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A review by desterman
Il nido by Tim Winton
4.0
Tom Keely is a mess. Divorced, unemployed, broke, depressed and isolated, his once strong idealism has been replaced by bleak scepticism. All appears lost until a strange, chance encounter with someone from his past. Whilst this leads Keely down a treacherous path, it may be his only chance for redemption.
This isn't my favourite of Winton's novels - whilst it has the traditional lost protagonist one comes to expect of Winton, it lacks the same charm as some of his better novels, and while other have commented on it's humour, I found it pretty bleak. BUT, a Winton novel is still a Winton novel. His layered characterisation and his subtle story telling is always refreshing, and his capacity to capture a sense of place in Australia is second to none. Winton is also adept at conjuring up big themes within a seemingly small space. There is a lot in this story about just how much is compromised in our modern world - both globally and personally - and whether redemption and goodness are still possible amidst the ugliness.
Without spoilers, many will find the ending to be infuriatingly ambiguous, but in either scenario, Keely is set free, and I personally found that quite satisfying.
This isn't my favourite of Winton's novels - whilst it has the traditional lost protagonist one comes to expect of Winton, it lacks the same charm as some of his better novels, and while other have commented on it's humour, I found it pretty bleak. BUT, a Winton novel is still a Winton novel. His layered characterisation and his subtle story telling is always refreshing, and his capacity to capture a sense of place in Australia is second to none. Winton is also adept at conjuring up big themes within a seemingly small space. There is a lot in this story about just how much is compromised in our modern world - both globally and personally - and whether redemption and goodness are still possible amidst the ugliness.
Without spoilers, many will find the ending to be infuriatingly ambiguous, but in either scenario, Keely is set free, and I personally found that quite satisfying.