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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
mysterious
medium-paced
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
My first Australian gothic! This book was filled with descriptions of college and aristocratic life in direct contrast with the natural landscape of the outback. The building tension from the outset to the aftermath of the picnic was well done in building dread, and you could really feel everything crumbling apart before your eyes. It felt a bit like a fever dream as you’re taken along on this atmospheric ride with the characters, like you’re right there with them. So glad I finally read this one and I’m keen to watch the movie/show adaptations of it.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Child abuse, Fire/Fire injury
Moderate: Suicide, Injury/Injury detail, Classism
Minor: Colonisation
mysterious
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
I don't think this is GREAT literature in terms of the prose and structure but it's incredibly resonant and effective. Lindsay created an enduring myth with this story that is problematic in some ways with its erasure of indigenous history but nevertheless taps into deep psychological fears connected with colonialism.
dark
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I remember watching the film of this book in the 1980s. My main recollection is of the dreamy atmosphere of the picnic. I think that will be my main memory of the novel too. It meandered afterwards following the fate of characters you hardly met. I felt that the author didn’t know where to go with the novel after the picnic.
It’s probably worth reading for the first half though.
It’s probably worth reading for the first half though.
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
mysterious
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
It’s been some time since I thought to myself: well I’ll definitely have to reread this novel. But Picnic at Hanging Rock did that to me. Mainly it’s because I had the feeling, especially in the beginning, that I kept missing crucial information. Now that I read a few other reviews I’m fairly certain that I got everything there was to get but I’m still intrigued how a second read might alter or solidify my theories. The second reason that I want to experience this book again is because I was and am still loving the atmosphere and the writing. My Goodness, this was gorgeous. Despite all the drama and disappearances and tragedy it was an almost cosy experience? The nature descriptions really got to me, I mean, read this: The weeping elm at the window was murmurous with gossiping doves. and tell me that it doesn’t do something to you. The prose reads like an old sepia photograph or a letter of your grandmother writing about a faraway holiday from her youth. The timelessness is a theme in the story as well but even the writing furthers that theme because through its language it feels slower than it should and manages to linger still longer. It’s quite beautiful, is my point.
The characters are sweet as well but were for me not the main factor I enjoyed. I had some problems in the beginning to distinguish the girls from one another, they’re basically all beautiful and rich and they stay somewhat elusive. Sara is different, because she’s poor, a bit younger, a very sweet girl and she has an adorable crush on Miranda. Her fate is one of the things that would make me skip a few pages because I just want her to be happy with either her guardian or her older brother.
Speaking of Bertie who may or may not be Albert, I was loving his and Michael storyline and I don’t know if it was just me but they both had a very ‘and they were roommates’ thing going on. Firstly, opposites attract and boy are they opposites (at least societally) anyway I thought they were very sweet together and I prefer to remind myself that at least the runaway-heir and his companion the lowly coach man managed to get away together. Other than them no mysteries get solved in this edition so here are my spoilery theories. 1) I think it really was some magical realism time-shenanigans, 2)Sara was (probably accidentally) killed by Mrs. A and 3) Albert and Michael opened a farm and lived happily ever after in their little gay cottage-core fantasy world, because I want them to.