it that way. i got this book from the library but i might actually purchase a copy for myself just for some light reading if im ever not feeling like reading a new book; this is a comfort read.
April 22, 2018
Nicely witten story of growing up in 1950's Sydney Australia, with headlines from the SMH interspersed within the story. The story is vividly created and she makes you feel involved in this world.
December 29, 2013
I liked this book. I think the narration is really clever - you mostly see the story through the POV of the youngest sister, Matilda, but the occasional glimpses of perspective from other characters was elegantly done. I thought it might be an 'each chapter the perspective changes' story, but the perspective changes were more clever than that and Matilda remained the focus.
I've read some reviews here criticising the book for not having a story or plot. I did not find this a problem. The thing is, the Petrov affair in Australia is an existing plot, and this novel does an excellent job of delivering its promise of showing how big events impact on ordinary lives. Having lived in Sydney I could picture the places that this family lived in and travelled to, so the sense of history was strong for me.
Some reviewers have questioned whether the themes in this novel are too intense for a young audience - PTSD, adultery (maybe), suicide...I think this stuff is fine for high school, but primary school teachers and parents may think differently. The book opens with the characters reading a weird story by Hans Christian Andersen and that kind of foreshadows the tone of the story in terms of not being all 'sugar and spice'. And as Matilda reminds us, often, then adults don't know what she knows - does this speak to our inclination to censor 'difficult' themes for young children, despite them seeing the work anyway? I think so. Other reviewers have questioned whether the story would work as a 'hook' into Australian history...I think it would work! Many young people don't think about war or espionage happening here in Australia, surely this would get them curious. The contrast between wartime Australia and the post-war period in the 1950s is important for young people to grasp in terms of understanding Australian history, and if nothing else this novel makes very clear points about what it felt like to be a kid growing up 'after all the wars had ended'.
Teacher verdict: I wouldn't set this as a novel study (though it is a overly example of intertextuality and you could read HCA's fairy tale alongside), but would definitely recommend it to teen readers. Female readers will relate to the female narrators, male readers will like the real newspaper clippings interspersed throughout (<-- yes, stereotypes). A relatively easy read so recommend to ages 12 and up with no fear. Worthy of its award :)
I've read some reviews here criticising the book for not having a story or plot. I did not find this a problem. The thing is, the Petrov affair in Australia is an existing plot, and this novel does an excellent job of delivering its promise of showing how big events impact on ordinary lives. Having lived in Sydney I could picture the places that this family lived in and travelled to, so the sense of history was strong for me.
Some reviewers have questioned whether the themes in this novel are too intense for a young audience - PTSD, adultery (maybe), suicide...I think this stuff is fine for high school, but primary school teachers and parents may think differently. The book opens with the characters reading a weird story by Hans Christian Andersen and that kind of foreshadows the tone of the story in terms of not being all 'sugar and spice'. And as Matilda reminds us, often, then adults don't know what she knows - does this speak to our inclination to censor 'difficult' themes for young children, despite them seeing the work anyway? I think so. Other reviewers have questioned whether the story would work as a 'hook' into Australian history...I think it would work! Many young people don't think about war or espionage happening here in Australia, surely this would get them curious. The contrast between wartime Australia and the post-war period in the 1950s is important for young people to grasp in terms of understanding Australian history, and if nothing else this novel makes very clear points about what it felt like to be a kid growing up 'after all the wars had ended'.
Teacher verdict: I wouldn't set this as a novel study (though it is a overly example of intertextuality and you could read HCA's fairy tale alongside), but would definitely recommend it to teen readers. Female readers will relate to the female narrators, male readers will like the real newspaper clippings interspersed throughout (<-- yes, stereotypes). A relatively easy read so recommend to ages 12 and up with no fear. Worthy of its award :)
May 9, 2008
The story is told through the alternating point of view of three sisters: Matilda (6), Frances (11) and Elizabeth (15). The events of a mysterious neighbor "who looks like a spy" (according to Matilda) are recounted alongside flashbacks and hardships dealing with their father, a veteran of World War II, who suffers from post-traumatic stress and often leaves his family for lengths of time. The girls, who often experience related feelings of isolation and misunderstanding, live in a rundown home on the far-rural edges of Sydney, Australia with their uncle, a piano player at a dilapidated hotel in the city, and mother who may be carrying on a secret affair.
Dubrosarsky's descriptions of the girls’ surroundings, as well as her subtle details about each one of their personalities, creates very vivid images of each character. However, the characters as a whole seem to fall a bit short, never being fully realized, as only Matilda seems to go through the greatest changes from beginning to end.
Not knowing much about Australian history, though very familiar with the Cold War, I found this book to be a unique addition to the literature on this topic. Often, the cannon is filled with mostly Vietnam stories or stories about the tension between the U.S. and Russia. It's nice to get a new perspective. I think that Dubosarsky retells this story in a whimsical manner that would appeal especially to younger readers (though there are some tougher moments that deal with polio and then later themes of death and suicide that might need to be discussed). Overall, it's a unique spin on this era in history.
Dubrosarsky's descriptions of the girls’ surroundings, as well as her subtle details about each one of their personalities, creates very vivid images of each character. However, the characters as a whole seem to fall a bit short, never being fully realized, as only Matilda seems to go through the greatest changes from beginning to end.
Not knowing much about Australian history, though very familiar with the Cold War, I found this book to be a unique addition to the literature on this topic. Often, the cannon is filled with mostly Vietnam stories or stories about the tension between the U.S. and Russia. It's nice to get a new perspective. I think that Dubosarsky retells this story in a whimsical manner that would appeal especially to younger readers (though there are some tougher moments that deal with polio and then later themes of death and suicide that might need to be discussed). Overall, it's a unique spin on this era in history.
March 24, 2013
Another wonderful coming of age story from Ursula Dubosarsky. A short novel at only 181 pages, she manages to delicately weave a tale that kept me on tender hooks from the first chapter...strangely the retelling of a grim Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale. A mesmerizing story told from the perspective of the three central characters - 15, 11 and 6 year old sisters. The intertwining of real clippings from the Sydney Morning Herald from April 1954 it worked well and the story came together perfectly in the final pages. She has to be one of my new favourite authors.
August 26, 2009
A very subtle and interesting story about three girls and their dysfunctional family. It is set during the time of the Petrov affair, when communist spies were receiving a lot of media focus. The father is a war veteran and tries to hang himself. I really loved the character of Matilda; she is curious and imaginative. Although I enjoyed this book I don't know that it would appeal to students. As I said, it is very subtle.
March 27, 2009
Yuck. Good thing this was a short one that I read in about an hour and a half. The plot was hard to find, and the author didn't seem comfortable switching between the three daughter's perspectives and voices. A little bit of intrigue when you realize the father tried for suicide - but that doesn't happen until page 125, and by then you are BORED. Do not waste your time on this one.
March 12, 2016
Matilda’s dad isn’t functioning well since he has returned from the war, Matilda’s mom is spending lots of time with an uncle, and what is going on next door? This little story, set in 1950’s Australia, shares a time of anxiety, both personal and societal. Beautiful writing.
October 6, 2016
3 ½ stars. Well written but I'm not sure I enjoyed the themes. It just made me a bit sad.
June 1, 2024
Why can't we read better books in English?? 😭 The last few chapters were good, but I wish it was more consistent. AND what the hell was that last chapter, it was so rushed and the ending is bad
September 23, 2018
I just finished the book after 7 months because I could not pick up this book after reading it for a bit. I'm not even entirely sure what the story was even about. The book started with a bang with the prologue. I was beginning to get excited. But this story does use the story of the red shoe in a way that makes sense. The mum apparently loves red shoes but we never know exactly why. The story isn't integrated into the book enough even though its the title of the book.
Matilda has a lot to say about Catholicism and at one point considered herself to be a person that practises religion but we never see that put into place. With everything, there are just a couple of comments about things that could be developed eg, the red shoes, Catholicism, the Petrova affair, the dad's PTSD, Elizabeth's nervous breakdowns and the mum and Uncle Pauls affair. But it just never is. The author just thought that putting in a couple of comments here and there and adding in some newspaper articles will do the job.
Another thing, there were some subtle hints that Uncle Paul and Matilda's mum were having an affair but its never really addressed and that really annoys me. He just "ran down the street" according to Frances. So basically, if the dad comes home, Uncle Paul just will run away? There was no confrontation about the Dad being back or the affair.
Lastly but not least are the point of views. This story was written from the point of view of Matilda, a young child. But the author did not like her writing enough to keep it in her POV. Every so often the POV will magically change to Frances or Elizabeth and I have to read back to understand what's going on. She uses the older girls as a way to convey mature topics and give an insight to the reader although it is poorly done. She should have just stuck to Maltida's and developed her character more instead of switching POV's every paragraph.
Speaking of the sisters, they all are a stereotype and lack depth. I would go through the stereotypes but they do that in the first chapter. I felt like Matilda had the most depth but not enough to be the protagonist. They never talked about Elizabeth's nervous breakdowns or why Frances was so quiet.
I could go on forever but I can't be bothered even thinking about this book anymore. This book tried too hard to be based on Australian history that it hurt my head to read.
Matilda has a lot to say about Catholicism and at one point considered herself to be a person that practises religion but we never see that put into place. With everything, there are just a couple of comments about things that could be developed eg, the red shoes, Catholicism, the Petrova affair, the dad's PTSD, Elizabeth's nervous breakdowns and the mum and Uncle Pauls affair. But it just never is. The author just thought that putting in a couple of comments here and there and adding in some newspaper articles will do the job.
Another thing, there were some subtle hints that Uncle Paul and Matilda's mum were having an affair but its never really addressed and that really annoys me. He just "ran down the street" according to Frances. So basically, if the dad comes home, Uncle Paul just will run away? There was no confrontation about the Dad being back or the affair.
Lastly but not least are the point of views. This story was written from the point of view of Matilda, a young child. But the author did not like her writing enough to keep it in her POV. Every so often the POV will magically change to Frances or Elizabeth and I have to read back to understand what's going on. She uses the older girls as a way to convey mature topics and give an insight to the reader although it is poorly done. She should have just stuck to Maltida's and developed her character more instead of switching POV's every paragraph.
Speaking of the sisters, they all are a stereotype and lack depth. I would go through the stereotypes but they do that in the first chapter. I felt like Matilda had the most depth but not enough to be the protagonist. They never talked about Elizabeth's nervous breakdowns or why Frances was so quiet.
I could go on forever but I can't be bothered even thinking about this book anymore. This book tried too hard to be based on Australian history that it hurt my head to read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2020
In The Red Shoe, Australian Children’s Laureate, Ursula Dubosarksy swoops down and gives us a taste of life in Sydney from 1954.
The eldest of three sisters, Elizabeth, is home from school after suffering a nervous breakdown. Middle sister, Frances, is the more aloof of the three. Matilda, the youngest, is perceptive, charming and real. The girls’ mother is a stereotypical 1950s mother: she has headaches and lies down in her darkened room in the afternoons, she likes to flirt with her brother-in-law and she wears red shoes reminiscent of Karen from The Red Shoes by Hans Christian Andersen.
Red here has other connotations: it’s a symbol of Communist threat and linked to the defection of Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov in 1954 during the Cold War. It’s also a symbol of judgement upon women’s femininity and sexuality, particularly during this time period.
The Red Shoe is primarily told through Matilda’s eyes. As readers, we ‘see’ what she fears — her father disappearing, the Red Indians and the cowboys waiting in ambush in “the grey-green tangled bush at the end of her street” and the family’s neighbours (the mysterious men in black hats with umbrellas who arrive in black cars and move into the yellow house next door and the mad old Man on the other side who invites Matilda in for chocolate biscuits).
I don’t think it was chance that Dubosrasky gave the sisters their names. I’ve interpreted Elizabeth as the ‘old’ country and Matilda as the ‘new’ country. Although seamless, there is much at work behind this story.
This is a story of healing; of a family finding itself again and of a country coming to terms with its politics.
Interspersed with newspaper clippings from the time, there are layers upon layers of meaning in this story.
Don’t believe the negative reviews, this is a book of eloquence, subtlety and truth. A wonderful read for young adult readers and adults alike. Highly recommended.
The eldest of three sisters, Elizabeth, is home from school after suffering a nervous breakdown. Middle sister, Frances, is the more aloof of the three. Matilda, the youngest, is perceptive, charming and real. The girls’ mother is a stereotypical 1950s mother: she has headaches and lies down in her darkened room in the afternoons, she likes to flirt with her brother-in-law and she wears red shoes reminiscent of Karen from The Red Shoes by Hans Christian Andersen.
Red here has other connotations: it’s a symbol of Communist threat and linked to the defection of Soviet diplomat Vladimir Petrov in 1954 during the Cold War. It’s also a symbol of judgement upon women’s femininity and sexuality, particularly during this time period.
The Red Shoe is primarily told through Matilda’s eyes. As readers, we ‘see’ what she fears — her father disappearing, the Red Indians and the cowboys waiting in ambush in “the grey-green tangled bush at the end of her street” and the family’s neighbours (the mysterious men in black hats with umbrellas who arrive in black cars and move into the yellow house next door and the mad old Man on the other side who invites Matilda in for chocolate biscuits).
I don’t think it was chance that Dubosrasky gave the sisters their names. I’ve interpreted Elizabeth as the ‘old’ country and Matilda as the ‘new’ country. Although seamless, there is much at work behind this story.
This is a story of healing; of a family finding itself again and of a country coming to terms with its politics.
Interspersed with newspaper clippings from the time, there are layers upon layers of meaning in this story.
Don’t believe the negative reviews, this is a book of eloquence, subtlety and truth. A wonderful read for young adult readers and adults alike. Highly recommended.
April 6, 2020
Ursula Dubosarsky's writing here is elegant and dreamlike again; a mood she often creates. I was wondering why it seems dreamlike and then I noticed a resemblance to the sorts of memories I have of early childhood. Those thoughts and feelings I had when young, that have a dreamlike quality now, because I can't quite remember them clearly, but the brief flashes of memory while they fleetingly last, have a saturated intensity of feeling, and are often surreal. Dubosarsky seems to be able to remember her childhood thoughts and feelings better than I do, because she describes them perfectly throughout the book.
After pondering this, it occurred to me that maybe the book doesn't seem dreamlike to a child reader whose thoughts and feelings are not dreamlike but fresh and immediate...
There's another thing, that's wonderful about this book… for whom is it written? The main protagonist is very young, but it's not written for her age group. It seems to be written for anyone old enough to notice and understand its subtle and beautifully woven threads. This story is about things that are not said aloud. The experience of the child, the tween, the teen who has to unravel the meaning of what is going on around them, because nobody explains it to them.
It's so very beautifully and so subtly resolved at the end.
After pondering this, it occurred to me that maybe the book doesn't seem dreamlike to a child reader whose thoughts and feelings are not dreamlike but fresh and immediate...
There's another thing, that's wonderful about this book… for whom is it written? The main protagonist is very young, but it's not written for her age group. It seems to be written for anyone old enough to notice and understand its subtle and beautifully woven threads. This story is about things that are not said aloud. The experience of the child, the tween, the teen who has to unravel the meaning of what is going on around them, because nobody explains it to them.
It's so very beautifully and so subtly resolved at the end.
August 16, 2017
I can't decide if I want to recommend it or not. While I can appreciate it as a well crafted story, I didn't really enjoy it - I've read it in dribs and drabs over about three weeks, which if far too long for a 181 page YA story.
Things I appreciated: the careful depiction of 1950s Sydney suburbia, the interweaving of the story of the Petrov affair, the characterisations. The attention to historical details is fabulous - for example, I had forgotten how recently polio had been a serious problem. Even the interleaving of real newspaper articles, a device that so frequently frustrates me as a reader, has worked here to broaden the picture, rather than distract from the story.
Things I didn't appreciate: the downbeat nature of the story - there seemed to be no detail that wasn't part of some depressing fact. Life cannot have been this dreadful. It brought the more depressing stories of Ruth Park to mind (in particular 'Harp in the South' and 'Poor Man's Orange), although I can't decide if the life depicted is quite that dreadful. The sinking feeling that the next page I turned was going to have yet another awful thing happen, and the fact that this was right nearly as often as it was right.
Things I appreciated: the careful depiction of 1950s Sydney suburbia, the interweaving of the story of the Petrov affair, the characterisations. The attention to historical details is fabulous - for example, I had forgotten how recently polio had been a serious problem. Even the interleaving of real newspaper articles, a device that so frequently frustrates me as a reader, has worked here to broaden the picture, rather than distract from the story.
Things I didn't appreciate: the downbeat nature of the story - there seemed to be no detail that wasn't part of some depressing fact. Life cannot have been this dreadful. It brought the more depressing stories of Ruth Park to mind (in particular 'Harp in the South' and 'Poor Man's Orange), although I can't decide if the life depicted is quite that dreadful. The sinking feeling that the next page I turned was going to have yet another awful thing happen, and the fact that this was right nearly as often as it was right.
April 18, 2021
While children are important to the story this book tells, I'm not sure it's a children's book. Too much of the plot is driven by the actions and reactions (or lack thereof) of adults. Children are largely onlookers. There is a lot of grown-up inappropriateness being witnessed somewhat cluelessly by children. But the author does provide an informational note explaining the Cold War, so I guess it is intended to be read by children. I didn't like this nearly as much as The Golden Day.
May 11, 2021
My review on this book is after re-reading it as an adult after being gifted it at 8 years old and not really understanding the depth and plot for more than what it was. I brushed over the spy part as a kid and also somehow brushed over the fathers mental health.
I feel like it was a well written book but it felt flat.
I feel like it was a well written book but it felt flat.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2024
I really enjoyed this book. Yes, it is subtle, but I found it packed with story and observations of human behaviour. Because it's largely narrated by a 6-year-old, there is a lot going on below the surface. Beautifully written and recommended for those who like to observe and analyse how people work.
June 10, 2024
I hated every second u, it was so bloody anti climatic, the dad tried to hang himself? WOMP WOMP so what?! Uncle Paul runs away, the random neighbour starts grrah grrah them, the neighbours ditch and suddenly OH DADS HOME WITH GIFTS YIPPEE! HELPPP
May 20, 2017
Slow reading. Cannot hold my interest.
March 11, 2021
Only complaint is that it wasn't long enough.
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