C U LT U R E : b o o ks
‘Lemons in the Chicken Wire’ by Alison Whittaker $ 2 2 . 95 , pub lish e d by Maga b a l a B o o ks
ZAC BLUE UTS student Alison Whittaker launches poetry debut. Alison Whittaker launches her poetry debut with ‘Lemons in the Chicken Wire’, a distinctly visual and honest reflection on the poet’s connection with the land, life, and family. Winner of the 2015 black&write! Indigenous Writing Fellowship, ‘Lemons in the Chicken Wire’ showcases a variety of forms imbued with rugged, sexual, comedic, and sombre tones, challenging the reader to reflect on their own relationships. At times sobering, the Gomeroi poet develops a narrative of contrast over a variety of themes. From poems that explore rural life to urban experiences (‘The Body Country’), as well as love and death (‘Preface: Another Funeral’), ‘Lemons in the Chicken Wire’ leaves the reader invested in the author’s shifting experiences and identity. Alison Whittaker develops intimately human tales presented in skilfully crafted metre and form without isolating the reader, sporting a steady tone frequently enriched with humour unique to her style. Favourite Poem: ‘Sharp Tongue’.
‘ M a g o n i a’ b y M a r i a D a h va n a H e a d l e y $ 1 9.99, pub l i s h e d by H a rp e rCo l l i n s
Danah Pantano Aza Ray is dying. That’s the miserable fact she’s lived with for 15 years, 11 months, 25 days and counting. So when she hears voices from the skies and sees ships sailing through the clouds, she chalks it up to hallucinations. Except they’re quite persistent in bringing her along for a ride that changes her definition of who, and what, she is. In a snarky and sarcastic stream of consciousness, Aza shows us the dilemma of displacement and family as she is literally ripped out of her skin to climb aboard the ship Amina Pennarum. There, she sails on stars and nebulae, gazing at humans – Drowners – and descending every once in a while to take some crops, and maybe a cow. It’s a hungry society that Aza finds herself in, classist politics bubbling with resentment, music, and magic. The Magonian captain says that as her daughter, her power has a purpose. She belongs here; but Aza is hard pressed to agree. She has a family.
Maria Dahvana Headley takes inspiration from a French medieval folk story to create a world above our own. This book also serves as a commentary on environmental and social issues, as human pollution is poisoning Magonia , lead-ing to a decline in industry and agriculture. Breathers, mysterious mercenaries simultaneously feared and disdained, lurk around the edges while the Rostrae , a serving class who can shift between human and avian form, are planning a revolution. Magonians, creatures with vibrant blue skin and a hole in their chest where their songbird resides, wait to make their final move. ‘Magonia’ is an enticing blend of magic realism with a touch of science fiction. It’s sure to pull you in.
ARTWORK : eden lim
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