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4.5★
“The car never seemed to go anywhere and the curtains of the house were always shut. Fab reckoned the neighbour was probably doing interrogations inside. He said there was stuff about that in the book, that they’d usually do it in the dark with a bright lamp shining in your eyes.”
Ah, boys and their imaginations, eh? A couple of primary school boys, about 11 years old, are imagining who the new neighbour is and what he might be up to. He’s renting the house next-door to Ben, and they wonder i ...more
“The car never seemed to go anywhere and the curtains of the house were always shut. Fab reckoned the neighbour was probably doing interrogations inside. He said there was stuff about that in the book, that they’d usually do it in the dark with a bright lamp shining in your eyes.”
Ah, boys and their imaginations, eh? A couple of primary school boys, about 11 years old, are imagining who the new neighbour is and what he might be up to. He’s renting the house next-door to Ben, and they wonder i ...more
Jun 17, 2017
Brenda
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mystery,
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Olive skinned Fab, tormented and bullied in school had only one friend – Ben stuck up for his best friend and kept the bullies at bay. The two boys played cricket, both backyard and in their school team – they also went yabbying together. A typical childhood in the hot summer of 1989 in the small town of Stawell in the Wimmera region of rural Victoria – Ben was content with his mum and dad while Fab was frightened of his violent father.
But after Ben’s neighbours moved, another man came to live ...more
But after Ben’s neighbours moved, another man came to live ...more
Two young lads growing up in a rural Australian town, the sun is hot, the days are long and holidays are spent catching yabbies and playing cricket. Indirectly, the suicide of a teenage girl in who lives near by, for Fab and Ben brings about a slow tragic change in their relationship.
The book is written in a lyrical poetic style as you are drawn into the world of the boys Fab and Ben. The boys try to understand their own sexual awakening and how to interact in the world of adults. There is so m ...more
The book is written in a lyrical poetic style as you are drawn into the world of the boys Fab and Ben. The boys try to understand their own sexual awakening and how to interact in the world of adults. There is so m ...more
Unfortunately, this was a dud for me.
Set in the late 80s, this is not really a crime novel, not really a coming of age, it's not really anything.
The bulk of the first part of the novel is about two friends, Ben and Fab. Told from Ben's point of view, the two boys were just so over sexualised to me and none of it rang true. I'm not sure what the purpose even was, of spending this much time talking about 11 year old boys masturbating.
Then we get to the crux of the story, which is fairly obvious ...more
Set in the late 80s, this is not really a crime novel, not really a coming of age, it's not really anything.
The bulk of the first part of the novel is about two friends, Ben and Fab. Told from Ben's point of view, the two boys were just so over sexualised to me and none of it rang true. I'm not sure what the purpose even was, of spending this much time talking about 11 year old boys masturbating.
Then we get to the crux of the story, which is fairly obvious ...more
This is a gripping novel about child sexual abuse and its repercussions, in the claustrophobic setting of a small Australian country town. The writing style is understated yet succinct and emotive, and the change of point of view in the second half of the novel gives the story added perspective and depth. My only criticism is I think it took too long to develop and I felt the first few chapters could have been pared back.
Damn. This was one of those books that really gets under your skin and stays on your mind long after finishing it. I am still trying to process my thoughts about it . Essentially, this is a story about mateship and trauma and how this trauma can impact and change a persons life. I definitely recommend and I am very keen to read Mark Brandi's next book.
...more
An engaging, sparely written novel about friendship, ostracism and abuse. I bought this after hearing Mark Brandi speak at a Writer's Festival. He was on a panel about Crime Fiction and, whilst there is a crime in this novel, I wouldn't really call is crime fiction. It is, however, a compelling book and I will definitely seek out his most recent one.
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May 22, 2017
Donna
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Jun 27, 2017
Michael Livingston
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Imogen
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Stuart Barnes
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Feb 28, 2019
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Nov 16, 2019
snapp
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Aug 15, 2020
Ace Taylor
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Oct 22, 2023
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Aug 23, 2025
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