A review by felicitylouise
The Arsonist: A Mind on Fire by Chloe Hooper

4.0

I read this book in just two sittings. Having moved to Victoria several years after the black Saturday bushfires, I’m fascinated by the cultural, natural and psychological legacy of these events, and Chloe Hooper provides a moving account of the experiences of individuals who lost their lives, families and properties, and those who lived, but endure lifelong psychological suffering. It’s also a fascinating insight into the communities of the Latrobe Valley, and the impacts of government energy policies over generations on people and the environment - the disastrous consequences of deregulation potentially contributing to the fires themselves. What left me feeling uneasy about this book though, was that the author’s role and motivations were unclear, and many voices were missing from the story, yet their absence was not explained. I prefer the non-fiction of Helen Garner, who is more honest about the flaws and gaps in her storytelling, and how her personal feelings colour her writing. For this reason, I appreciated the Coda at the end of The Arsonist, which finally introduced the author’s voice. I also felt uncomfortable about the analysis of Brendan Sokaluk’s psychological state, which was framed in a broad and simplistic discussion of autism spectrum disorder, which did not capture the complexity of either that condition, or Sokaluk himself. Anyway, I thought it was a cracking read and an important addition to the literature about the Black Saturday fires. It left me wanting to find out more about the Latrobe Valley community, and the area’s history.