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What Members Thought
Aug 07, 2020
Kim
added it
I can't believe this won awards! Dull writing with tired distasteful tropes.
Read it in Aug 2020 but didn't record the date because I didn't want to be reminded of it in my 2020 reading challenge. Only recording it because I don't want to make the mistake of picking it up from the library shelf again. ...more
Read it in Aug 2020 but didn't record the date because I didn't want to be reminded of it in my 2020 reading challenge. Only recording it because I don't want to make the mistake of picking it up from the library shelf again. ...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.
Nov 16, 2019
snapp
marked it as to-read
Aug 15, 2020
Ace Taylor
marked it as to-read
Feb 27, 2021
Michele
marked it as to-read
Sep 05, 2023
Claire
marked it as to-read
