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kiwikathleen 's review for:
White Earth
by Andrew McGahan
Well! This is an Australian author that I hadn't come across (no, I don't tend to follow any of the awards and so I didn't know this won the Miles Franklin, but reading up on it now I can see how it fits the bill perfectly). Now I have, I'm a little uncertain whether I want to read his first novel ("His novel Praise is considered to be part of the Australian literary genre of grunge lit.") as I find it difficult to imagine liking something grungy. On the other hand, his teen-reading fantasy series looks to be my thing.
Anyway, to this book. What a great story of Australian history, of obsession, and of innocence. The characters of the boy and of his great-uncle are beautifully written - the boy confused, wanting to be liked; the old man driven and manipulative, himself a product of a twisted upbringing by an obnoxious father. The scenes in the Australian wilderness are compelling and almost physically painful (think burning sun and heat that dries you and the country around you into dust), and the boy's visions are disturbing. This is a book truly worth reading.
Anyway, to this book. What a great story of Australian history, of obsession, and of innocence. The characters of the boy and of his great-uncle are beautifully written - the boy confused, wanting to be liked; the old man driven and manipulative, himself a product of a twisted upbringing by an obnoxious father. The scenes in the Australian wilderness are compelling and almost physically painful (think burning sun and heat that dries you and the country around you into dust), and the boy's visions are disturbing. This is a book truly worth reading.