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A review by tricky
The Harp in the South by Ruth Park
5.0
As soon as I started reading, I realised, yes, I have read these words before. It did not matter because this book is a wonderful look at Australian life.
The Darcy family are the epitome of the Aussie battler as they are poor with little prospect of improving their position in life. They live in the slums of Sydney during the 1940s when sly grog houses, prostitution, razor gangs and drugs where a way of life. You are drawn into this world as the Darcy's face each day with a decision about how to survive. There is a wonderful sense of family and community in this story and you love each and every character in the book.
The issues of family life are tackled from Hugh's drinking, Roe's unwanted pregnancy, Grandma's slip into Alzheimer’s and the loss of their son, Thady. It is the story of Thady that is the most heart wrenching as you feel the pain of a mother continuing looking for a child that disappeared. The supporting characters are well rounded and bring additional life to the story.
What makes this book amazing is that they do not moan or groan about their lot but they manage to face each day with hope. Even when the day is at the blackest the family rallies together and finds the strength to continue on.
The Darcy family are the epitome of the Aussie battler as they are poor with little prospect of improving their position in life. They live in the slums of Sydney during the 1940s when sly grog houses, prostitution, razor gangs and drugs where a way of life. You are drawn into this world as the Darcy's face each day with a decision about how to survive. There is a wonderful sense of family and community in this story and you love each and every character in the book.
The issues of family life are tackled from Hugh's drinking, Roe's unwanted pregnancy, Grandma's slip into Alzheimer’s and the loss of their son, Thady. It is the story of Thady that is the most heart wrenching as you feel the pain of a mother continuing looking for a child that disappeared. The supporting characters are well rounded and bring additional life to the story.
What makes this book amazing is that they do not moan or groan about their lot but they manage to face each day with hope. Even when the day is at the blackest the family rallies together and finds the strength to continue on.