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Song of the Crocodile
Darnmoor, The Gateway to Happiness. The sign taunts a fool into feeling some sense of achievement, some kind of end- that you have reached a destination in the very least. Yet as the sign states, Darnmoor is merely a gateway, a waypoint on the road to where you really want to be.
Darnmoor is the home of the Billymil family, three generations who have lived in this 'gateway town'. Race relations between Indigenous and settler families are fraught, though the rigid status quo is upheld through threats and soft power rather than the overt violence of yesteryear.
As progress marches forwards, Darnmoor and its surrounds undergo rapid social and environmental changes, but as some things change, some stay exactly the same. The Billymil family are watched (and sometimes visited) by ancestral spirits and spirits of the recently deceased, who look out for their descendants and attempt to help them on the right path.
When the town's secrets start to be uncovered the town will be rocked by a violent act that forever shatters a century of silence.
Full of music, Yuwaalaraay language and exquisite description, Song of the Crocodile is a lament to choice and change, and the unyielding land that sustains us all, if only we could listen to it.
Darnmoor is the home of the Billymil family, three generations who have lived in this 'gateway town'. Race relations between Indigenous and settler families are fraught, though the rigid status quo is upheld through threats and soft power rather than the overt violence of yesteryear.
As progress marches forwards, Darnmoor and its surrounds undergo rapid social and environmental changes, but as some things change, some stay exactly the same. The Billymil family are watched (and sometimes visited) by ancestral spirits and spirits of the recently deceased, who look out for their descendants and attempt to help them on the right path.
When the town's secrets start to be uncovered the town will be rocked by a violent act that forever shatters a century of silence.
Full of music, Yuwaalaraay language and exquisite description, Song of the Crocodile is a lament to choice and change, and the unyielding land that sustains us all, if only we could listen to it.
448 pages, Paperback
First published September 1, 2020
91 people are currently reading
2573 people want to read
About the author
Nardi Simpson
2 books40 followersNardi Simpson is a Yuwaalaraay writer, musician, composer and educator from North West NSW freshwater plains. A founding member of Indigenous folk duo Stiff Gins, Nardi has been performing nationally and internationally for 20 years. Her debut novel, Song of the Crocodile was a 2018 winner of a black&write! writing fellowship.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 192 reviews
November 23, 2020
5★
“Strangely scratched gums were bulldozed for further access and the garbage mounds quickly grew, the bora and its circles consumed by trash, rubbish, the towns scraps. The pathway was given the name of Old Black Road.”
This is a strange and sad and wonderful book. It would be hard-hearted readers who didn’t find themselves immersed in Simpson’s small/big story of an Aboriginal family who lives at the Campgrounds on the outskirts of a small country town.
The activities are the everyday cooking, washing, sweeping, endless cups of tea and conversation between the women and girls or between the men and boys. There are several generations, but the main focus is Celie Billymil and her daughter Mili.
Celie worked in the hospital laundry, cleaning the bed linens by boiling them in the copper over a fire, scrubbing them and hanging them out to dry. They were often putrid, but we are told they were spotless when she was done with them. Her hands were a wreck. But she loved that she had a job and Tom.
“Celie and Tom Billymil lay staring at the ribbed roof of their bedroom, listening. The flat tin roof played a soft symphony of pings and clicks as the metal stretched to greet the new day.”
Interspersed with their activities are conversations from ‘above’. From past elders and those who are watching their families below. Some we get to know as characters. The stars and celestial bodies are important in many cultures, not least in Aboriginal lore. It’s the kind of thing artists have incorporated into what many of us think of as Aboriginal dot painting.
“Many stars in the sky were in fact hearths, each of these hearths comprising a family, waiting for their loved ones to arrive. The large men and women sat crosslegged next to each other, each with a strand of twined rope tied loosely around their left big toe. The binding trailed away into the blackness, the end taken up on the edge of the atmosphere and woven into the nests of birds. The trees would transfer the string through their heartbeat, below the ground and to their roots. It created an earthly network that connected all living or once lived things across the expanse.”
The river, the trees, the bora ground, the special places have all been part of their families and culture forever. In other cultures, they might be the churches, temples, schools, ceremonial community centres. This is certainly at odds with how the mayor and his cronies see them, as ripe for development.
From the town’s white families, we have the expected racism, paternalism, and abuse inflicted on the families who live in the Campgrounds. Mili’s twin cousins, Alby and Ernie, are constant targets of the white boys, who gang up on them.
“‘And when Alby pinches me, it stings all day.’
‘Yes, my sweet, it hurts all day. But you never cry, and you never make trouble for them, do you?’
‘No, Mum.’
‘And why is that do you think?’ Mili paused, but only for an instant.
‘Well, the way my arm feels when Alby pinches me is the way he might feel all the time. Ernie too.’”
There is a dark undercurrent, the crocodile, Garriya, a threatening spirit creature that lurks in wait. It is being watched by those ‘above’. The story is frequently interrupted by small insertions of the power that is in danger of being released. When something bad happens:
“The tail of the crocodile freed itself from its limestone casing and swung, the great muscle thrashing and crushing the stone around into dust.”
A little later:
“Garriya stretched and extended its claws, pushing them hard into the loose earth. Its body was free. It was ready to come home.”
There is so much language that the flow of conversations and descriptive passages take on a kind of lilt. I may not be able to translate the words, but the feeling is clear. Simpson has made lyrical use of her Yuwaalaraay heritage, and if I didn’t already know she was a musician, I might have guessed it.
She has taken the universe and distilled it into a small, riverside town with people we care about and the people whom they have always cared about and revered. Just beautiful.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the preview copy from which I've quoted.
“Strangely scratched gums were bulldozed for further access and the garbage mounds quickly grew, the bora and its circles consumed by trash, rubbish, the towns scraps. The pathway was given the name of Old Black Road.”
This is a strange and sad and wonderful book. It would be hard-hearted readers who didn’t find themselves immersed in Simpson’s small/big story of an Aboriginal family who lives at the Campgrounds on the outskirts of a small country town.
The activities are the everyday cooking, washing, sweeping, endless cups of tea and conversation between the women and girls or between the men and boys. There are several generations, but the main focus is Celie Billymil and her daughter Mili.
Celie worked in the hospital laundry, cleaning the bed linens by boiling them in the copper over a fire, scrubbing them and hanging them out to dry. They were often putrid, but we are told they were spotless when she was done with them. Her hands were a wreck. But she loved that she had a job and Tom.
“Celie and Tom Billymil lay staring at the ribbed roof of their bedroom, listening. The flat tin roof played a soft symphony of pings and clicks as the metal stretched to greet the new day.”
Interspersed with their activities are conversations from ‘above’. From past elders and those who are watching their families below. Some we get to know as characters. The stars and celestial bodies are important in many cultures, not least in Aboriginal lore. It’s the kind of thing artists have incorporated into what many of us think of as Aboriginal dot painting.
“Many stars in the sky were in fact hearths, each of these hearths comprising a family, waiting for their loved ones to arrive. The large men and women sat crosslegged next to each other, each with a strand of twined rope tied loosely around their left big toe. The binding trailed away into the blackness, the end taken up on the edge of the atmosphere and woven into the nests of birds. The trees would transfer the string through their heartbeat, below the ground and to their roots. It created an earthly network that connected all living or once lived things across the expanse.”
The river, the trees, the bora ground, the special places have all been part of their families and culture forever. In other cultures, they might be the churches, temples, schools, ceremonial community centres. This is certainly at odds with how the mayor and his cronies see them, as ripe for development.
From the town’s white families, we have the expected racism, paternalism, and abuse inflicted on the families who live in the Campgrounds. Mili’s twin cousins, Alby and Ernie, are constant targets of the white boys, who gang up on them.
“‘And when Alby pinches me, it stings all day.’
‘Yes, my sweet, it hurts all day. But you never cry, and you never make trouble for them, do you?’
‘No, Mum.’
‘And why is that do you think?’ Mili paused, but only for an instant.
‘Well, the way my arm feels when Alby pinches me is the way he might feel all the time. Ernie too.’”
There is a dark undercurrent, the crocodile, Garriya, a threatening spirit creature that lurks in wait. It is being watched by those ‘above’. The story is frequently interrupted by small insertions of the power that is in danger of being released. When something bad happens:
“The tail of the crocodile freed itself from its limestone casing and swung, the great muscle thrashing and crushing the stone around into dust.”
A little later:
“Garriya stretched and extended its claws, pushing them hard into the loose earth. Its body was free. It was ready to come home.”
There is so much language that the flow of conversations and descriptive passages take on a kind of lilt. I may not be able to translate the words, but the feeling is clear. Simpson has made lyrical use of her Yuwaalaraay heritage, and if I didn’t already know she was a musician, I might have guessed it.
She has taken the universe and distilled it into a small, riverside town with people we care about and the people whom they have always cared about and revered. Just beautiful.
Thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the preview copy from which I've quoted.
May 22, 2021
The opening of this book is just wonderful. As I read I could feel the outback atmosphere with its shimmering heat, see the endless blue sky and eventually, arriving at the camp site, smell the town waste tip and hear the buzzing of the flies. This sets the scene for the whole book - beautiful, beautiful prose surrounding unpleasant and often brutal situations.
The story is set in the small town of Darnmoor and tells of three generations of the indigenous Billymil family, forced to live in tin huts on the edge of town and not accepted by the settler families who live there. Obviously the place is ripe for social conflict and many sad events occur. Running parallel to this is a story of ancestral spirits of the dead and how they look out for their descendants.
This is a beautifully written book with a very important message told by a person who really knows. I am very glad I have read it.
The story is set in the small town of Darnmoor and tells of three generations of the indigenous Billymil family, forced to live in tin huts on the edge of town and not accepted by the settler families who live there. Obviously the place is ripe for social conflict and many sad events occur. Running parallel to this is a story of ancestral spirits of the dead and how they look out for their descendants.
This is a beautifully written book with a very important message told by a person who really knows. I am very glad I have read it.
October 14, 2020
Darnmoor – The Gateway to Happiness – where at the nearby Campground beside the Mangamanga River lived the Billymil family. Three generations of that family, part of the Yuwaalaraay people – Margaret, Celie and Mili – living through the racism, violence and prejudices from Darnmoor’s white population. Margaret had worked for a long time at the local hospital, washing the linens and working hard. When she was unexpectedly put off, it was at the same time as Celie’s husband died and she birthed Mili. Worry, stress and grief surrounded the family while progress moved forward creating change; but some things remained the same…
Song of the Crocodile is the debut novel by Aussie author Nardi Simpson, and it is lyrical, poignant and mystical, while filled with the horrors of racism and prejudice which the Aboriginal people continue to suffer from. The chapters where the ancestral spirits, along with the spirits of the recently deceased – where the song of the crocodile was sung, gently and with love – were profound. With an eye-catching cover and an important message to its readers, Song of the Crocodile is to be recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Song of the Crocodile is the debut novel by Aussie author Nardi Simpson, and it is lyrical, poignant and mystical, while filled with the horrors of racism and prejudice which the Aboriginal people continue to suffer from. The chapters where the ancestral spirits, along with the spirits of the recently deceased – where the song of the crocodile was sung, gently and with love – were profound. With an eye-catching cover and an important message to its readers, Song of the Crocodile is to be recommended.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
November 5, 2021
Nardi Simpson’s publicity releases describe her as a writer, musician, composer and educator.All her skills are on display in this debut novel.”Song of the Crocodile “ is an imaginative creation that is told with a musical lilt, sometimes becoming an elegy and sometimes transforming to a paean.It is a multigenerational saga that invites us into a place and time, allowing a visceral immersion in a story of people and culture.
The novel is a tapestry of physical and emotional connections that are punctuated by interludes of dissonance. The opening physically”walks” us into the fictional town of Dartmoor in northwestern New South Wales.We walk into the town and encounter the River, which sets a boundary between the white part of town and the Campgrounds where the Indigenous people live.The description sets a foundation for the narrative, delineating the physical presence that separates the emotional and cultural differences between the two resident groups.
The narrative is driven by three generations of Yuwaalaraay women: Margaret Lightning, her daughter Celie Billymil and Mili, Celie’s daughter. These women’s voices are the melodic line that carry the story forward. The actions and thoughts of the Yuwaalaraay men and white townspeople are a chorus that weaves into the plot, affecting events. Interspersed are chapters where Indigenous ancestors, both in the sky above and land below, chime in and watch over their descendants in the town.
The plot structure creates a portrait of history and current events awash in violence stemming from conflicting cultural visions.The whites have developed the town through despoliation of land and exploitation of people. The Indigenous community has a more cyclical vision centered around connection to the land, nurturing of the past and appreciation of ancestral stories.
Despite the anguish and sadness inherent in this story, there is a melodious cadence to the telling that is interspersed with Yuwaalaraay phrases and concept.Death is presented through a connection to the spirits above , the people left behind and the land that endures. In this context, loved ones who are gone are never truly lost or disconnected.While “Song of the Crocodile” is filled with inter generational trauma, it manages to leave us with a hint of hope. If the voices in this song can be heard and understood, a path to regeneration may be possible.
This compelling, emotive novel is a must read.
The novel is a tapestry of physical and emotional connections that are punctuated by interludes of dissonance. The opening physically”walks” us into the fictional town of Dartmoor in northwestern New South Wales.We walk into the town and encounter the River, which sets a boundary between the white part of town and the Campgrounds where the Indigenous people live.The description sets a foundation for the narrative, delineating the physical presence that separates the emotional and cultural differences between the two resident groups.
The narrative is driven by three generations of Yuwaalaraay women: Margaret Lightning, her daughter Celie Billymil and Mili, Celie’s daughter. These women’s voices are the melodic line that carry the story forward. The actions and thoughts of the Yuwaalaraay men and white townspeople are a chorus that weaves into the plot, affecting events. Interspersed are chapters where Indigenous ancestors, both in the sky above and land below, chime in and watch over their descendants in the town.
The plot structure creates a portrait of history and current events awash in violence stemming from conflicting cultural visions.The whites have developed the town through despoliation of land and exploitation of people. The Indigenous community has a more cyclical vision centered around connection to the land, nurturing of the past and appreciation of ancestral stories.
Despite the anguish and sadness inherent in this story, there is a melodious cadence to the telling that is interspersed with Yuwaalaraay phrases and concept.Death is presented through a connection to the spirits above , the people left behind and the land that endures. In this context, loved ones who are gone are never truly lost or disconnected.While “Song of the Crocodile” is filled with inter generational trauma, it manages to leave us with a hint of hope. If the voices in this song can be heard and understood, a path to regeneration may be possible.
This compelling, emotive novel is a must read.
November 3, 2020
Nardi Simpson's debut novel is elegiac, evocative and mystical, its narrative skilfully interwoven with its Yuwaalaraay country setting, exploring layers of significance in the river plain landscape.
Song of the Crocodile is a multi-generational epic following the experiences of the extended Billymil family, as their ancestor spirits watch over them, their surrounding landscape internalising their memories, both happy and sorrowful. The first half of the book focuses on Margaret Lightning, her daughters Bess Bradley and Celie Billymil, Celie's ill-fated husband Tom and their daughter, Mili. They live to the east of the town of Darnmoor, in north-western NSW, beyond the town tip, in an underdeveloped area called "the Campground", a sort of shanty town on the banks of the Mangamanga river, in close proximity to all the other indigenous families.
After Margaret is unfairly accused of stealing and sacked from her job as laundress for the regional hospital, the enterprising Celie sets to work to support the family, first working as washerwoman for the Mayor's family, and later setting up a laundry enterprise staffed by indigenous women, known as "The Blue Shed". The ignorance and prejudice of virtually all of the European-Australian characters is pervasive, as the indigenous population suffer from generational disposession and poverty.
In the latter part of the novel, we follow Mili, her husband Wil Wilandra and her sons Patrick (Paddy) and Yarramala (Yarrie), as Wil works hard to carry on Tom Billymil's legacy in improving conditions for the indigenous members of the Darnmoor community. But an awful secret from Mili's past will come back to haunt them all, as Garriya - the coniving, evil and lonely crocodile spirit has been awoken and identified Paddy as his mandii (earthly host).
I first set out to read the book quickly, to meet the publication deadline, but soon decided that I wasn’t doing it justice. This is a book that warrants slower absorption and reflection. I still feel like a lot went way over my head, and intend to return to read it a second time before too long.
This was a moving and evocative novel, with lyrical prose and well-developed indigenous characters. The frequent use of Yuwaalaraay language and the extensive incorporation of local folklore added complexity to the narrative, bringing mystery, magic and fatalism to the story. I'm expecting to see Song of the Crocodile feature in many awards lists over coming months.
Trigger warnings: child sexual abuse, frequent depictions of racism, violence
My thanks to the author, Nardi Simpson, publisher Hachette Australia and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this wonderful book prior to its publication on 29 September 2020.
Song of the Crocodile is a multi-generational epic following the experiences of the extended Billymil family, as their ancestor spirits watch over them, their surrounding landscape internalising their memories, both happy and sorrowful. The first half of the book focuses on Margaret Lightning, her daughters Bess Bradley and Celie Billymil, Celie's ill-fated husband Tom and their daughter, Mili. They live to the east of the town of Darnmoor, in north-western NSW, beyond the town tip, in an underdeveloped area called "the Campground", a sort of shanty town on the banks of the Mangamanga river, in close proximity to all the other indigenous families.
After Margaret is unfairly accused of stealing and sacked from her job as laundress for the regional hospital, the enterprising Celie sets to work to support the family, first working as washerwoman for the Mayor's family, and later setting up a laundry enterprise staffed by indigenous women, known as "The Blue Shed". The ignorance and prejudice of virtually all of the European-Australian characters is pervasive, as the indigenous population suffer from generational disposession and poverty.
In the latter part of the novel, we follow Mili, her husband Wil Wilandra and her sons Patrick (Paddy) and Yarramala (Yarrie), as Wil works hard to carry on Tom Billymil's legacy in improving conditions for the indigenous members of the Darnmoor community. But an awful secret from Mili's past will come back to haunt them all, as Garriya - the coniving, evil and lonely crocodile spirit has been awoken and identified Paddy as his mandii (earthly host).
I first set out to read the book quickly, to meet the publication deadline, but soon decided that I wasn’t doing it justice. This is a book that warrants slower absorption and reflection. I still feel like a lot went way over my head, and intend to return to read it a second time before too long.
This was a moving and evocative novel, with lyrical prose and well-developed indigenous characters. The frequent use of Yuwaalaraay language and the extensive incorporation of local folklore added complexity to the narrative, bringing mystery, magic and fatalism to the story. I'm expecting to see Song of the Crocodile feature in many awards lists over coming months.
Trigger warnings: child sexual abuse, frequent depictions of racism, violence
My thanks to the author, Nardi Simpson, publisher Hachette Australia and NetGalley, for the opportunity to read this wonderful book prior to its publication on 29 September 2020.
November 14, 2020
Historical fiction is becoming a new favourite genre of mine. The stories are so powerful.
What I loved most about this one is that it is based here in Australia at a time in history where settlers were moving into aboriginal communities and how these communities that have been there as long as time were treated.
The story is told across multiple generations with chapters of poetic prose throughout giving an interesting perspective.
Thank you so much @hachetteaustralia for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
What I loved most about this one is that it is based here in Australia at a time in history where settlers were moving into aboriginal communities and how these communities that have been there as long as time were treated.
The story is told across multiple generations with chapters of poetic prose throughout giving an interesting perspective.
Thank you so much @hachetteaustralia for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
November 12, 2020
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
3.5 stars
‘This song was given to me by my master and is the last I will sing. It is the Song of the Crocodile, the greatest, most powerful song in this country. The song will lure it into the floodplains where it will face its end. This song is why you are here, why you were born and have already died. We have to sing the crocodile so that lore can start again.’
A compelling saga that encompasses traditional culture, lands, language, music, art and kinship, Song of the Crocodile is a powerful debut written by Nardi Simpson. The recipient of the 2018 black&write! fellowship award, Song of the Crocodile has been released to great acclaim by Hachette Australia. A formative novel of race relations, family ties, ancestry, injustice and progress, Nardi Simpson’s first novel is an affective read.
Song of the Crocodile travels across a period of time and change in the company of the Billymil family. Over three generations have toiled on the Darnmoor region, in country NSW. Over the years this family unit has weathered many storms. From land ownership, racial prejudice, violence, threats and suppression, this family has been subjected to it all. With the passage of time and the inevitable force of progress in the area of Darnmoor, the Billymil family must contend with further change from environmental and social forces, beyond their control. With the guiding force of ancestors from times past, the Billymil family must negotiate the tricky path between respecting their past elders and moving along with the tides of change. But with community tensions reaching breaking point, which follows a devastating act of violence, the Billymil family must take stock and rise above these challenging times.
Song of the Crocodile is a book that I valued, but I also battled with internally. I have found it hard to reconcile my emotions into words with this one. Nardi Simpson’s debut is heartbreakingly sad, filled with sorrow, regret, pain, mistakes, anger and pure injustice. There were times when I had to put this book down and take a break. Regrouping and going back in with a clear head seemed to help, but overall Song of the Crocodile proved to be overwhelming read. However, despite the difficulties I experienced with this novel, I think it has an important place in our world. Nardi Simpson is correct in bringing the stories and themes at play in her first novel to our collective consciousness.
Divided into three clear parts, Song of the Crocodile follows generation upon generation of an Indigenous family based in the fictional area of North West NSW, in a town named Darnmoor. We meet the matriarch of this family set and as the story unfolds, we are presented with an array of family perspectives. Song of the Crocodile is a character rich story, full of musings, tales, confessions, revelations, events and experiences of each member of this family fold. What they endured over the years broke my heart, but it also made me feel a great deal of shame for what this family had been subjected to over the passage of time of the book.
Nardi Simpson encapsulates some of the heartbreaking experiences of the Billymil family. Song of the Crocodile covers racial persecution, inequality, stripped land rights, the impact of colonisation, violence, assault, trauma and tragedy. Nardi Simpson’s often stark and pointed prose, illuminates these struggles for the reader. There were times when I found the storytelling to be dark and confusing, but Song of the Crocodile is without a doubt a confronting read.
Nardi Simpson weaves in the power of traditional music, folklore, stories, practices, culture and language within her novel. There is also a focus on the influence and weight of elders past, who help to guide the Billymil family through the changes they face. The influence of the ancestors is a strong and commanding force of this novel, directing the story to its final destination.
Song of the Crocodile is a novel filled with anguish, sorrow and injustice. It is also an expression of song, music, language, culture and the value of the land to the Yuwaalaraay people.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Song of the Crocodile is book #117 the 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge
3.5 stars
‘This song was given to me by my master and is the last I will sing. It is the Song of the Crocodile, the greatest, most powerful song in this country. The song will lure it into the floodplains where it will face its end. This song is why you are here, why you were born and have already died. We have to sing the crocodile so that lore can start again.’
A compelling saga that encompasses traditional culture, lands, language, music, art and kinship, Song of the Crocodile is a powerful debut written by Nardi Simpson. The recipient of the 2018 black&write! fellowship award, Song of the Crocodile has been released to great acclaim by Hachette Australia. A formative novel of race relations, family ties, ancestry, injustice and progress, Nardi Simpson’s first novel is an affective read.
Song of the Crocodile travels across a period of time and change in the company of the Billymil family. Over three generations have toiled on the Darnmoor region, in country NSW. Over the years this family unit has weathered many storms. From land ownership, racial prejudice, violence, threats and suppression, this family has been subjected to it all. With the passage of time and the inevitable force of progress in the area of Darnmoor, the Billymil family must contend with further change from environmental and social forces, beyond their control. With the guiding force of ancestors from times past, the Billymil family must negotiate the tricky path between respecting their past elders and moving along with the tides of change. But with community tensions reaching breaking point, which follows a devastating act of violence, the Billymil family must take stock and rise above these challenging times.
Song of the Crocodile is a book that I valued, but I also battled with internally. I have found it hard to reconcile my emotions into words with this one. Nardi Simpson’s debut is heartbreakingly sad, filled with sorrow, regret, pain, mistakes, anger and pure injustice. There were times when I had to put this book down and take a break. Regrouping and going back in with a clear head seemed to help, but overall Song of the Crocodile proved to be overwhelming read. However, despite the difficulties I experienced with this novel, I think it has an important place in our world. Nardi Simpson is correct in bringing the stories and themes at play in her first novel to our collective consciousness.
Divided into three clear parts, Song of the Crocodile follows generation upon generation of an Indigenous family based in the fictional area of North West NSW, in a town named Darnmoor. We meet the matriarch of this family set and as the story unfolds, we are presented with an array of family perspectives. Song of the Crocodile is a character rich story, full of musings, tales, confessions, revelations, events and experiences of each member of this family fold. What they endured over the years broke my heart, but it also made me feel a great deal of shame for what this family had been subjected to over the passage of time of the book.
Nardi Simpson encapsulates some of the heartbreaking experiences of the Billymil family. Song of the Crocodile covers racial persecution, inequality, stripped land rights, the impact of colonisation, violence, assault, trauma and tragedy. Nardi Simpson’s often stark and pointed prose, illuminates these struggles for the reader. There were times when I found the storytelling to be dark and confusing, but Song of the Crocodile is without a doubt a confronting read.
Nardi Simpson weaves in the power of traditional music, folklore, stories, practices, culture and language within her novel. There is also a focus on the influence and weight of elders past, who help to guide the Billymil family through the changes they face. The influence of the ancestors is a strong and commanding force of this novel, directing the story to its final destination.
Song of the Crocodile is a novel filled with anguish, sorrow and injustice. It is also an expression of song, music, language, culture and the value of the land to the Yuwaalaraay people.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Song of the Crocodile is book #117 the 2020 Australian Women Writers Challenge
August 23, 2024
‘The sign at the entrance of town is neither informative nor welcoming.’
There’s a sign at the edge of town: ‘Darnmoor, The Gateway to Happiness’. But what does this really mean?
This is a town neatly laid out, a town where proximity to the town centre matters. A town where, if you follow a bush track most know as the road to the tip, through a pathway known as ‘Old Black Road’ you’ll find The Campgrounds. Margaret Lightning is one of the inhabitants of The Campgrounds. She rises early in the morning to walk to her workplace: ‘two large coppers, an incinerator, and a washing line that spanned the width of the block behind the Darnmoor District Hospital.’
Margaret’s daughter and son-in-law, Celie and Tom Billymil live with her. Celie is pregnant, Tom is hoping for a better life for his family.
Scratch the surface of Darnmoor, and you will find tension between the Indigenous and settler families. Different rules, different expectations. Manipulation and exploitation, often less obvious than violence but just as harmful. And patterns are repeated.
Ms Simpson follows several stories, including those of Margaret, Celie, and Celie’s daughter Mili. This is a story of hardship, heartbreak, and hope. But there are secrets as well, imbalances of power which lead to anger and resentment. There is always an opportunist waiting to take advantage. And who speaks for the country?
‘As their feet dangled over the old waterway, lineage and custom flowed into the child.’
In this beautifully written story, with descriptions of land and the importance of connection, Ms Simpson explores what happens when connectedness is disrupted. This is achieved in part through ancestral spirits who try to guide members of the family. Stories are important, as is choice.
‘This song was given to me by my master and it is the last I will sing. It is the Song of the Crocodile, the greatest, most powerful song in this country.’
I finished this novel profoundly moved by Ms Simpson’s storytelling. ‘Song of the Crocodile’ is an exceptional novel.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
There’s a sign at the edge of town: ‘Darnmoor, The Gateway to Happiness’. But what does this really mean?
This is a town neatly laid out, a town where proximity to the town centre matters. A town where, if you follow a bush track most know as the road to the tip, through a pathway known as ‘Old Black Road’ you’ll find The Campgrounds. Margaret Lightning is one of the inhabitants of The Campgrounds. She rises early in the morning to walk to her workplace: ‘two large coppers, an incinerator, and a washing line that spanned the width of the block behind the Darnmoor District Hospital.’
Margaret’s daughter and son-in-law, Celie and Tom Billymil live with her. Celie is pregnant, Tom is hoping for a better life for his family.
Scratch the surface of Darnmoor, and you will find tension between the Indigenous and settler families. Different rules, different expectations. Manipulation and exploitation, often less obvious than violence but just as harmful. And patterns are repeated.
Ms Simpson follows several stories, including those of Margaret, Celie, and Celie’s daughter Mili. This is a story of hardship, heartbreak, and hope. But there are secrets as well, imbalances of power which lead to anger and resentment. There is always an opportunist waiting to take advantage. And who speaks for the country?
‘As their feet dangled over the old waterway, lineage and custom flowed into the child.’
In this beautifully written story, with descriptions of land and the importance of connection, Ms Simpson explores what happens when connectedness is disrupted. This is achieved in part through ancestral spirits who try to guide members of the family. Stories are important, as is choice.
‘This song was given to me by my master and it is the last I will sing. It is the Song of the Crocodile, the greatest, most powerful song in this country.’
I finished this novel profoundly moved by Ms Simpson’s storytelling. ‘Song of the Crocodile’ is an exceptional novel.
Note: My thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for providing me with a free electronic copy of this book for review purposes.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
October 10, 2020
Powerful and gorgeously written family saga, brilliantly drawing out the corrosive and inter-generational impacts of colonisation and racism. An astonishingly accomplished debut.
November 10, 2024
This was a lovely book and a sad book all at the same time. I really loved the two streams to this story, the one set it in our time and space, and the other parallel ancestral spirit stream.
There is a direct line between two violent acts in the book. Simpson seems to be asking the reader to explore the causation between these two acts. This raised questions for me around issues such as making rules that are impossible for one group to follow and then punishing them for not being able to comply.
I felt Simpson was trying to show that inhumane acts perpetrated on people rebound on you eventually, which I think is what happened here. I also started to think about who should take responsibility for which acts and how do you punish those who have been robbed of their capacity to conform with rules and mores when they don’t.
The beauty in this book firmly resided with the ancestors, their acts and how they viewed the ‘mortal’ world. It is a book that made me think.
There is a direct line between two violent acts in the book. Simpson seems to be asking the reader to explore the causation between these two acts. This raised questions for me around issues such as making rules that are impossible for one group to follow and then punishing them for not being able to comply.
I felt Simpson was trying to show that inhumane acts perpetrated on people rebound on you eventually, which I think is what happened here. I also started to think about who should take responsibility for which acts and how do you punish those who have been robbed of their capacity to conform with rules and mores when they don’t.
The beauty in this book firmly resided with the ancestors, their acts and how they viewed the ‘mortal’ world. It is a book that made me think.
September 11, 2020
A racist, bigoted, sexist country town that pays homage to its original settlers while ignoring the original inhabitants who are shunted to live in a fringe community. These Aborigines are not welcomed in town.
The story traces three generations. The first two are mother and daughter which were riveting. The later is the daughter's two sons which kind of dawdled for a while before hitting its straps. Intertwined through the novel is a mystical story of dreams, ancestors and beliefs which gave a poetic balance to the book.
I've read a few books about the terrible way Aborigines were treated. This one was written subtlety, honestly with the characters so real. I hope it is widely read.
The story traces three generations. The first two are mother and daughter which were riveting. The later is the daughter's two sons which kind of dawdled for a while before hitting its straps. Intertwined through the novel is a mystical story of dreams, ancestors and beliefs which gave a poetic balance to the book.
I've read a few books about the terrible way Aborigines were treated. This one was written subtlety, honestly with the characters so real. I hope it is widely read.
September 7, 2020
the language, the lore, the truth-telling, the family, the bush, the bora
everything about this book speaks to me.
This is not a happy book. There is a lot of CW's (rape, death, murder, drinking, abuse) but it is the truth. It is a reality of the Indigenous experience in this country that, needs to be told, needs to be known, needs to be spoken about. People don't want to talk about it, don't want to acknowledge what has been done, continues to be done, the roots of the traumas that continue to pervade Indigenous peoples, families and communities, passed down by generation to generation. The violence and atrocities inflicted upon our people that cause us to feel and think and act the way we do. Indigenous people are not biologically more likely to be overrepresented in any statistic, be it alcoholism, justice, suicide, mortality rates etc. But we are statistically overrepresented because of the trauma we have experienced since White man arrived on this land. Our hurt and pain and trauma manifests itself however it can in order for us to find a way to survive. THAT is biological; it's a human trait: survival, fight or flight.
But even in death, we are never gone. You can't take an Indigenous person away from the Earth, the Mother, the Creator, the tree, the crocodile, the whale, the paperbark. We are all connected. We are the stars in the sky and the rain that falls. And that is an eternal thing.
The destruction of man, of a town, of a building, of a levee; it is not the destruction of us. For we are what cannot be destroyed. The country.
everything about this book speaks to me.
This is not a happy book. There is a lot of CW's (rape, death, murder, drinking, abuse) but it is the truth. It is a reality of the Indigenous experience in this country that, needs to be told, needs to be known, needs to be spoken about. People don't want to talk about it, don't want to acknowledge what has been done, continues to be done, the roots of the traumas that continue to pervade Indigenous peoples, families and communities, passed down by generation to generation. The violence and atrocities inflicted upon our people that cause us to feel and think and act the way we do. Indigenous people are not biologically more likely to be overrepresented in any statistic, be it alcoholism, justice, suicide, mortality rates etc. But we are statistically overrepresented because of the trauma we have experienced since White man arrived on this land. Our hurt and pain and trauma manifests itself however it can in order for us to find a way to survive. THAT is biological; it's a human trait: survival, fight or flight.
But even in death, we are never gone. You can't take an Indigenous person away from the Earth, the Mother, the Creator, the tree, the crocodile, the whale, the paperbark. We are all connected. We are the stars in the sky and the rain that falls. And that is an eternal thing.
The destruction of man, of a town, of a building, of a levee; it is not the destruction of us. For we are what cannot be destroyed. The country.
May 29, 2021
You shouldn't start off reviews with personal gripes right? I don't know. I'm going to. Maybe generational novels aren't for me. There's something that's always weirdly unsettling about getting to know a character and become invested in their story to have the focus move to their children and have a detachment from that character you were invested in and then the cycle repeats. And somehow, I don't know or even how to really explain it but it always feels like that character that you became invested in and spent time with becomes unlikeable when the perspective changes? And I feel like this has happened with a couple of generational novels that I've read and I get why but at the same time it really irks me.
So there's a whole paragraph about why I probably didn't enjoy this book as much as I feel like I should because the writing was fucking gorgeous. And I'm always weirdly here for stories that involve small minded Australian country towns (weeeeeeee ~that's something that effects me mentally, like long term that fucks with me~ etc) and it was so atmospheric and with excellently realised characterisations but there was something with this that just didn't click with me. Do you ever read things and think "yeah, I am definitely going to recommend this to people but my personal experience wasn't supes engaging?" Is that a thing?
So there's a whole paragraph about why I probably didn't enjoy this book as much as I feel like I should because the writing was fucking gorgeous. And I'm always weirdly here for stories that involve small minded Australian country towns (weeeeeeee ~that's something that effects me mentally, like long term that fucks with me~ etc) and it was so atmospheric and with excellently realised characterisations but there was something with this that just didn't click with me. Do you ever read things and think "yeah, I am definitely going to recommend this to people but my personal experience wasn't supes engaging?" Is that a thing?
April 24, 2021
This is really compelling storytelling, weaving a grand epic through very human plot - perhaps not a surprising strength for a songwriter. Simpson's prose is lush without tipping into showy, especially in dealing with country and the worlds beyond human. There is immense sorrow in this story, but it never reads maudlin. The connection of human life to an epic beyond our comprehension plays a different tone. It is, strangely, a tale of comfort, portraying both purpose and inevitability in human suffering. Which is not to say it isn't a scathing condemnation of settler towns, and the relentless exploitation and oppression meted out to justify land theft, because it is that. But it is also a very human sttheft with pride and love and laughter at the heart.
January 26, 2021
I seem to be alone in this but the story just didn't flow for me. There were parts so beautifully described you could visualise it including the breeze but the rest fell flat for me
January 13, 2021
@menreadtoo_au on Instagram
#songofthecrocodile by @nardisimpson @hachetteaustralia #hachette
The world created in Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson captures the struggles and disenfranchisement that First Nations Peoples experience at the hands of systemic racism
...
The story follows three generations of the Billymil family, and the social and cultural challenges they face in their home town
...
Recently widowed Celie and her daughter, Mili, live on the outskirts of town in a makeshift settlement referred to as the Campgrounds with their extended family and community. When Celie’s husband unexpectedly dies, she is confronted with the financial strains of raising a child alone and, as a consequence, resorts to seeking employment within town
...
Shifting perspective between members of the Billymil family – including Celie, Margaret, Celie’s daughter Mili, and son-in-law Wil – and the ancestors who guide them, Song of the Crocodile is at once both a love letter to the land and a lament for those left behind by so-called progress
...
Wisdom and emotion rule this beautiful debut. As thinly veiled threats and a white leaning status quo bear down on the Indigenous characters, it’s sad – sometimes desperately so – and angry too, but Song of the Crocodile is also warm, gentle, and kind. A truly mesmerising read
...
Have you #read this #book? What did you think?
#songofthecrocodile by @nardisimpson @hachetteaustralia #hachette
The world created in Song of the Crocodile by Nardi Simpson captures the struggles and disenfranchisement that First Nations Peoples experience at the hands of systemic racism
...
The story follows three generations of the Billymil family, and the social and cultural challenges they face in their home town
...
Recently widowed Celie and her daughter, Mili, live on the outskirts of town in a makeshift settlement referred to as the Campgrounds with their extended family and community. When Celie’s husband unexpectedly dies, she is confronted with the financial strains of raising a child alone and, as a consequence, resorts to seeking employment within town
...
Shifting perspective between members of the Billymil family – including Celie, Margaret, Celie’s daughter Mili, and son-in-law Wil – and the ancestors who guide them, Song of the Crocodile is at once both a love letter to the land and a lament for those left behind by so-called progress
...
Wisdom and emotion rule this beautiful debut. As thinly veiled threats and a white leaning status quo bear down on the Indigenous characters, it’s sad – sometimes desperately so – and angry too, but Song of the Crocodile is also warm, gentle, and kind. A truly mesmerising read
...
Have you #read this #book? What did you think?
September 30, 2020
Song of the Crocodile is a vibrant, and poignant story of three generations of the Billymil family who live on the fringes of a tiny outback town, Darnmoor, ‘The Gateway to Happiness’.
For Margaret, her daughter Celie, and Celie’s daughter, Mili, the Campgrounds along the banks of the Mangamanga River amongst their people, the Yuwaalaraay, is home, separated from the town proper by a rubbish tip, and the untenable contempt and suspicion of the white townspeople who have laid claim to their land.
Watched over by their ancestors, who are waiting and preparing for the time they will be needed to sing the ‘Song of the Crocodile’, life unfolds for the three women, the ordinary business of living touched by joy, tragedy, desire, pain, success and violence. Their stories are profound, their experiences both commonplace and, to me, unfamiliar. I felt for each of them, admiring their strengths, commiserating with their losses, appalled by their mistreatment.
Progress is a double-edged sword, wearing on the connections to family and land. Tension builds slowly, rifts widen, a reckoning approaches with a storm.
Rich, lyrical, and affecting, Song of the Crocodile is an accomplished debut from Nardi Simpson that tells a story of a people, their culture and country.
For Margaret, her daughter Celie, and Celie’s daughter, Mili, the Campgrounds along the banks of the Mangamanga River amongst their people, the Yuwaalaraay, is home, separated from the town proper by a rubbish tip, and the untenable contempt and suspicion of the white townspeople who have laid claim to their land.
Watched over by their ancestors, who are waiting and preparing for the time they will be needed to sing the ‘Song of the Crocodile’, life unfolds for the three women, the ordinary business of living touched by joy, tragedy, desire, pain, success and violence. Their stories are profound, their experiences both commonplace and, to me, unfamiliar. I felt for each of them, admiring their strengths, commiserating with their losses, appalled by their mistreatment.
Progress is a double-edged sword, wearing on the connections to family and land. Tension builds slowly, rifts widen, a reckoning approaches with a storm.
Rich, lyrical, and affecting, Song of the Crocodile is an accomplished debut from Nardi Simpson that tells a story of a people, their culture and country.
December 31, 2020
I really wanted to like this book more than I did. Not being Aboriginal, there was no doubt much that I missed or misunderstood, though I have been involved with the Reconciliation movement and have certainly read about Australia's violent and shameful past, which continues on more covertly to the present day.
The climax of the story seemed rushed and muddled, and I was left feeling that there must have been some deeper meaning to it all which I missed completely.
2.5 stars.
The climax of the story seemed rushed and muddled, and I was left feeling that there must have been some deeper meaning to it all which I missed completely.
2.5 stars.
January 15, 2021
I love a good setting heavy, family through the ages type of fiction book. Covered so much and yet I wanted more from the characters? Maybe just being selfish. Very visceral and impactful especially in the lead up to Australia day; every place has a long history you weren't around for, listen to those who know.
January 12, 2021
Each generation starts with innocence and optimism but ends crushed by a system and sadness that feels totally overwhelming. As Mili and her family attempt to make do and compromise they are continually thwarted by an agenda to drive them out. This is a very sad book with small moments of happiness. Simpson has created an image of a town that will smother every opportunity for happiness with bigotry, racism and lies.
Sadly, It felt very real.
You can feel the earth (or that crocodile like creature that lives within it) rising up to fight back. It reminded me of the character of Dead Papa Toothwort from Max Porter’s book, Lanny.
The trajectory of Paddy’s life seems doomed despite the love of his family. The characters of this novel, both good and bad, are well written and Simpson has captured small nuances that bring them to life. I loved the images of departed loved ones looking down on their family and working together to support them from afar. It showed the connections that exist across generation and place.
My only small criticism is that the mayor becomes the representation of evil in Darnmoor. This feel like an overused trope. Mili’s fate seemed obvious (to me anyway) from the moment his character was introduced.
This novel has a beautiful sense of place. The descriptions of life and landscape on the river plain are evocative and a highlight of this moving story.
Sadly, It felt very real.
You can feel the earth (or that crocodile like creature that lives within it) rising up to fight back. It reminded me of the character of Dead Papa Toothwort from Max Porter’s book, Lanny.
The trajectory of Paddy’s life seems doomed despite the love of his family. The characters of this novel, both good and bad, are well written and Simpson has captured small nuances that bring them to life. I loved the images of departed loved ones looking down on their family and working together to support them from afar. It showed the connections that exist across generation and place.
My only small criticism is that the mayor becomes the representation of evil in Darnmoor. This feel like an overused trope. Mili’s fate seemed obvious (to me anyway) from the moment his character was introduced.
This novel has a beautiful sense of place. The descriptions of life and landscape on the river plain are evocative and a highlight of this moving story.
Read
February 1, 2022This was a beautifully written, challenging, story. Centering on three generations of the Billymil family, Yuwaalaraay people, it deals with the schisms and brutal past of their small town Darnmoor. While a fictional town (I think) set somewhere in north west New South Wales the racism and generations of damage to the First Nations people is all too real.
Nardi Simpson writes of beauty, brief bursts of hope, deep ancestral connections, the systemic damage done, and great pain. There is an element of magical realism, but maybe this description is just my white perspective and lack of understanding or better words.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of the end of this story. It left me wondering 'where now?'
Nardi Simpson writes of beauty, brief bursts of hope, deep ancestral connections, the systemic damage done, and great pain. There is an element of magical realism, but maybe this description is just my white perspective and lack of understanding or better words.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of the end of this story. It left me wondering 'where now?'
December 12, 2020
A completely compelling multi-generational saga of resilience and racism. The prose, especially when describing country and ancestral spirits, was breathtaking. This book is truly something special and Simpson’s is a welcome new voice in First Nations writing and fiction broadly.
June 2, 2021
A powerful, compelling novel of the Indigenous experience in a dry and dusty outback town. Felt a strong empathy for all these characters and their loves and losses. Highly recommended.
September 29, 2022
Such wonderful storytelling. A multi generation family saga in a small Australian town, with magical realism. The characters felt so real
September 12, 2020
This is one of those books where, by paragraph 2, you know you are in the hands of an accomplished, lyrical storyteller. And for a narrative like this, trusting your teller is everything. I found I was unable to put this down. It is a rare thing to feel no boundary between your own lived experience and the culture you enter into when you read. Or perhaps, more accurately, it is a sign of the author's talent. I was seduced by Simpson's portrayal of Aboriginal family, and the love, laughter and healing that emanates from the women in particular. Simpson cleverly describes the divide in the town of Darnmoor in geographical terms and, for the most part, only has to gesture to the divisions existing between the white townspeople and the Indigenous community living in the Campgrounds. But it is there that the heart of this story beats. There is a bend in the river. And this is read as one thing to one person, is hardly noticed by the other. Simpson weaves in a thread of ancestor magic and story which relieves the tension in her narrative and offers the joy of something bigger than self.
There is a lot of unavoidable violence in this story because it is what Simpson has to talk about. She does so with immense dignity and grace. We are helpless as we watch the downfall of some of the characters we love, and yet, as Simpson reminds us, that it is all part of a large and colourful song and she is part of its singing.
There is a lot of unavoidable violence in this story because it is what Simpson has to talk about. She does so with immense dignity and grace. We are helpless as we watch the downfall of some of the characters we love, and yet, as Simpson reminds us, that it is all part of a large and colourful song and she is part of its singing.
April 18, 2021
The banks of the Mangamanga River and its Campgrounds are the scene for this ancestral story. The story spills into a dark, hatred filled town called Darnmoor where local Aboriginal communities are resented and treated with so much disrespect, abuse and racism. The Billymil family are treated as if they do not exist.
The Aboriginal culture that inhabits this story is rich and cries out through three generations of women - Margaret, Celie and Mili. It is through their culture and spirituality where they find and maintain their strength and determination to live their lives as proud Aboriginal people. This book gives a truly humbling experience in observing the process of grief and the connections between the living and the dead. The dead have such a profound impact on those that carry on, and they are never far from the living. The spirit world is strong and watches over everyone, and it also creates danger in the Crocodile spirit that stirs below everything.
The writing is poetic and magical. The Yuwaalaraay language is pure and beautiful and highlights the bonds of community at the Campgrounds. It brings to life a story, and equally pays homage to a living breathing culture that must be recognised for its longevity, its beauty and its continuation through the ages, as it has for thousands of years before us.
The Aboriginal culture that inhabits this story is rich and cries out through three generations of women - Margaret, Celie and Mili. It is through their culture and spirituality where they find and maintain their strength and determination to live their lives as proud Aboriginal people. This book gives a truly humbling experience in observing the process of grief and the connections between the living and the dead. The dead have such a profound impact on those that carry on, and they are never far from the living. The spirit world is strong and watches over everyone, and it also creates danger in the Crocodile spirit that stirs below everything.
The writing is poetic and magical. The Yuwaalaraay language is pure and beautiful and highlights the bonds of community at the Campgrounds. It brings to life a story, and equally pays homage to a living breathing culture that must be recognised for its longevity, its beauty and its continuation through the ages, as it has for thousands of years before us.
September 28, 2020
The pain and torment of racial vilification, the history of settlement and familial strains and bonds are enshrined in this three part book covering three generations of the Billymil family.
Love and tragedy are at the centre of its core, as each generation forge through life with the taunts and prejudices.
Intertwined between the chapters is the spiritual link to the families.
A connection that made the reader aware of the significance between the living and the dead.
Always watching and always caring.
Strong female family members are the cornerstones of the story and their successes and failings paramount to the dramas that ensue.
Living in a period of blatant inequality that relegates you to a camp ground on the fringe of town past the local tip and close to a river that can flood sums up the regard the indigenous people suffered.
This is a raw, enlightening and confronting read.
It will tamper with your emotions and have you recoil in disgust how policy and attitude was.
It will make you reflect on the current day and has it changed.
It will make you appreciate the sophistication and beauty of the dreamtime and spiritual leanings of the indigenous community.
It will make you smile that this debut award winning author colours the pages with language and culture.
An excellent read.
Love and tragedy are at the centre of its core, as each generation forge through life with the taunts and prejudices.
Intertwined between the chapters is the spiritual link to the families.
A connection that made the reader aware of the significance between the living and the dead.
Always watching and always caring.
Strong female family members are the cornerstones of the story and their successes and failings paramount to the dramas that ensue.
Living in a period of blatant inequality that relegates you to a camp ground on the fringe of town past the local tip and close to a river that can flood sums up the regard the indigenous people suffered.
This is a raw, enlightening and confronting read.
It will tamper with your emotions and have you recoil in disgust how policy and attitude was.
It will make you reflect on the current day and has it changed.
It will make you appreciate the sophistication and beauty of the dreamtime and spiritual leanings of the indigenous community.
It will make you smile that this debut award winning author colours the pages with language and culture.
An excellent read.
July 27, 2021
Holy moly
December 20, 2020
Australian lit is where it as AT right now. Simpsons book has almost everything I look for in my ideal book (only thing missing was twins) and I hope I get a chance to read more work from her. Beautiful.
May 21, 2021
Although Simpson is a talented writer and there is some lovely prose, I could not get into this novel. I found myself constantly re-reading sentences and was often confused. I am sure there is a beautiful story contained within but it was all too much effort. Unfortunately this story is not for me. DNF.
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