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eelitorr's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
4.0
This book was a random selection at the library and I'm glad I picked it up. I loved how romantic the story was, if not terribly sad.
reachant's review against another edition
3.0
A nice story and an easy read. It was a little far fetched though with respect to the travel and the connection between the characters. It gave a good account of the harshness of the Australian country and how the land was able to literally kill people through lonliness and a sense of never ending work.
solaana's review against another edition
4.0
God was I on a weird-ass bent when I read this. I remember it being good though, so yeah.
bundy23's review against another edition
2.0
Despite the early promise it's just not very interesting.
tasmanian_bibliophile's review against another edition
4.0
‘What was her story in the great swirling darkness of the world?’
Gilgamesh is about searching, for people, for adventure, for identity and for purpose. In 1937, Leopold and Aram visit Edith’s family in south-west Australia. They are on their way home, indirectly, after working on an archaeological dig in Iraq. They are aware that the world is on the brink of war. One of the stories they share is the story of Gilgamesh, the legendary king of Uruk, and his journey after the death of his friend Enkidu. This story will play a part in each of their lives.
In 1939 Edith and her young child set off from Australia to find the child’s father. Their travels take them to London to the Caucasus and the Middle East. The outbreak of war traps Edith and her child, disrupts their travel, raises more questions, and makes it much harder to find answers.
But are the answers there, so far from home? Are the answers external to the traveller, or are they contained within? Or is the journey itself more important than the destination? I finished this book restless for answers and wondering.
‘This too was home. This feeling of closeness, with nowhere else to go.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Gilgamesh is about searching, for people, for adventure, for identity and for purpose. In 1937, Leopold and Aram visit Edith’s family in south-west Australia. They are on their way home, indirectly, after working on an archaeological dig in Iraq. They are aware that the world is on the brink of war. One of the stories they share is the story of Gilgamesh, the legendary king of Uruk, and his journey after the death of his friend Enkidu. This story will play a part in each of their lives.
In 1939 Edith and her young child set off from Australia to find the child’s father. Their travels take them to London to the Caucasus and the Middle East. The outbreak of war traps Edith and her child, disrupts their travel, raises more questions, and makes it much harder to find answers.
But are the answers there, so far from home? Are the answers external to the traveller, or are they contained within? Or is the journey itself more important than the destination? I finished this book restless for answers and wondering.
‘This too was home. This feeling of closeness, with nowhere else to go.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
bookthia's review against another edition
4.0
It is difficult to express how deeply this novel can touch you if you take the time to savour it. This is not an action filled book, although the actions of Edith, the main character, have profound consequences for herself and her son. This is a book that is introspective. Simply following the plot will offer only partial rewards. Yes, the plot winds through the Australian desert, and 1940's Middle Eastern countries (Armenia, Turkey, Persia, Syria) and is a fascinating tale of perseverance. But there are rewards beyond plot, the book is richly emotive and resonating questions of morality. Its lessons and observations made me think deeply about my preconceived notions of love, motherhood, loyalty and courage.
rebthack's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.75
This was a really interesting story. Youthful dreams and hopes of finding a better life are met with reality at every step of the way. A story of travel, naive love, and loss. So much happens, yet it is written in such a spare way that it feels mundane.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Abandonment
abookishtype's review against another edition
1.0
When I read about this novel–about a young Australian woman who chases after her lost Armenian lover with their young son in tow–I was hooked. A nineteen year old girl looking for her lost lover in Soviet Armenia. It sounded fantastic, like it could be a rich story. But as I read it, it started to seem very anemic to me...
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.
Read the rest of my review at A Bookish Type.