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3.26 AVERAGE
3.26 AVERAGE
dark
mysterious
tense
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I feel quite indifferent towards this novella. It was my first Tim Winton read and I was quietly excited to see how it would pan out. Despite Winton’s ability to create tension and work his way to a climax terrifically, it was the plot that was a let down, with no real resolution to what had occurred throughout the novella - a real dissatisfying ending, in my opinion. I found it hard to connect with any of the characters; Ronnie and Maurice both came off as flaky individual’s, Ida turned out to be nuts and Jaccob enjoyed being isolated and alone in the middle of nowhere. I understand and appreciate that all of the characters are meant to be unreliable (hence the narration device), but there was no real connection with any of the characters, who were going off on their own whims and were very two-dimensional. On the other hand, I felt like I was reading an Edgar Allen Poe story (particularly with the torturing of the cat), which was interesting to see a modern Australian author adapt into more recent times. In all, a quick and easy read, but not the best ‘classic’.
God i hated this book. It was brutal and ugly and left me feeling vaguely sick. But it definitely achieved its goal and Winton is an incredible storyteller.
It's not marketed as horror, but honestly i can't think of a better genre for it.
It's not marketed as horror, but honestly i can't think of a better genre for it.
challenging
dark
emotional
mysterious
reflective
sad
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Nobody does tension and suspense like Tim Winton - this book skipped along and was a thoroughly enjoyable read in Mr Winton's usual well-crafted language.
The group of four characters were relate-able, well-crafted and believable. Having grown up in a rural area, the setting was true and the story something that I wanted to return to at once, so I ended up reading this in a day.
I enjoyed the snippets and clues of narrative that wove into the main story and brought a depth and interest.
A great read - and if you enjoyed this but really want to ratchet up the suspense and tension, then read 'The Riders.'
My only gripe was the dedication of the book, which put the cart before the horse. Rip that page out before lending the book to others.
The group of four characters were relate-able, well-crafted and believable. Having grown up in a rural area, the setting was true and the story something that I wanted to return to at once, so I ended up reading this in a day.
I enjoyed the snippets and clues of narrative that wove into the main story and brought a depth and interest.
A great read - and if you enjoyed this but really want to ratchet up the suspense and tension, then read 'The Riders.'
My only gripe was the dedication of the book, which put the cart before the horse. Rip that page out before lending the book to others.
dark
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This is on the reading list for the new senior syllabus, under their "Gothic" section, and ties nicely into the Australian experience as well. A tight novella, easily read in one sitting, it has a sense of foreboding and general spooky uneasiness present from the start. It's potentially supernatural, there's a bit of gore, it's genuinely creepy in some parts, and it's a little bit odd and is left open to interpretation. Enjoyable and quite well written. Winton writes Aussie landscapes and atmosphere like nobody's business.
It is probably really well written, and almost perfectly formed - but the characters, in particular the narrator, are so prickly I just couldn't warm to it.
