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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
[b:Picnic at Hanging Rock|34785405|Picnic at Hanging Rock|Joan Lindsay|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1546048425l/34785405._SY75_.jpg|1193116] was not at all what I expected, which was stuffy and Victorian. If anything, the book completely subverts the stuffy and Victorian, where things are prim, proper, and respectably corseted and gloved on the outside, all of which hides the rotten, the sensual, and the sinful within. I remarked at one point that I was most reminded of [b:The Turn of the Screw|12948|The Turn of the Screw|Henry James|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1567172392l/12948._SY75_.jpg|990886] and [b:In the Woods|2459785|In the Woods (Dublin Murder Squad, #1)|Tana French|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1562761513l/2459785._SY75_.jpg|3088141], or some kind of unholy mashup of the two. I am obviously not afraid of oblique denouements because I loved all three of these books.
After some subsequent digging, I found evidence that Joan Lindsay very much admired Henry James' Turn of the Screw, and also that Tana French may have drawn from Picnic at Hanging Rock when she wrote In the Woods, so perhaps there is a uniting thread through all three of these books after all!
After some subsequent digging, I found evidence that Joan Lindsay very much admired Henry James' Turn of the Screw, and also that Tana French may have drawn from Picnic at Hanging Rock when she wrote In the Woods, so perhaps there is a uniting thread through all three of these books after all!
Couldn't get into it.
Didn't enjoy the writing style or narration.
Didn't enjoy the writing style or narration.
challenging
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This was so strange, and beautiful, and eerie and disturbing but also lovely? In themes, it reminds me of a lot of early American lit—that these foreign people who stake a claim on this land that belonged to someone else first are then frightened by the mystery of that nature. Nature and the setting are described in such vivid and lush ways that the inhospitable world of Australia just comes to life on the page. There is such a gorgeous contrast between the genteel society and the wilderness of Hanging Rock. I thought this was beautifully written and quite propulsive—I read it in 24 hours and was just enthralled the entire time. Mysterious, strange, unsettling—if you can live with being a little dissatisfied, this is so worth it.
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Joan Lindsay's classic Australian novel 'Picnic at Hanging Rock', written in 1967 yet set in 1900, follows the ambiguous pseudohistorical account surrounding the mysterious disappearences of a teacher and students from Appleyard College on Valentine's Day.
This was a good read. Despite the novel being written in the 60s, it's language and prose was suited to the 1900s style, making it quite challenging to read (and establish a steady flow). Having said this, Lindsay's descriptive language and articulate way of writing is to be admired. Critically acclaimed as one of the best Australian novels of all time, I would have to agree as I believe this novel is the first piece of Australian literature I had read (excluding school reading criteria).
To read a whole book about the landscape of which I am a part of, was fantastic! The way she describes the Australian bush with such sophisticated, particular and emotive words is an accurate and respectful tribute to our beautiful yet rough landscape.
The mystery is as follows:
Miranda, Marion, Irma and Edith ascend the Hanging Rock during the picnic, and after a while enter a "trance-like state". After a rest they all continue to ascend and Edith, in a fit of hysterics screams and runs down the mount passing Miss McGraw on the decline, who was wearing only her undergarments.
Their disappearences evoke numerable accusations, such as abduction, rape or murder. After investigations amounting to no help, the Honerable Michael Fitzhubert takes it upon himself to search for the girls (he and his friend, Albert, briefly encountered the girls during their ascent).
He finds Irma, to whom remembers nothing of the incident.
Appleyard College shortly becomes a whirlwind of horror, with Mrs Appleyard becoming a secret alcoholic, the students wild behaviour when Irma returned to say goodbye, and the teachers erratic behaviour themselves.
The colleges handyman and maid get married and leave the college to replace Albert's position at Lake View, Dianne De Poitiers marries in Bendigo, and Dora Lumley and her brother, suffer a tragic housefire which takes their lives.
Shortly after this, Sara Waybourne - the youngest student, whom was obsessed with Miranda - mysteriously gets picked up from the college by Mr Cosgrove, her guardian. However, a few days later Mrs Appleyard receives a letter from Mr Cosgrove thanking her for letting Sara stay throughout the holidays. Amidst the shock from at the abduction of Sara, Edward the college gardener stumbles across a body deep within the gardens underneath the tower, "Something that had once been a girl in a night dress soaked with dry blood. One leg was bent under the tangled body, the other wedged in the lower fork of the Hydrangea. The feet were bare, the head was crushed beyond recognition. Even if he could have forced himself to look at it more closely. Even so he knew that it was Sara Waybourne." From this discovery, Mrs Appleyard deceives everyone and makes her way to the Hanging Rock, where she is frightened by a ghost of Sara (or a figment of her own trauma imagination) and leaps off the peak of the mount, tumbling down to her demise.
The pseudo-historical prologue and epilogue serve to stabilise it's legitimacy, with newspaper articles discussing Appleyard Colleges destruction amidst a bushfire in 1901, obliterating all records of the Hanging Rock events.
Amidst the early 18th-19th century, Hanging Rock was considered the most terrifying and dangerous place in the state. Countless Aborigines were killed here, as the site was considered a sacred and important meeting place, as it bordered on three local tribal lands. The Aborigines claim the top rocks to be haunted by evil spirits. These accusations could add a layer of truth to the mystery, whether it be Aboriginal peoples potential involvement in the girls disappearences - and Miss McGraws absence of clothes, or perhaps the spirits of the Rock influencing the girls' decisions and even the events that take place after the initial incident (such as the fire).
I enjoy how this book adheres to the social rules of the time, with Mrs Appleyard directing a worker to hoist the British Flag (as the nation was still British colony at this time). The Australian slang and way of life is displayed through characters such as Albert, and Mike's fascination (as an Englishman) on Albert's behaviour and way of thinking.
These two, were my favourite characters also.
The alleged "chapter eighteen" is a shamble, I do not believe that Lindsay wrote chapter 18, in fact I believe it was a publisher gimmick to make more money, as Lindsay was deceased and couldn't defend the case. I will not go into it, as I don't think it adhered to the context and flow of the novel, being semi spiritual and psychedelic, but the 18th explanation chapter was overtly so.
I believe this novel isn't about whether or not the story is true, it is about the mystery itself.
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a classical tale of the mysteries of the Bush, of Australian life, of the people, of culture. There are themes of explored sexuality however I don't possess much knowledge to amount a paragraph of discussion surrounding such things, but others have talked about it.
I enjoyed the complicated writings of the novel and would endeavour to read this book again, soaking up the descriptive language and other themes Lindsay explored here such as Time, Femininity and Sexuality.
If I was more adept at reading this could be 3-4! It should be a 2-3 but I am generous!
This was a good read. Despite the novel being written in the 60s, it's language and prose was suited to the 1900s style, making it quite challenging to read (and establish a steady flow). Having said this, Lindsay's descriptive language and articulate way of writing is to be admired. Critically acclaimed as one of the best Australian novels of all time, I would have to agree as I believe this novel is the first piece of Australian literature I had read (excluding school reading criteria).
To read a whole book about the landscape of which I am a part of, was fantastic! The way she describes the Australian bush with such sophisticated, particular and emotive words is an accurate and respectful tribute to our beautiful yet rough landscape.
The mystery is as follows:
Miranda, Marion, Irma and Edith ascend the Hanging Rock during the picnic, and after a while enter a "trance-like state". After a rest they all continue to ascend and Edith, in a fit of hysterics screams and runs down the mount passing Miss McGraw on the decline, who was wearing only her undergarments.
Their disappearences evoke numerable accusations, such as abduction, rape or murder. After investigations amounting to no help, the Honerable Michael Fitzhubert takes it upon himself to search for the girls (he and his friend, Albert, briefly encountered the girls during their ascent).
He finds Irma, to whom remembers nothing of the incident.
Appleyard College shortly becomes a whirlwind of horror, with Mrs Appleyard becoming a secret alcoholic, the students wild behaviour when Irma returned to say goodbye, and the teachers erratic behaviour themselves.
The colleges handyman and maid get married and leave the college to replace Albert's position at Lake View, Dianne De Poitiers marries in Bendigo, and Dora Lumley and her brother, suffer a tragic housefire which takes their lives.
Shortly after this, Sara Waybourne - the youngest student, whom was obsessed with Miranda - mysteriously gets picked up from the college by Mr Cosgrove, her guardian. However, a few days later Mrs Appleyard receives a letter from Mr Cosgrove thanking her for letting Sara stay throughout the holidays. Amidst the shock from at the abduction of Sara, Edward the college gardener stumbles across a body deep within the gardens underneath the tower, "Something that had once been a girl in a night dress soaked with dry blood. One leg was bent under the tangled body, the other wedged in the lower fork of the Hydrangea. The feet were bare, the head was crushed beyond recognition. Even if he could have forced himself to look at it more closely. Even so he knew that it was Sara Waybourne." From this discovery, Mrs Appleyard deceives everyone and makes her way to the Hanging Rock, where she is frightened by a ghost of Sara (or a figment of her own trauma imagination) and leaps off the peak of the mount, tumbling down to her demise.
The pseudo-historical prologue and epilogue serve to stabilise it's legitimacy, with newspaper articles discussing Appleyard Colleges destruction amidst a bushfire in 1901, obliterating all records of the Hanging Rock events.
Amidst the early 18th-19th century, Hanging Rock was considered the most terrifying and dangerous place in the state. Countless Aborigines were killed here, as the site was considered a sacred and important meeting place, as it bordered on three local tribal lands. The Aborigines claim the top rocks to be haunted by evil spirits. These accusations could add a layer of truth to the mystery, whether it be Aboriginal peoples potential involvement in the girls disappearences - and Miss McGraws absence of clothes, or perhaps the spirits of the Rock influencing the girls' decisions and even the events that take place after the initial incident (such as the fire).
I enjoy how this book adheres to the social rules of the time, with Mrs Appleyard directing a worker to hoist the British Flag (as the nation was still British colony at this time). The Australian slang and way of life is displayed through characters such as Albert, and Mike's fascination (as an Englishman) on Albert's behaviour and way of thinking.
These two, were my favourite characters also.
The alleged "chapter eighteen" is a shamble, I do not believe that Lindsay wrote chapter 18, in fact I believe it was a publisher gimmick to make more money, as Lindsay was deceased and couldn't defend the case. I will not go into it, as I don't think it adhered to the context and flow of the novel, being semi spiritual and psychedelic, but the 18th explanation chapter was overtly so.
I believe this novel isn't about whether or not the story is true, it is about the mystery itself.
Picnic at Hanging Rock is a classical tale of the mysteries of the Bush, of Australian life, of the people, of culture. There are themes of explored sexuality however I don't possess much knowledge to amount a paragraph of discussion surrounding such things, but others have talked about it.
I enjoyed the complicated writings of the novel and would endeavour to read this book again, soaking up the descriptive language and other themes Lindsay explored here such as Time, Femininity and Sexuality.
If I was more adept at reading this could be 3-4! It should be a 2-3 but I am generous!
I think I am rating this book more on the experience of reading it than anything else. This was our January Book Club pick. I have not gone incredibly deep into the cycle of things or what outer worldly thing happens/might have happened. But keeping it strictly reality based I enjoyed the very descriptive writing and definitely pictured all of it in my head. The 1970s movie only anchored my vision of the story. With slight difference it was pretty great. I am going to watch the Amazon Prime show next before book club. Apparently this story has a lot of different opinions on what happens to the missing people... Can't wait to hear them and read more about it before book club!
3.75
Interesante, con una ambientación muy envolvente y que se respira australia, en una sociedad de principios de século XX que nunca me había encontrado. Los personajes son muy realistas y con mucha personalidad, el misterio es muy interesante y la intriga está por las nubes. Pero el final no resuelve nada, pasan cosas y la situación escala pero el gran misterio nunca se resolvió y aunque aprecio la libertad del lector de sacar las cábalas que quiera, para mi gusto demasiado quedó en vilo.
Interesante, con una ambientación muy envolvente y que se respira australia, en una sociedad de principios de século XX que nunca me había encontrado. Los personajes son muy realistas y con mucha personalidad, el misterio es muy interesante y la intriga está por las nubes. Pero el final no resuelve nada, pasan cosas y la situación escala pero el gran misterio nunca se resolvió y aunque aprecio la libertad del lector de sacar las cábalas que quiera, para mi gusto demasiado quedó en vilo.
adventurous
dark
mysterious
Eerie and well-written. Even though it takes place around Valentine's Day, it's a good October read.