Books on the Waves: book reviews

Reviewed by

ANGELA BENNETTS

and MANDI MCINTOSH

DEVOTION by Hannah Kent

From the chart-blitzing author of Burial Rites comes Devotion, a luminous story with the pure and defiant love of Hanne and Thea at its heart. Part of a persecuted group of Old Lutherans, the girls meet in Prussia in 1836 before the community sets sail for the new settlement of South Australia, carrying all the hopes and dreams of a free life under the law of their God. Hannah Kent sets out to conjure a queer love story, free of shame and, considering the era in which the book is set, takes the reader down some unexpected paths to achieve this goal. Brimming with the beauty of language, land and most importantly, love, this is a soul-warming testimony to the powers of devotion. AB

THE BOOKSELLER AT THE END OF THE WORLD by Ruth Shaw

Nestle into an armchair with a cup of tea and let the incredible life story of Ruth Shaw wash over you with this charming read that is part memoir, part bookshop vignettes. At the helm of the remote Wee Bookshop in New Zealand’s deep south, Ruth has encountered a few salty characters in her time, but it’s her journey trying to outpace a teenage tragedy that really cartwheels off the page. Whether she is being held up by pirates, running an illegal card game racket in Tahiti, or working with drug addicts and prostitutes in Kings Cross (with notable appearances from Sallie-Anne Huckstepp, Roger Rogerson and more), her trademark humour and resilience shines through. It’s at times heart-breaking, always eye-opening, and most importantly, a crucial reminder of the power of books and stories to save a life — maybe even yours. AB

ENCLAVE by Claire G Coleman

This is Noongar writer Claire G Coleman’s third novel and with each one, she has pushed the boundaries of what an Australian novel can be. Enclave is a clever and gripping story that forms a powerful allegory to examine privilege, greed, racism and homophobia in an Australia that is a little different from the one that we’re familiar with. Enclave is set in an isolated walled city where everything is controlled, comfortable and very safe from the chaos of the outside world. Christine has grown up in this city but starts to question her place in it, the place of the brown-skinned servants bussed in daily, and the surveillance of her life. This is a novel that will leave you thinking about our values, relationships, exploitation and the environment, and considering what we are willing to give up for a ‘safe’ life. MM

THE WRONG WOMAN by JP Pomare

The fifth novel from award-winning crime writer JP Pomare is a page turner that I finished over a wet weekend. Despite the author living in Melbourne, this thriller is based in small town America and the setting is used to great effect as we follow a former police officer (now a PI) back to the town he left long ago. Reid is back to investigate a car accident for an insurance company, despite the driver still being in a coma. But of course things are much more complex than they appear as the town is also reeling from the recent disappearance of two teenage girls. Pomare is a clever writer who manages a twisty plot while building characters that we care about. When the likes of Michael Robotham, Chris Hammer, Anna Downes and Christian White are writing cover blurbs for the book, you know that this is going to be a compelling read. MM