Reviews

Walkabout by James Vance Marshall

romaneslibrary's review against another edition

adventurous informative slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

_a_r_u_'s review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

1.0

I had to read this for my english class when I was like 11-14. Absolutely horrible. Don’t do this to children please. I still remember how dull and boring it was. The pace is too slow, the characters are impossible to connect with. I didn’t discover until now that the story was set in Australia. Maybe I’m biased because it was a compulsory reading, but I think I’d feel the same if I read it by my own will. 
I’ll leave matters of representation and portrayal of natives to the natives themselves, as I’m not australian and therefore I have no idea about the situation in Australia.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Cultural appropriation, Misogyny, and Death

Moderate: Racism

brimbooks's review against another edition

mysterious reflective tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

smuds2's review against another edition

adventurous emotional reflective sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

Better than lord of the flies

gracedezwaan's review against another edition

slow-paced

2.0

leaquesadilla's review

1.0

wow. lost went australian

awkwardnanxious's review against another edition

adventurous fast-paced

2.25

booktwitcher23's review against another edition

challenging dark reflective medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.75

lou1sb's review

3.0

My continuing painful efforts to read every book published in 1959.

theblessedeveryday's review

2.0

I remember having this read to in class as a child and was interested to revisit it as I study Australia with the kids. Sadly this book is an example of one that hasn’t aged well—racism and sexism throughout which make it impossible to recommend, in spite of the lush descriptions of the Australian landscape which I enjoyed.