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veronicavjs 's review for:
The Erratics
by Vicki Laveau-Harvie
One of the very best things about the Stella Prize is that every year the longlist unearths one or two mysterious gems published by small presses, which hitherto have barely been on the literary radar*. The prize’s democratic judging processes encourage the careful consideration of underrated work, of books that don’t necessarily have huge marketing budgets, or are not published to widespread acclaim, reviews and sales – but that are always such a joy to discover (thank you, #stella19 bookclub!).
The Erratics falls squarely into this category. It’s a deeply impressive memoir about a dysfunctional family. Not only is it Vicki Laveau-Harvie’s debut, the book’s genesis with the now-defunct Finch Publishing (it was out of print at the time of its Stella longlisting; this edition was subsequently speedily reissued by HarperCollins) makes its high quality all the more impressive. It’s both poignant and wickedly funny, the writing is beautiful (those pitch-perfect, effortless metaphors!) yet absolutely readable and engrossing. I don’t think the form or content will be for everyone, but I really loved it.
*Think: The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree; Panthers and the Museum of Fire; Poum and Alexandre; The Media and the Massacre; In My Mother’s Hands.
The Erratics falls squarely into this category. It’s a deeply impressive memoir about a dysfunctional family. Not only is it Vicki Laveau-Harvie’s debut, the book’s genesis with the now-defunct Finch Publishing (it was out of print at the time of its Stella longlisting; this edition was subsequently speedily reissued by HarperCollins) makes its high quality all the more impressive. It’s both poignant and wickedly funny, the writing is beautiful (those pitch-perfect, effortless metaphors!) yet absolutely readable and engrossing. I don’t think the form or content will be for everyone, but I really loved it.
*Think: The Enlightenment of the Greengage Tree; Panthers and the Museum of Fire; Poum and Alexandre; The Media and the Massacre; In My Mother’s Hands.