Lauren James’ latest book is a bit of a departure from her usual science-fiction / dystopian / supernatural themes, see Green rising (2021) , The reckless life of Harriet Stoker (2020), The quiet at the end of the world (2019). Last seen online is still a mystery novel, but the focus is most definitely on the online world of social media, fanfiction and chats, beginning with a situation at school that leads to a round of memes and gifs that amount to cyberbullying. It sets the stage for showing how much images and video can be manipulated. However Delilah, the object of all this attention, soon finds herself drawn into a different online scenario. Her obsession with true crime podcasts finds her exploring a decades-old case, the murder of an actor in a cult paranormal TV show, which starred the mother of her new romantic crush, Sawyer. Sawyer doesn’t believe his convicted godfather, Rob Hennings, is guilty.
James’s novel becomes a collection of messages, scene scripts, blog posts and comments sections. Key information comes from retrieved posts from missing blogger ‘gottiewrites’, but are her posts real or fake? The comments below her posts argue amongst themselves about her credibility. Delilah prides herself on tracking down hidden information, but the deeper she goes, the more it seems that she and Sawyer may be putting their lives at risk. The world of fake personas is dangerous territory, and it’s possible there is a murderer still at large.
I like how Lauren James keeps the reader engaged with the murder mystery, but at the same time, demonstrates just how easily one can be sucked in by masked identities, and shows the viciousness of online commenters who feel free to express their dislike and hatred without thinking of the feelings of people on the receiving end. This is truly a novel for present times and is relevant to every teenage reader.
The other interesting thing about this book is the way Delilah’s family is portrayed. She has two mothers, but they are not what you might think. Delilah’s father has transitioned to become ‘Mama’. This is mentioned quite naturally in passing and is not a focal issue. There is no fuss. Her parents, Mom and Mama, are going through a difficult time in their relationship but it has nothing to do with their sexuality, but more about acceptance of personality differences. Like any child of separating parents, Delilah hopes that they will reunite. It is their shared concern for Delilah that brings them together again.
For the mystery addict there is so much fun to be had with this book, there are ‘all these layers of what the reader knew, what the fan knew, what the fan’s readers knew, what the actors knew, and what they all wanted people to believe had happened’ (Lauren James Q&A). It’s a twisty plot, and one I’m sure that YA readers will enjoy.
Themes Mystery, Social media, Obsession, Stalking, Fanfiction, Catfishing, Corruption.
Helen Eddy
Brielle and Bear by Salomey Doku
Harper Fire Books, 2024. ISBN: 9780008617561. (Age:12-17) Recommended.
Brielle is a fairytale expert and first year student at Once Upon a Time University, after having moved away for four years. She has a part time job in the campus bookshop where she literally bumps into Atohi 'Bear' Yonas, the handsome rugby player from the ‘Princes’ rugby team and it seems she has met her Prince Charming. Scattered through the story are bubbles reminding us of the rules of fairytales and rule number two is that ‘ordinary people fall into adventures when they least expect it’ and the two shyly get to know each other. Rule number four is that ‘a fairytale is not complete without a ‘good’ villain’, in this case Pavao Castelo, the most popular society boy on campus who seems to have some relationship history with Brielle that she prefers to forget. Bear is confused about Pavao's relationship with her and Brielle sees Bear chatting to another girl, so they must respond to fairytale rule number five, ‘that obstacles are overcome by hard work, courage, friendship and love. And sometimes magic’.
Packed with beautiful characters, in a colourful fantasy world full of energy, flowers, hearts and butterflies this is pure unapologetic romantic escapism. Every page is packed with wonderful illustrations, consistent characterization and a creative visual language. At the end of the book Salomey reveals her process in creating the book with early character designs that reflect the diversity of a modern university experience as well as drawing inspiration from Disney characters. The pages at the end give an insight into the step-by-step work and thought that has gone into creating something that looks fresh, fun and effortless, a real achievement. Readers hungry for more can access the webtoon of the story on Salomey Doku’s website and other online platforms.
Brock the Croc is an entertaining, fast-paced adventure written by Adrian Beck, with dynamic black-and-white illustrations by Dean Rankine. This short novel, cleverly combining text and graphic elements, takes readers on a wild ride through the lively Saltbush Swamp, a place where the animals live happily and have fun, all under the watchful eye of their legendary crocodile friend, Brock.
Brock is admired by all the swamp's inhabitants, hailed as a hero and the epitome of bravery, but the story takes a dramatic turn when Grunter and the humans arrives on the scene. Grunter is the quintessential villain - a greedy, selfish property developer with plans to transform the world into a concrete jungle, beginning with beautiful Saltbush Swamp. This powerful and putrid character brings a wave of anxiety and fear to the otherwise peaceful community, threatening their idyllic way of life. The fate of Saltbush Swamp hangs in the balance, and it's up to Brock to prove if he's truly the legend everyone believes him to be or just a pretender basking in unwarranted glory.
Packed with humour and gags galore, Brock the Croc will appeal to readers who enjoy a good laugh, along with action and adventure. The vivid illustrations by Dean Rankine perfectly complement Beck’s lively storytelling, bringing the characters and setting to life with energy and charisma. The book is ideal for young readers who are drawn to fast-paced narratives and visual storytelling, making it a great choice for those transitioning from picture books to chapter books.
Beneath the humour and action, Brock the Croc delivers a heartfelt message about courage, friendship, and standing up to protect what matters most. With an underlying message of environmental protection and avoiding overdevelopment, this book packs a punch and will have you eagerly awaiting the next instalment.
Themes Conservation, Wildlife, Perseverance, Teamwork, Friendship, Causation, Problem Solving.
Michelle O'Connell
How to break a world record and survive grade five by Carla Fitzgerald
University of Queensland Press, 2024. ISBN: 9780702268717. (Age:9+) Highly recommended.
How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade 5 by Carla Fitzgerald is a heart-warming and humorous story that captures the trials and tribulations of an eleven-year-old with big dreams and even bigger challenges.
The protagonist, Sam, is fascinated with world records and is determined to set one himself. When given a school project, to talk about your proudest moment, he feels even more overshadowed by those around him and becomes obsessed with having a standout moment of his own. Feeling that he doesn’t have anything worthy to get a good mark or be ridiculed by his class peers about, Sam becomes obsessed with setting a world record.
His fixation takes over and he loses all perspective on everything that he is already doing in life. With his mum stretched thin working two jobs to keep the household running, his sister to keep an eye on, a fridge that doesn’t keep things cold and a grumpy old neighbour, Sam endeavours to still keep the world record at the top of his priorities.
But when he is eventually forbidden to continue his record attempts, after a particularly wasteful challenge, and he has already lost his only friendship, Sam is left devastated. Determined to make things right, and still win the awards that he dreams of, Sam sets out with a new plan. But is a world record what will make him the proudest, or are there other things that mean so much more?
Fitzgerald writes another amusing yet thought provoking story to beautifully highlight themes of self-acceptance, family bonds, and the importance of looking beyond accolades to find true worth. The narrative is not only relatable for young readers but also imparts valuable life lessons about resilience, the power of perspective and most of all thoughtfulness.
How to Break a World Record and Survive Grade 5 is a touching and insightful read, perfect for middle-grade readers who enjoy relatable characters and a little humour. This would also make a great read aloud for primary years classes.
Themes World Records, Resilience, Family, Friendship, Problem solving, Creativity.
Monitor lizards, Zeke and Daniel have been selected to be school Hall Monitors by Principal Wombat who insists it is a coincidence that they and Alicia, the only other monitor lizard, have been chosen for the role. They each are given a sash and must make sure any student in the hallways out of break times has a hall pass. This proves quite difficult as the other students generally tend to ignore the lizards who are bused in from the poorer part of town, part of a program to encourage diversity at the school. When the school bully Pelicarnassus taunts the monitors in the hallway (he didn’t have a pass) Zeke punches him in the beak. The bully’s mother is a supervillain who had attacked Canada with robots, just for the sake of it and transported the White House to the moon, so when Pelicarnassus says he will tell his mother, it is a big deal. Zeke is demoted from Hall Monitor and he has to apologise to the pelican and his sidekicks but he has made an enemy of the powerful bully. When Zeke, Daniel and Alicia befriend a blind red-tailed hawk named Miel the friends are able to work together, combining their strengths to combat the threats to their school and to support each other through personal difficulties. Ranging from dealing with Ms Pfister, the terrifying pony who runs the school supplies room, to the invasion of France (which is located on Zeke’s knee), the story surprises at every turn. The friends accommodate each other’s differences and provide sensitive support to Zeke whose mother is crippled with depression.
The strong lines of Tim Miller’s illustrations complement Patrick Ness’s writing which is not shy of stepping outside the story, inserting asides and poking fun at the typical storylines usual in this genre. Even though Principal Wombat says “we don’t tolerate violence at this school” there is a fair bit of violence, including the school being torn apart that might not sit well with Australian readers, however, the take home message about use of power and choosing not to be a tyrant is universal, as is the point that we can all contribute no matter what or who we are.
Themes Friendship, Humour, Diversity.
Sue Speck
Walking the rock country in Kakadu: Karrire kundenge karribolknan kunwarddehwardde by Diane Lucas, Ben Tyler and Emma Long
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761067860. (Age:5+) Highly recommended.
A magnificent sweep of the rock country of the Kakadu National Park, from the creators of Walking in Gagudju Country: Exploring the Monsoon Forest. Kakadu is a beautiful part of the Northern Territory, made national park generations ago and held as a highly esteemed part of the panorama of Australia. Using Kundjeyhmi language, one of the Bininj Kunwok languages of Kakadu and western Arnhem Land, grounds the story within the communities of Kakadu, giving the readers the opportunity of seeing these words in print and an encouraging prod to try them out for themselves. A stunning glossary at the end of the book gives the meanings of the words used, along with an illustration.
The book opens with an invitation to walk with the authors through the Kakadu, in yekke, the early dry season. The title page has a bird’s eye view of Kakadu with the names of the five language groups who live there while the verso has a map of where Kakadu is. A great way of aligning the reader with two views of the area. From then on fabulous views of Kakadu and its environs, flora and fauna are given. Loads of information is told as we walk through the landscape, with small pictures given where language is used. Along the way, stories from the Elders are included, giving a sense of the ancient nature of the area.
The sweep of the book is incredible as the family sees a pool where the karliki (native fish) are being replaced by the cane toad, and then to the rock shelters where they can see for miles over the landscape, spotting smoke rising in the distance and then to a cave where images on the walls show stories from the past, a history book there for all to read, including an image of a thylacine, long vanished from Australia.
Ben Tyler and Diane Lucas share stories, knowledge, and an all-embracing love of the land on this walk through one of Australia's most ancient and beautiful ecosystems, introducing good things to eat and how to catch then cook them. Hints on being a good tourist are included, where the children clean up their campsite and make sure nothing is left to show where they were. Each part of their journey shows another aspect of Aboriginal life here: the seasonal gathering of food, the knowledge of when to burn off the grasses, what the flowers tell them, and a host of things that tell us all about protecting this wonderful environment, brought to the page by Emma Long and her illustrations. Here is a vast horizon of seasons, landscapes, animals, birds and fish, caves, and paintings. Each double page is breathtaking in its coverage, as each page has a host of things to look for, to seek out and discuss. Each page offers far more than seems possible, so detailed are the illustrations. I loved looking closely at places I had heard about, then was wowed over again at the endpapers.
A stunning book which encourages all of us to walk together and engender a greater understanding of Kakadu.
Following the award winning In the blink of an eye by Jo Callaghan, comes another thriller starring DCS Kat Frank and AIDE Lock. This time they are called to the gruesome scene of a man crucified on top of a hill. They begin to investigate trying to work out how the body got there and who was involved when another body is found. It is a race to find the killer. With a media frenzy covering the murders and her Chief pressing for a conclusion to the case, Kat and Lock must prove that a combination of human experience and AI logic will uncover the killer’s motive and expose them.
Kat and Lock have been working on cold cases and Kat is eager to try to solve a current murder case. She combines with Aide Lock, as well as Professor Okenado, the creator of the AI detective and DI Hassan and DS Browne to follow clues to the mystery. The characters are well developed and relatable and add depth to the police procedural. There are twists and turns that keep the reader glued to the page and the final denouement is breathtaking.
I really enjoyed the idea of an AI detective doing work in minutes that would take detectives hours to do, while Kat still triumphs with her understanding of human behaviour and the necessity to put human life first. I look forward to more in this unique series.
Fans of romantasies will be thrilled with The dagger and the flame and are sure to eagerly await the next in the series. The kingdom of Fantome is a strange wondrous place where Shade-magic is used by two enemy guilds, The Cloaks and the Daggers, the thieves and the assassins. After the murder of her mother, 17-year-old Seraphine leaves her farm and runs for her life to the home of the Cloaks, an order of thieves, and the place her mother told her she would find shelter. She is pursued by a dark-haired boy, Ransom, who has been ordered to assassinate her. Will he succeed in his wicked quest? Will Seraphine survive and avenge her mother’s murder?
Told in the voice of Sera and Ransom, the reader gets to know the motivation and skills of these two protagonists. The reader is dragged into the story right from the first chapter as Sera flees the scene of her mother’s murder. From then on, the tension is high as Ransom attempts to kill her, and she uses all her skill and magical power to repulse him. Gradually they begin to understand each other, with a slow burn enemies to lovers romance that will delight people who enjoy this trope.
The world of Fantome is unique. Shade-magic is fascinating and the idea of two guilds using it for nefarious purposes is engrossing. It is easy to overlook the morality of what is done as the action and tension of monsters and assassins stalking the streets is ramped so high by the author that the reader gets carried along. And then there is that cliff-hanger ending!
Fans of Leigh Bardugo, MA Carrick, and Lili Wilkinson, as well as readers of the romantasy genre are likely to enjoy this fast-paced story, although a spicy scene in the middle of a battle may make it more appropriate for older teens.
Sleepy Sheepy and the sheepover by Lucy Ruth Cummins. Illus. by Pete Oswald
Walker Books, 2024. ISBN: 9781760658953. (Age:3+)
The big day for Sleepy Sheep’s first sleepover comes around. Sleepy is very excited and packs a little more than he needs. His backpack is stuffed full, his overnight case bulges, but off he goes off to his grandparents’ place, and his two favourite people. After his parents leave he feels a little sad, but cannot say why. Things feel very different and when he goes to bed, he finds his pjs do not match and the blankets are scratchy, and he cannot fall asleep. His grandparents sit with him watching TV and they fall asleep.
They bring out an old book that his father loved as a child, and they read it to Sleepy, munching on his favourite biscuits and dancing to the beat of the music. After all that exercise and stories and food, Sleepy is tucked into his bed with all the toys he brought with him for company. The blankets were still a little scratchy but being tucked in tightly makes him feel right at home.
In rhyming lines, the story will gather readers as they see what happens on an overnight stay. Many children will have been on a sleepover and be able to share their experiences, and for the ones who have not yet slept somewhere else, the story will ease any concerns they may have. Bouncy and full of wit and charm, the story outlines Sleepy’s initial concerns which result in him taking a few too many things with him for his sleepover. The pjs not matching does little to calm his unease.
All the things he is concerned about are very minor, but in some children’s eyes could be immense, and feed their feeling of unease at being away from home.
Readers will enjoy seeing Sleepy pack his overnight bag, wondering what they would take along to a sleepover, at the same time as laughing at what Sleepy packs. Children will enjoy predicting the rhyming words as they read along with an adult reader. They will also offer suggestions as to what Sleepy can do to allay his concerns, and what the grandparents could do to help him feel at ease.
Charming illustrations by California based illustrator, Oswald, will catch children’s imaginations seeing the image of the sheep at centre stage. Details on each page ground Sleepy and readers will love looking at the detail of city life.
New York based Cummins has written an assortment of books, The hungry lion appearing in 2016.
This is a terrific read aloud for bedtime, or any time.
Jy Goes for Gold is the first book in the Kimberley Kickers series about First Nations football players from both the AFL and AFLW who were born in the Kimberley in Western Australia. Gold Coast Suns star Jy Farrar is the first person showcased and his story is full of family, fun and football.
From the very beginning of this fast-paced story, the reader will be immersed in football. Written as a first person narrative, the reader has a ‘front row’ view of Jy describing his footy kicks, passages of play and his winning goals. All of this as a young person growing up with family on Country in the Kimberley. His closeness to his family and extended relations and their importance to his early life are evident throughout his story. There is always friendly competition and rivalry between cousins but their bonds are unbreakable.
Jy eventually moves onto boarding school where his two older brothers are, and his separation from his home Country is always in the background. He completes his schooling and graduates, and it is while he is back home again and playing local footy, his coach and his cousin, realise Jy has talent that can take him to the AFL draft and ultimately, the Gold Coast Suns.
Shared throughout this story are vivid details of life in the Kimberley, significant references to traditional and cultural places and beliefs, the importance of respecting Country, and the encouragement of family to believe that it is possible to achieve great things.
For those middle grade readers who find reading a long novel challenging, this engaging book, with images throughout, onomatopoeia, highlighted key words as well as abundant white space, may be one that will appeal to someone who loves sport and footy. The second book in the series about AFLW player Krstel Petrevski will be released in 2025. Teacher's notes are available.
Themes Kimberly WA, First Nations Culture, Community, Australian Rules Football, Family, Country, Biography.
Kathryn Beilby
Taronga presents: Party animals by Kristin Darell. Illus. by Laura Wood
Birthdays are always special but for Ollie and Sophia this one is extra special. It’s Ollie’s birthday and he has asked Sophia to share it with him at Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Ollie’s dad Max has driven them to the zoo for the day and as they are Taronga Zoo volunteers they have special-access passes to go wherever they are allowed. They have bikes organised for them and can ride all around the various habitats. As they are cycling along, Sophia and Ollie name the collective nouns for each group of animals they see; dazzle of zebras, mob of meerkats, conspiracy of lemurs, tower of giraffes (when standing still), journey of giraffes (when moving), crash of rhinos, coalition of cheetahs, memory of elephants and a bloat of hippos.
Sophia and Ollie are able to watch the vets working on a cheetah through the glass windows at the hospital and later on, a wedge-tailed eagle who has been injured. They also take part in an echidna enrichment where a first time failure leads to a successful second try and a valuable lesson for Sophia. During their time at the zoo, Sophia has been feeling quite anxious as her gift for Ollie has yet to arrive. She is distracted and keeps checking back with the office and Ollie is feeling disappointed. Sophia realises that her presence is really only the gift he wants and later apologises for her distraction.
One of Ollie’s birthday surprises includes a private feeding of the giraffe that loves carrots. But the biggest surprise of all is staying overnight at the Zoofari Lodge where they are able to observe the animals on the savannah and join a Sunrise Safari in the morning. For Ollie and Sophia this has been a memorable weekend for many reasons and when Sophia’s gift finally arrives, it is another wonderful surprise for Ollie.
Party Animals as well as the first book in the series, Poo at the Zoo, would make engaging class novels as the stories are highly entertaining, and shared throughout are so many valuable teaching moments that educators could expand on. The interesting facts presented all through each story as well as Ollie’s Fun Fact File could also lead to further research and discussion.
A knowledge of the ancient folkloric tale of Robin Hood is important background to the reading of Not for the faint of heart. Author Lex Croucher takes the reader back into the world of Sherwood Forest, rewriting the old tale from a queer, romantic and comedic stance that is nuanced and not without significant attention to values and causes. It makes for an unusual and thought-provoking read which offers a different to the mainstream (although not unheard-of) interpretation of the well-known characters.
Not for the faint of heart is set in the same Sherwood Forest, seemingly very little changed from the story we know in that it's still a land of deep dark forest and impoverished villages with hovels made of turf and medieval market towns with the wealthy living in castles. It's still a land where the divide between rich and poor is immensely unjust. The issues of social and economic injustice have not improved since Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham's day. Not for the faint of heart is set two generations into the future with the main characters being the descendants of the original characters - the grandchildren.
Mariel is a newly blooded captain of the Merry Men, grand-daughter of Robin Hood and Maid Marion and keen to do anything she can to win the favour of her harsh and critical father. Her father, the Commander of the Merry Men has a very powerful influence over her understandings of leadership style. Since the beginning of his command, the woods have been unhappy and at war. Impoverished villagers have lost faith in the Merry Men being able to help them as in Robin Hood's day and the Merry Men themselves are not so merry but rather fighting amongst themselves. Mariel's arch-enemy is the grandson of the Sheriff of Nottingham of Robin Hood's day so the hostility has passed down unchanged through the generations. The delightful Clem, village healer, is kidnapped by Mariel's motley group of Merry Men and so begins an adventure, the forging of friendships and romances and a fight for their lives and the life of the greenwood. Clem is cheerful and hilarious. Her humour seems to be indefatigable and resistant to any horror. 'She prided herself on her commitment to the absurd'. Gradually she has a huge impact on her kidnappers resulting in a questioning of values, change and resultant new directions.
Lex Croucher paints the blossoming of young love with delicate and sensitive strokes. The dialogue between the characters is on point, befitting an action adventure story with character descriptions and action sequences that are so visually vivid, one can imagine Not for the faint of heart being made into a movie. Often hilarious, the humour flows from Clem, whose pithy remarks provide a commentary on the action.
This is a clever book, offering delightful word choreography and entertainment along with deeper messages on a number of themes including what is good governance and friendship in the face of peril. Recommended for the capable young adult reader.
Themes Governance, Social justice values, Intergenerational leadership and change, Queer romance, Camaraderie.
Wendy Jeffrey
Dot! Scribble! Go! by Herve Tullet
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761181214. (Age:3+) Recommended.
Good fun will be had following the guidelines in this very different drawing book. It encourages young children to use their drawing full of dots, scribbles, and colour to make images. Armed with a hand and the finger too, stars can become dots and between the dots colour can be added.
Then something can circle the dots or make lines between them, and children will be on their way to make a beautiful drawing. Then some scribbles appear and the child is encouraged to make some scribbles too. Scribbles can be anything and use lots of colours. Out of these scribbles, a form may appear and filled with scribbles will look most attractive.
This easy to follow guide to drawing will attract younger readers to give it a go, to try something they may not have tried before, to see that whatever they do will end up as an image, a picture.
A sturdy cover ensures the book will be useful when armed with paper, crayons, pens and water nearby, while the pages inside can be marked but wiped almost clean. Kids will love using their imaginations with this book, and parents and teachers will use the models it provides. Energetic, full of charm and wit, the book encourages playing with scribbles, dots and colours, thinking outside the norm, trying something for themselves.
The last pages are a fold out image of what the dots, scribbles, lines and colour could achieve.
Themes Drawing, Colour, Humour.
Fran Knight
South with the seabirds by Jess McGeachin
Allen & Unwin, 2024. ISBN: 9781761068645. (Age:6+) Highly recommended.
Well-known author/illustrator Jess McGeachin’s latest non-fiction book is a fascinating story about four female scientists who visited Macquarie Island in 1959. As a young girl, Mary Gillham was enthralled by sea birds and spent hours sketching them. She grew up to be a naturalist and travelled all around the world studying strange plants and animals. Mary was desperate to visit Macquarie Island but in that time Antarctica was seen as not a place for women. However, three other women from overseas were hoping to go and finally it happened.
Travelling with Mary were Isobel Bennett, Hope Macpherson and Susan Ingham. They set sail on the icebreaking ship Thala Dan and travelled for five days in calm and rough weather. They were followed by seabirds which are gloriously illustrated and labelled across a striking blue sea, until they came ‘to an island at the edge of the world.’ They were here at last. Once they had landed they studied the kelp, the rockpools, the seabirds, seals, penguins, wild plants and animals. Their research was so important to the future of the island which was added to the World Heritage List in 1997, was declared pest free in 2014, and in 2023 the marine park surrounding the island was tripled in size.
South with the Seabirds is a captivating story about the achievements of four strong and passionate scientists who have lakes named after them on the island. Jess McGeachin has told an incredible story, full of facts as well as stunning drawings of the bird, plant and animal life. The endpapers show a clearly labelled map of Macquarie Island and there is a timeline showing the history of the island as well as further information about the female scientists and tips for young naturalists.
This book provides a wonderful opportunity for educators and their students for further research into Macquarie Island and its environment and/or the four amazing scientists who provide such vital information.
Themes Scientists, Women, Macquarie Island, Research, Natural Environments.
Kathryn Beilby
Mural by Stephen Downes
Transit Lounge, 2024. ISBN: 9781923023185. (Age:Adult - Young adult) Recommended.
On opening this pretty, beautifully produced book the reader is confronted by endpapers showing an engraving of the sinister standing stones at Carnac followed by an unsettling quote from Thomas Bernhard’s story Reunion about parents destroying their children; so, when the story starts with an account of Harry Ellis arriving in Australia in 1875 we are already off balance. “I want to tell you about the things that leap into my bedlam of a mind” says “D” who has been asked by psychiatrist Dr Reynolds to write down his thoughts after being incarcerated again for unspecified crimes, “my movements are as predictably reciprocal as a piston”, hinting at the sexual and repetitive nature of his crimes. D wants to talk about obsession, in his case malice, but through two examples of obsessives who have found a benign compulsion to save them from becoming like him. The first of these is Harry (Havelock) Ellis whose life story, is summed up as a lonely, bush loving boy, who “read more than he lived” and “made sex his life’s work” p. 23 (he became an expert in the psychology of sex)). The second is Napier Waller, the famous Australian artist whose murals adorn many buildings in Melbourne. Along the way D reflects on the Pre-Raphaelites, the mosaics in the Basilica di San Vitale, the influence of the standing stones of Carnac and a patricide in Tasmania, always through the lens of his own preoccupations about parents and children, repressed sexuality and the idea that small things build up until the last straw results in action. The tone is arch, detached and egocentric as D reveals more of himself though what interests him. Peppered throughout the book are unremarkable supporting photos which seem to illustrate D’s assertion of the past as “fuzzy, conflated slides…compressed for easier viewing” p. 171. I was disappointed in the ending, but this is a fascinating little book, and while there is an undercurrent of sex there is never anything explicit or offensive. Given the interest in true crime, mental health and unusual perspectives on Australian history I could see this as a senior school winner, worthy of closer reading.
