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3.73 AVERAGE
3.73 AVERAGE
To be fair, I had a really difficult time with this book, because of the dialect. I'm sure it's a great story. The setting is in Australia, and I wasn't getting the meaning of all the words. I was listening to this on audio book. I only got through about 1/3 of the book before I stopped listening to it.
See my review here:
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/05/12/review-1853-the-broken-shore/
https://whatmeread.wordpress.com/2022/05/12/review-1853-the-broken-shore/
So...choppy...and short....
I can't figure out what the hay is going on...and I'm a third in...
I can't figure out what the hay is going on...and I'm a third in...
Okay, this is definitely one of those books where the "read-3-chapters-and-then-decide-if-you-want-to-continue" rule does not work. I am glad I stuck through the initial confusing dialogue and unique writing style.
It can be taken as a standalone but does refer to past incidents and characters. However, it doesn't detract too much from the plot. The entire book is incredibly atmospheric, centering around a homicide detective, Joe Cashin, living in a small town in Australia. The death of an influential figure draws Cashin into a web, which obviously spans deeper than an isolated murder.
The initial chapters were, to be honest, very difficult to get through as I had absolutely no idea what anyone was saying or what half the terms meant. But, once I understood the residents' rhythm and manner of speaking, it was smooth sailing. I especially appreciated the inclusion of politics and its direct effects on police work, the interactions, and the viewpoints of the aboriginal community and the other residents. All the chapters were perfectly bite-sized and kept the story moving with absolutely no extra or frivolous digressions.
But what shone throughout the book was the backdrop of rural Australia, transporting me to a place that paradoxically managed to alternate between cozy small-town vibes and vast lonely expanses. All the characters kind of felt the same way. All in all, I would definitely love to read more about the lives of the Port Monro locals, just as a scenic slice-of-life story even. Doesn't even need to have any crime aspect to it. That's how amazing the writing is.
It can be taken as a standalone but does refer to past incidents and characters. However, it doesn't detract too much from the plot. The entire book is incredibly atmospheric, centering around a homicide detective, Joe Cashin, living in a small town in Australia. The death of an influential figure draws Cashin into a web, which obviously spans deeper than an isolated murder.
The initial chapters were, to be honest, very difficult to get through as I had absolutely no idea what anyone was saying or what half the terms meant. But, once I understood the residents' rhythm and manner of speaking, it was smooth sailing. I especially appreciated the inclusion of politics and its direct effects on police work, the interactions, and the viewpoints of the aboriginal community and the other residents. All the chapters were perfectly bite-sized and kept the story moving with absolutely no extra or frivolous digressions.
But what shone throughout the book was the backdrop of rural Australia, transporting me to a place that paradoxically managed to alternate between cozy small-town vibes and vast lonely expanses. All the characters kind of felt the same way. All in all, I would definitely love to read more about the lives of the Port Monro locals, just as a scenic slice-of-life story even. Doesn't even need to have any crime aspect to it. That's how amazing the writing is.
Another excellent book by one of my favorites. Always enjoy the Australian setting and the author's writing style. Listened to the audio version which was well narrated by Peter Hosking.
Found this in a used-bookstore, and picked it up because of the cover art! This is not the first time I have done this, and thus I have decided that once in a whilke, you CAN judge a book by its cover. "The Broken Shore" received 4 stars from me for the following reasons:
1. Dialogue--the writer is Australian and there were many phrases that were new to me, which was a treat. Additionally, the dialogue itself seemed realistic and police-officerish, no-nonsense.
2. The style--Peter Temple describes things in a lovely, melancholy way, which I appreciate
3. The plot--This is described as a "procedural crime novel" and so you kind of expect a very slow, meticulous, possibly overly-detailed plot (i.e. In the Woods by Tana French) that takes too long to get to the point. NOT SO with The Broken Shore; it is indeed meticulous, but Temple establishes characters and backstories in a way that keeps the reader interested and wanting more.
1. Dialogue--the writer is Australian and there were many phrases that were new to me, which was a treat. Additionally, the dialogue itself seemed realistic and police-officerish, no-nonsense.
2. The style--Peter Temple describes things in a lovely, melancholy way, which I appreciate
3. The plot--This is described as a "procedural crime novel" and so you kind of expect a very slow, meticulous, possibly overly-detailed plot (i.e. In the Woods by Tana French) that takes too long to get to the point. NOT SO with The Broken Shore; it is indeed meticulous, but Temple establishes characters and backstories in a way that keeps the reader interested and wanting more.
I wish I had picked this book up earlier. For no other reason than that it completely and utterly immersed you into the setting of the book. I could imagine Joe Cashin's property perfectly. The lining of gums and scrub along the creek. The coast along the Great Ocean Road, some of the wildest and most beautiful I have ever seen. The invoking of the crazy autumn weather that can be calm and sunny one day, and then gale force winds and horizontal rain the next. Sometimes within the same day. For this alone, I found it a pleasure to read.
Throw in a well written, layered crime novel into the mix and you're on to a winner. The book doesn't shy away from the ugliness still prevalent in some parts of Australian life. And that is important and makes the book feel more real. Sometimes I did feel like it was pushing the envelope on the gritty elements and social problems more than it needed too, but this may be my own experience as a city kid instead of from out bush.
I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it for a read. Particularly if you like your crime/murder fiction, but want to read something not set in Sydney or Melbourne to get a better understanding of the more rural parts of Australia.
Throw in a well written, layered crime novel into the mix and you're on to a winner. The book doesn't shy away from the ugliness still prevalent in some parts of Australian life. And that is important and makes the book feel more real. Sometimes I did feel like it was pushing the envelope on the gritty elements and social problems more than it needed too, but this may be my own experience as a city kid instead of from out bush.
I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it for a read. Particularly if you like your crime/murder fiction, but want to read something not set in Sydney or Melbourne to get a better understanding of the more rural parts of Australia.
I still can't be sure I hadn't read this back in 2007 when it came out. I remembered the cover but the plot on the dust jacket didn't sound familiar. As I started it "again" some parts sounded familiar, others completely alien, but I had the thought that I loved this book even before I picked it up "again." And I was right. This book is one of those mysteries that transcends the genre and can be called literature. Vivid imagery of the place and emotional introspection are all over this work. The main character is a familiar one, the used up police officer. He's left the big city to go home to the country when a big murder occurs. He just wants to be left alone but duty calls. And so he begins not just a homicide investigation but a journey of self discovery too. It soon becomes apparent that the murder victim, the suspects, and the investigator are all "broken" souls on the broken shore. An Australian glossary is provided for all the slang. You'll need it. Like real life not everything is wrapped up at the end. Would love to see more of Detective Cachin in another book from Temple. Should be a movie.
Homocide detective, Joe Cashin is trying the take things easy. He's recuperating, both mentally and physically, from a terrible case (that is only alluded to throughout) back in the small country town where he grew up. To say he comes with baggage is an understatement, Life in the small, seaside Victorian town of Cromarty seems sound enough until the bashing of an older, wealthy resident of the town results in Cashin being called in to unintentionally open a serious can of worms.
A little more literary than your average crime fiction novel, 'The Broken Shore' has everything you could want in a detective story - small country town, damaged hard-boiled detective with a dark past, corrupt cops, local tensions, shady characters, and plenty of intrigue and violence. The realism is gritty, the characters complex, the language genuine and the imagery superb. However, this novel did not really meet the hype for me. Better than average though.
A little more literary than your average crime fiction novel, 'The Broken Shore' has everything you could want in a detective story - small country town, damaged hard-boiled detective with a dark past, corrupt cops, local tensions, shady characters, and plenty of intrigue and violence. The realism is gritty, the characters complex, the language genuine and the imagery superb. However, this novel did not really meet the hype for me. Better than average though.