The Emporium is a bustle of a place. People come and go. Some see magic everywhere. They have phone messages and answer their phone when it rings. Other people see less magic and a more commonplace shop selling quirky vintage wares. It depends on what they expect to see. A person looking for the impossible […]
Books
Review: Growing Up Disabled in Australia, ed. Carly Findlay
It’s taken me a few weeks to sit down to write this review. Partly because I wanted to make sure I wrote something sensitive and useful. And partly because I usually try to draw an overarching theme but was finding that really hard for Growing Up Disabled in Australia. Then it dawned on me – […]
Review: Skyward Inn, by Aliya Whiteley
‘What are those?’ while pointing at Fosse’s shoes. ‘Shoes,’ he said, very clearly, as if talking to a young child. ‘I thought they were regulation standard military Coalition issued walking apparel,’ it said. It was strange how being more precise with language could move everyone further away from a mutual level of understanding. This is […]
Review: The Dictionary of Lost Words, by Pip Williams
‘Morbs, Mabel? What does it mean?’ ‘It’s a sadness that comes and goes,’ she said, pausing for breath. ‘I get the morbs, you get the morbs, even Miss Lizzie ‘ere gets the morbs, though she’d never let on. A woman’s lot, I reckon.’ The Dictionary of Lost Words follows the slow creep of feminism into […]
Review: The Swimmers by Marian Womack
The Swimmers is a furistic fable about how the power of storytelling can be turned into propaganda by those who wish to impose their will on others. It’s messy and, at times, hard to follow. But it’s also lyrical and beautiful to read. Chaotically structured and constantly rambling just like the jungle the story takes […]
10 books by Australian women writers I plan to read in 2021 – #AWW2021
2021 is the 10th year of the Australian Women Writers Challenge and the sixth year I’ve taken part. This year I’m planning to read at least 10 and review at least six books by Australian women writers – “Franklin” level. (To find out more about the levels, and to sign up yourself, head to Sign […]
