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charmaineclancy's review against another edition
2.0
This book has an interesting concept of reflecting on the birdlife (and indeed other animal life) in a small country town as it tells the story of the people. I did like the honesty in the physical descriptions of people and felt the fragility of the characters was portrayed well. I didn't enjoy the mixing of prose as I felt it wasn't done deftly and seemed forced. I found one character to dislike extremely, but couldn't attach myself with any affection to any of the others; they just weren't likable enough to me. I also felt the bleak portrayal of country life was a little unfair and not true reflection.
I struggled along, but felt not enough was happening in this literary story, stopped reading about halfway. There's many who love this novel, so it might just be a matter of different tastes.
I struggled along, but felt not enough was happening in this literary story, stopped reading about halfway. There's many who love this novel, so it might just be a matter of different tastes.
margreads's review against another edition
4.0
I quite liked this. Was surprised by how much sex there was and by the nature of it (not always in a good way), but it also made me laugh, with interesting structure and good prose.
earlgreybooks's review against another edition
3.0
I don’t know how to feel about this one.
On one hand, I really liked it. Carrie Tiffany’s writing is beautiful and hypnotic. It drew me in instantly and I couldn’t stop reading.
But I also had some issues with it. There’s quite a lot of talk about sex. Okay, so I read romance and that’s okay. But the descriptions in here, particularly relating to the female characters and their bodies made me really uncomfortable. I’m not saying it’s bad, but it’s a little terrifying how well Carrie Tiffany manages to write that so well.
Also, I know a lot more about cows and milking than ever before and I don’t know if that’s a good thing.
On one hand, I really liked it. Carrie Tiffany’s writing is beautiful and hypnotic. It drew me in instantly and I couldn’t stop reading.
But I also had some issues with it. There’s quite a lot of talk about sex. Okay, so I read romance and that’s okay. But the descriptions in here, particularly relating to the female characters and their bodies made me really uncomfortable. I’m not saying it’s bad, but it’s a little terrifying how well Carrie Tiffany manages to write that so well.
Also, I know a lot more about cows and milking than ever before and I don’t know if that’s a good thing.
lisaamerikanos's review against another edition
2.0
An overworked metaphor and at times quite unnecessarily crass. Could have been better as a short story. Not enough plot for a novel and style doesn't achieve modernist ambitions of Woolf's stream of consciousness or Joyce's hovering detail. Annoying poems and 'nature diary' inserted which don't serve the characters or plot. Not sure why it won the Stella.
lace_daisies_and_mary_oliver's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Rape, and Sexual assault
Minor: Medical content
patriciajoan's review against another edition
emotional
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
3.0
si0bhan's review against another edition
1.0
As this book falls completely outside of my usual read I think it is worth pointing out that my view is probably worth less than those who are regulars in the genre. As I have very few reads in this genre to compare it to I cannot say where exactly it falls in greatness for the genre. That being said, of the few books that I have read in this area this one does not compare in the slightest.
In my mind it seems as though it’s just a collection of random moments across the lives of the characters with very little in the way of a real story. There are a few okay moments which offer us insight into what is going on but as a whole I didn’t feel like I was reading an actual story. It was more like looking at someone’s diary where they had just put the odd note here and there. Moreover, I felt as though I was being bounced around far too much. I guess I was just expecting something more, perhaps something more in the way of wooing – only to be given what I sometimes thought was rather crude pieces (not that I can really say much as I read The Dice Man and thoroughly enjoyed it, but at least there I was following along and understanding what was going on and why).
As I said, I guess I was just expecting more than just accounts of random days from here and there hence why I was so disappointed.
In my mind it seems as though it’s just a collection of random moments across the lives of the characters with very little in the way of a real story. There are a few okay moments which offer us insight into what is going on but as a whole I didn’t feel like I was reading an actual story. It was more like looking at someone’s diary where they had just put the odd note here and there. Moreover, I felt as though I was being bounced around far too much. I guess I was just expecting something more, perhaps something more in the way of wooing – only to be given what I sometimes thought was rather crude pieces (not that I can really say much as I read The Dice Man and thoroughly enjoyed it, but at least there I was following along and understanding what was going on and why).
As I said, I guess I was just expecting more than just accounts of random days from here and there hence why I was so disappointed.
booksellersdiary's review against another edition
3.0
I'm still not sure what to think of this one. Part of me thinks there are scenes that are included only for shock value, but on the other hand Tiffany's lyrical prose, tension building and careful observations of love and sex make for a profound novel.
I liked the inclusions of the social dynamic of the kookaburra family, Harry's musings made for a nice break in tension. I wanted more of Little Hazel, right at the start there was mention of a traumatic event involving Mues but no more was mentioned. I guess it was used as a base for character of Meus, given the later scenes.
This is a solid 3-star read for me, but I can see why other readers connect with it better than I did.
Read for: Stella Project
I liked the inclusions of the social dynamic of the kookaburra family, Harry's musings made for a nice break in tension. I wanted more of Little Hazel, right at the start there was mention of a traumatic event involving Mues but no more was mentioned. I guess it was used as a base for character of Meus, given the later scenes.
This is a solid 3-star read for me, but I can see why other readers connect with it better than I did.
Read for: Stella Project
louiseallan's review against another edition
4.0
Much has already been written about ‘Mateship With Birds’ since it won the inaugural Stella Prize in 2013 and was shortlisted for a slew of awards, including the Miles Franklin Award 2013, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Fiction 2012, and the Melbourne Prize for Literature Best Writing Award. It was also longlisted for the 2014 IMPAC Dublin Literary Award.
In a nutshell, I loved it. I read it in an afternoon while on holiday—it’s short, it’s moving, and it’s very funny. If I had to summarise it in a sentence, I’d say it was a short novel about sex.
The main characters, Harry and Betty, have been neighbours for decades, but always kept a respectable distance. They’re both single, hard-working, salt of the earth people. (Just incidentally, why are all simple but good men in fiction called ‘Harry’? And I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever read a book with an evil character named Harry …)
Harry is a dairy farmer, who has been single since his wife left him many years earlier. He’s lonely, and rather fond of his cows, of whom he speaks in a very loving, and at times sexual, manner.
Betty is a single mother of two children, Michael and Hazel. She’s also lonely, but lacks the confidence to find herself a partner.
As the story continues, the reader learns that although the relationship between Harry and Betty is courteous and at a distance, there’s a yearning and a love that they’re both too fearful to voice.
Harry takes it upon himself to teach Betty’s son, Michael, about the opposite sex, and writes letters to him. They’re filled with Harry’s earthy memories and observations, and his unique take on life and sex and women.
This novel evokes rural Australia in the 1950s well, and Carrie Tiffany’s own rural and agricultural experience is evident. She does a great job of highlighting the sexual repression of the 1950s, and titillating the reader with sensual suggestion, of the shape of a bosom under a blouse, or of a buttock under skirt. And this one:
I was reminded of the power of suggestion, and how alluring what is kept hidden can be.
This is a beautifully crafted book, with not a word out of place or wasted. It’s told with a frankness and simplicity that belies its sophistication. It doesn’t stray from its theme, it’s humorous and moving, and gives us a delightful insight into 1950’s rural Australia.
Incidentally, the title, ‘Mateship with Birds’ came from the title of a book of bird notes by Australian writer Alec Chisholm, published in 1922.
In a nutshell, I loved it. I read it in an afternoon while on holiday—it’s short, it’s moving, and it’s very funny. If I had to summarise it in a sentence, I’d say it was a short novel about sex.
The main characters, Harry and Betty, have been neighbours for decades, but always kept a respectable distance. They’re both single, hard-working, salt of the earth people. (Just incidentally, why are all simple but good men in fiction called ‘Harry’? And I’m trying to remember if I’ve ever read a book with an evil character named Harry …)
Harry is a dairy farmer, who has been single since his wife left him many years earlier. He’s lonely, and rather fond of his cows, of whom he speaks in a very loving, and at times sexual, manner.
‘When Babs leaves the stalls at unexplained speed, her empty udder slapping slackly between her legs, he watches after her and feels ashamed on her behalf, hoping nobody has seen his good girl with her bloomers showing.’
Betty is a single mother of two children, Michael and Hazel. She’s also lonely, but lacks the confidence to find herself a partner.
‘The people of Cohuna have not seen Betty Reynolds hopeful as she dabs on her lipstick in the morning and then resigned as she wipes it off at night. They have not seen the pile of lipstick-stained tissues that grows day after day in the cheap cane rubbish bin under her dresser to be emptied on Saturday and used to light the fire. They have not seen her undressing in front of the wardrobe mirror, slowly removing her slip, cupping her large, pale breasts in her hands, plucking the hairs that have started to grow around the nipples. They have not seen her grimacing at the exquisite sting of the tweezers, then having to soothe the skin with cold cream and finding herself overcome. Finding herself standing in front of the mirror scolding and hating herself and wondering who she is hurting herself for, and why her body is turning into something else before she has had a chance to discover what it was before.’
As the story continues, the reader learns that although the relationship between Harry and Betty is courteous and at a distance, there’s a yearning and a love that they’re both too fearful to voice.
Harry takes it upon himself to teach Betty’s son, Michael, about the opposite sex, and writes letters to him. They’re filled with Harry’s earthy memories and observations, and his unique take on life and sex and women.
‘Skin. The female is covered with two types of skin. The skin of the body is easily observed on the torso, arms, legs and face. It is essentially the same as the skin of the male, but cut from much finer-grained stuff. The sexual organ (I’m talking inside front of underpants here, Michael), breasts (esp. nipples) and lips feature a skin uniquely inflamed with blood. Unlike the ordinary body skin (and male skin), where the blood runs in controlled networks of veins an arteries and sub-veins and sub-arteries (think horticultural drip-and-pipe irrigation), the blood in the sexual areas is right at the very surface.’
This novel evokes rural Australia in the 1950s well, and Carrie Tiffany’s own rural and agricultural experience is evident. She does a great job of highlighting the sexual repression of the 1950s, and titillating the reader with sensual suggestion, of the shape of a bosom under a blouse, or of a buttock under skirt. And this one:
‘Her finger is on her lip, in that private place underneath the nostrils.’
I was reminded of the power of suggestion, and how alluring what is kept hidden can be.
This is a beautifully crafted book, with not a word out of place or wasted. It’s told with a frankness and simplicity that belies its sophistication. It doesn’t stray from its theme, it’s humorous and moving, and gives us a delightful insight into 1950’s rural Australia.
Incidentally, the title, ‘Mateship with Birds’ came from the title of a book of bird notes by Australian writer Alec Chisholm, published in 1922.