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3.9 AVERAGE
3.9 AVERAGE
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Really liked this book. It was interesting to read about life in Perth during the mid 20th century and life with war hanging over them as a background theme. Writing style and language very enjoyable to read.
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-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
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Cloudstreet is a modern Australian classic. It is set in Perth from 1943 to 1963 and tells the interconnected story of two working-class families, the Pickles and the Lambs who, fleeing their own tragedies, come to share a house, the titular Cloudstreet.
The families are very different. The Lambs are hard working and religious while the Pickles tend to rely on luck. There’s plenty of tough topics in the story including addiction, gambling, an eating disorder, a child disabled as the result of an accident, ableism, trauma and guilt. Yet there is also humour and warmth. I enjoyed the exploration of themes including the stereotypes of the Aussie battler and Australia as the lucky country, as well as the characters’ search for belonging in community and family and the way this sometimes conflicted with their desire for individuality. The characters themselves were vivid and memorable. Fish will forever have a spot in my heart, while Quick’s realisation that a sadistic killer is no different from him - “there’s no monsters, only people like us” - was a poignant scene that will linger in my consciousness. However, my abiding memory of this book will be its quintessential (white) Australian-ness - the slang, the environment, the archetypal characters.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcoholism, Eating disorder
Moderate: Ableism
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
The Lambs and the Pickles, more like a tossed salad than a sandwich. I think Tim Winton is one of the countries best writers, but I like his later books more. Although this does capture a time in our nations history very well. I like this book a lot, but it has almost no plot and a very slow meandering story arc.
Beautiful writing and character development. However, it was a monotonous and melancholic plot which I felt dragged on (I got bored!). I ended up googling the ending.
I'm not a fan of reading Winton's overly descriptive prose, so listening to this on audiobook was much easier! In the end I really enjoyed the story, but it was very slow to start and a little difficult to follow with so many characters.
adventurous
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes