Book reviews and AWW posts can be found here.

AWW2013 – Book 7

Finnikin of the Rock

Melina Marchetta
Young Adult Fantasy Fiction

Library Book: Borrowed From Bribie Island Library

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I’ve been reading Melina Marchetta books since Alibrandi came out and my mother pointed out that the author had the same first name as me (totally a reason to read a book!) But I’d skipped over this one, since fantasy is really not one of ‘my genres’. I have been coming around on this, though. In 2011, I devoured the Ranger’s Apprentice series (meeting the author, John Flanagan was a good reason to do this), and I enjoyed reading The Hobbit to my class in 2009. Generally, though, if there’s a map at the beginning of the book and it’s not historical fiction, then I generally give it a miss.

Since Finnikin cam out, though, I’ve had a number of people recommend it to me. And the Australian Women Writers Challenge, seemed like a pretty good kick up the bum to finally borrow it and read it. I can understand why it was recommended to me – there’s no dragons or trolls or dwarves or other complicated lore, which feel like you need a lifetime of reading fantasy to really ‘get’ and appreciate. However, there was deep magic and there was a map at the front of the book, which did make it feel like ‘one of those books I don’t read’ no matter how far I got into the story.

The story is about Finnikin, the son of  Trevanion, the head of the King’s Guard. After the Unspeakable, the royal family is destroyed and the kingdom of Lumatere is left entombed, while those who could escape were left as refugees, locked out of their own kingdom. Finnikin and Sir Topher (the King’s First Man) are left travelling around the rest of Skuldenore, gathering both names and stories from fellow refugees.

That is, until they are drawn to the strange novice, Evanjalin, who leads them on an adventure they never expected – along with the promise that she would lead them to a surviving member of the royal family. Along their journey they meet Froi, a young thief, before collecting the scattered members of their old kingdom who can help them make it strong again.

There were so many expectations with this story, since a number of people had recommended it to me. It was they style of fantasy I think I enjoy the most – more emphasis on different magic, politics and history and less on magical creatures. The magic was very clearly the magic of women, which at times jarred against the traditional male roles which were evident throughout the story. As much as I enjoyed Finnikin as a narrator and main character, it would have been fascinating to have more of an insight into the world of women in this world – because Finnikin is excluded, so are we, which reminds me of how much of ‘real’ history we are excluded from because no one wrote the women’s stories.

I don’t think I’ll be going out to buy the series, but I did enjoy reading it and I have borrowed the second in the series to read (though it’s huge!) I think those who enjoy fantasy would enjoy it, though – I would recommend this one to my sister, if she hasn’t read it already. I would recommend it to teenagers who are wanting to read fantasy, and I actually think this is a book that boys could get into as well, though the cover seems to be marketed towards female readers – I notice there’s some other editions out there with more gender neutral covers.

Book reviews and AWW posts can be found here.

AWW2013 – Book 6

Love Like Water

Meme McDonald
Young Adult Contemporary Fiction

Library book, borrowed from Narangba Library

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I knew nothing about this book before I started reading it, only that it was set in Alice Springs and that it was written by an Australian woman. It was one that I randomly picked off the shelves in the library. (Incidentally, I used to do that an awful lot – just pick up books at random. Now it feels like I look for recommendations, then read reviews and I’m almost too prepared before I read. This challenge is helping me return to my ‘just pick it up’ roots!)

Love Like Water is about three people – Cathy, Margie and Jay – who are all newcomers to Alice Springs. I believe the book is set in the early nineties – there’s talk about basketball and early Yothu Yindi, and the three characters are coming to terms with being adults, being alone and being in Alice Springs. The main story belongs to Cathy and Jay. Cathy is from an outback station, where she’s always followed the expected path – she’s gone away to boarding school, come home, supported her brother (who was always going to inherit the property) and found a local boy to get engaged to. But when her fiance is killed in a plane crash, she packs up and follows her friend Margie to Alice Springs.

Jay, on the other hand, is following a job opportunity to Alice Springs. He’s gained success as a DJ in Sydney and has been offered the morning radio spot for the Aboriginal radio station in Alice Springs. He’s coming to terms with his urbane background, and his family background which is so different to the Aboriginal people in Alice Springs. Additionally, there’s a pervasive racism which allows him to be popular and ‘seen’ in some areas of town, while dismissing him in others.

Finally there’s Margie. Her story isn’t as big and overwhelming as Jay or Cathy. Instead she acts more like a mirror, her point of view reflecting off the other two, who soon meet and find themselves developing a deep relationship.

This was such a lyrical read, the words often read like music. It was easy to fall into the story and almost let it take you along, even when the story made unpleasant twists. Although Cathy, Jay and Margie don’t always make good decisions, they are likeable people and you want them to have good lives. I would easily read more about both Cathy and Jay, as well as the other richly written minor characters in the story. I would highly recommend this book to others, and I look forward to searching for more from Meme McDonald

On a separate point, this was classified and shelved as a young adult book – which demonstrates what a broad range you can find in young adult. These characters are in early adulthood – their early 20s – but they’re definitely not the teenagers, or even the young school leavers, that you usually find in young adult books. I wonder why this wasn’t published as an adult book, and whether there’s a place – and where that is – for stories about people in their early 20s.

Book reviews and AWW posts can be found here.

AWW2013 – Book 5

The Tunnels of Tarcoola

Jennifer Walsh
Children’s Mystery Fiction

Library Book, Borrowed from Bribie Island Library

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I was drawn to this book when I saw it on display at the library, and I’m very, very glad I was. It’s a children’s book (suitable from around 8 years and above) set in Sydney, combining mystery, history and adventure in one big Famous Five-esque story. It’s about 4 children, including a brother and sister, who were probably closer friends some time before the story started, but still get together every now and then to hang out. One day, a change in tidal conditions leads them to a cave, and beyond that a network of tunnels beneath the old ‘ghost house’. Only, the secret they’ve uncovered may not be as secret as they hoped, as strange men begin to watch what they are doing.

There’s a lot to like about this book. I came to it in a funny mood, too caught up in something else I was reading, so the simpler language and ‘jump straight into the story’ approach jolted me at first. It took me a little while to appreciate the beauty of that, the way the characters – David, Andrea, Martin and Kitty – are ‘unpeeled’ as the story progresses. There’s something very real about the difference among the children – for example, David goes to a selective school; Andrea and Martin are at the same school, but Andrea struggles while Martin thrives; Kitty is younger than the others and still at a primary school, thinking about the possibility of a selective school for the future. There’s no pretending that the friends are all alike, or that their interests necessarily overlap. What does overlap is a shared path and an interest in the ghost house and the tunnels beneath it.

The mystery part of the story is well done too. There’s a real atmosphere created in the tunnels, and the history around them is based on actual history – so another piece of ‘our’ story is being told. It’s acknowledged that different cultures came together to create the community that the children live in, but also that things could be very difficult for some of the residents. The only thing that bothered the teacher/parent in me, was that the children didn’t go to an adult for help when they were being attacked by adults who were strangers – it didn’t ring quite true considering the amount of effort being put into teaching children about safety these days.

This is a book which would make a great read-aloud in an older classroom. It demonstrates the mystery genre really well, and I’d encourage teachers and teacher librarians to book talk and share it. Depending on the age of the children reading it, they might want to explore some Famous Five books or look towards a book like A Whole Nother Story (which is hilarious) or Lemony Snicket. A slightly older reader might even enjoy Trixie Belden (which they keep re-releasing) or they could try the awesome Mosquito Advertising books (which are set in Brisbane so are double awesome).