I am a huge fan of Tim Winton, one of the great contemporary novelists, (he has been twice short-listed for the Man Booker), so I was thrilled when I received this big hardback (424 pages) and I read it pretty much uninterrupted on the two long flights home from London last week.
While I admired Winton's wonderful prose and amazing characterisation I have to say that I found the story so inexorably bleak and unhappy, and the protagonist's life such an utter mess that I was greatly relieved when I reached the end.
If you are like me and have read and loved everything Tim Winton has previously written, then of course you must read this too. There is no doubt it is a major work but if you are looking for adventure and entertainment then give this one a miss.
Penguin Books - Hardcover - NZrrp $55.00
3 comments:
Hi Graham, assuming this post is your narration, given I've never read a Tim Winton, would you have a recommendation on which novel to start with?
There are eight earlier adult novels Mark, all wonderful, try Dirt Music for starters.
Cheers Graham. I'll try that one first.
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