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tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
5.0
‘This is the quest to regain sovereignty over my own brain.’
This novel is set in Australia in the future: around the time of the third centenary, in a world fundamentally altered by climate change, and where – following an Army Intervention - Aboriginals are living in a fenced camp alongside a stinking swamp containing the refuse of war.
It follows the life of a mute young woman called Oblivia Ethylene.
Oblivia is the victim of gang rape, who lives on a hulk in a swamp surrounded by rusting boats and thousands of black swans. Oblivia is plucked from this displaced community to be married to Warren Finch, soon to be the first Aboriginal president Australia, and confined to a tower in lawless, flooded southern city.
‘Swans mate for life: that was what she thought.’
And what does the future hold for Oblivia in this novel? Oblivia’s world, with its swans, with its caste of amazing characters such as Aunty Bella Donna of the Champions, the Harbour Master, three genies (Dr Snip Hart, Dr Edgar Mail and Dr Bones Doom) and a talking monkey called Rigoletto. Who defines what is real, and how it impacts on the world? What does it mean to be homeless and dispossessed? In a world drastically turned upside down by climate change, where mass movements of refugees around the world are a consequence of cities drowning, local Aboriginal governments exist alongside high-ranking national Aboriginal politicians.
‘Should angels be eaten, even one, by so many hungry people?’
Oblivia may have been transported to a new world, but she is still part of her old world. The past, present and future are equally important. The swans are an integral part of all aspects of Oblivia’s world. Oblivia may be mute, but her mind is unrestrained. There is both great humour and (at times unexpected) humour in this novel. It is rich in metaphor and full of wonderful storytelling and difficult constructs.
‘A crescent moon moved so low across the swamp that its reflection over rippling water looked like the wings of a magnificent white swan.'
So, what did I make of this book? There is not one definitive conclusion: ‘The Swan Book’ is one of those novels that has made me work hard in order to try to understand it, and will continue to occupy space in my consciousness. Is it about love? About climate change? About dispossession? About myth, culture and reality? ‘The Swan Book’ defines any attempt at simple categorisation, and it is not meant to be read and put aside. I enjoyed it, and I hated it, I laughed and I cried. And above all, I’m thinking.
‘Her mind was only a lonely mansion for the stories of extinction.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel is set in Australia in the future: around the time of the third centenary, in a world fundamentally altered by climate change, and where – following an Army Intervention - Aboriginals are living in a fenced camp alongside a stinking swamp containing the refuse of war.
It follows the life of a mute young woman called Oblivia Ethylene.
Oblivia is the victim of gang rape, who lives on a hulk in a swamp surrounded by rusting boats and thousands of black swans. Oblivia is plucked from this displaced community to be married to Warren Finch, soon to be the first Aboriginal president Australia, and confined to a tower in lawless, flooded southern city.
‘Swans mate for life: that was what she thought.’
And what does the future hold for Oblivia in this novel? Oblivia’s world, with its swans, with its caste of amazing characters such as Aunty Bella Donna of the Champions, the Harbour Master, three genies (Dr Snip Hart, Dr Edgar Mail and Dr Bones Doom) and a talking monkey called Rigoletto. Who defines what is real, and how it impacts on the world? What does it mean to be homeless and dispossessed? In a world drastically turned upside down by climate change, where mass movements of refugees around the world are a consequence of cities drowning, local Aboriginal governments exist alongside high-ranking national Aboriginal politicians.
‘Should angels be eaten, even one, by so many hungry people?’
Oblivia may have been transported to a new world, but she is still part of her old world. The past, present and future are equally important. The swans are an integral part of all aspects of Oblivia’s world. Oblivia may be mute, but her mind is unrestrained. There is both great humour and (at times unexpected) humour in this novel. It is rich in metaphor and full of wonderful storytelling and difficult constructs.
‘A crescent moon moved so low across the swamp that its reflection over rippling water looked like the wings of a magnificent white swan.'
So, what did I make of this book? There is not one definitive conclusion: ‘The Swan Book’ is one of those novels that has made me work hard in order to try to understand it, and will continue to occupy space in my consciousness. Is it about love? About climate change? About dispossession? About myth, culture and reality? ‘The Swan Book’ defines any attempt at simple categorisation, and it is not meant to be read and put aside. I enjoyed it, and I hated it, I laughed and I cried. And above all, I’m thinking.
‘Her mind was only a lonely mansion for the stories of extinction.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
evanguerra's review against another edition
He who becomes a swan, instructs the world!
A prophetic novel of elite social commentary. Alexis Wright is a phenomenal storyteller.
A prophetic novel of elite social commentary. Alexis Wright is a phenomenal storyteller.
afoldedcorner's review against another edition
2.75
Rating based on pure *enjoyment* of the novel. It’s dense and confusing.
roristutzman's review against another edition
challenging
sad
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.25
kimswhims's review against another edition
4.0
This is an exceptional book and so dense in meaning and symbolism that it's hard to take in on a first reading or while listening to. I did find it an easier to listen to rather than read. However, after listening to it this time I'll have another attempt at trying to read it in the future to pick up more from it. It's a very worthy winner of the awards that have been bestowed on it.
littlewishling's review against another edition
challenging
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
I struggled to understand what this novel was trying to tell me. There was a lot of nice prose hidden in chunks of text that just left me confused more than anything.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Racial slurs
Minor: Rape
brigsssss's review against another edition
challenging
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
timbooksin's review against another edition
2.0
This was not a great reading experience for me. Objectively, there is much about this book that should be enjoyed -- I am just not its audience.
Things I liked:
- Beautiful imagery
- Quippy humor, at times
Thing I didn't like:
- Folklore/fairy tale writing style
- Dense prose & exposition
- Minimalist dialogue (a bit tricky when your main character doesn't speak), italicizing (not quoting) dialogue, and often times not separating dialogue out from the rest of the narrative.
- A lengthy second chapter that laboriously sets the scene
Things I liked:
- Beautiful imagery
- Quippy humor, at times
Thing I didn't like:
- Folklore/fairy tale writing style
- Dense prose & exposition
- Minimalist dialogue (a bit tricky when your main character doesn't speak), italicizing (not quoting) dialogue, and often times not separating dialogue out from the rest of the narrative.
- A lengthy second chapter that laboriously sets the scene
hcube3's review against another edition
5.0
I've read this in excerpts before and not gotten it, but I'm so glad I stuck out for the whole thing. You need the prolonged exposure to acclimate to the logic. It's dreamlike, hallucinatory and oppressive, until the ending lands and I'm weeping in a public place.