Nine Parts Water

by Emma Hardmann

n the Eighties, Cal Brodie was the next best thing in women's surfing. Now she just wants to be left alone. When she returns to her childhood home in Tungalla Bay to put her past to rest, Cal finds the events surrounding her mother's death twenty years ago still reverberating through the town, and is confronted with some difficult truths. But ultimately it is the people of this small coastal town who help Cal reconcile her mother's controversial legacy and open her eyes to a different future. There's Hassan, a young man from Afghanistan on the run from immigration, who is looking for shelter. And Nina, the wayward teenage daughter of an old friend, who, like Cal, sees salvation in surfing. But Tungalla Bay is not the idyllic sanctuary that everyone hopes it will be.

Genres: Australia

296 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

Reviews

[Marti · Rating 3 out of 5]

"You shouldn't laugh at boys. They are people too. Even if they don't act like it."

When Harry kept a cicada shell, it reminded me of a short story I read in which a man decides a fly in his apartment is his friend.

[Steve lovell · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a country where the plight of cattle in foreign abattoirs are seemingly higher on people's care-meter than the plight of anguished humans in our mentally barbaric detention centres, books such as Hardman's do at least force the reader to think about priorities.
It would be fair to say that in this novel the writer does try to involve too many issues - from the aforementioned situation of boat people to Aboriginal land rights (with a bit of the Stolen Generation thrown in for good measure) to recalcitrant mining industry and their record with tailings disposal. It would also be fair to say that the writing is a times forced and over-wrought, demonstrating perhaps the literary immaturity of a first time writer.
Whilst this book is no 'Breath', what does shine through though is Hardman's passion for her own involvement in surfing as reflected in Cal, Mac and Nicole. She is a writer not out of her depth (pun) nor without potential given a more demanding mentor or editor.
Visiting her website I found there's been nothing of a fictional nature from her since this offering in 2007 - a pity since this reader feels that she has more to offer than just being 'a one trick pony'. Writing as a career these days is a tough gig, particularly in the Australian market, and someone of her talent should be encouraged and persevered with until their writing does show the maturity to be successful.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such beautiful, descriptive prose.