Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty

 

"A sobbing young woman lurched forward as though she'd been resting her forehead on the door and fell straight into Stan's arms, like a daughter."

I was tempted to seek out a copy of Moriarty's latest novel after watching her interview with Annabel Crabb at the Sydney Opera House. It is fantastic to see a local author succeed in such a large way globally and yet I don't think this is her best work.

The story starts out with good pacing and a high degree of suspense that peters out as the plot unwinds. Certain chapters would not have been out of place in a television soapie, with an overdose of cliffhanger at the end of most chapters.

A rather weighty tome that could have benefitted from more editing, if only to keep things a little tighter.

3 out of 5, apples won't keep the doctor away.

Bila Yarrudhanggalangdhuray by Anita Heiss

 

"Wagadhaany wants to leave and get back to her family, but she has no right to say that, to say anything. She is without a voice in this house."

Don't be intimidated by the title in language, this is a fantastic book that brings history to life in an all-encompassing way.  My reviews have been missing in action for quite some time now. Who could have guessed that a pandemic would mean less free time? So if I'm a little rusty it’s because I have a lot to catch up on and am rather out of practice.

Wagadhaany is a captivating character, and the novel draws you into her world where the connection to her family and the unpredictable Murrumbidgee River is palpable. Heiss so clearly illustrates the ridiculousness of living under laws that in no way relate to your world view and yet keep you from achieving your potential and having agency over your life. The ability to decide on where you live, whether you marry, whether you have children...where those decisions are made by people purely because they have a different skin colour ...it’s a hard pill to swallow.

Listening to the traditional owners knowledge about the river could have significantly changed the events of the novel. Perhaps there's a lesson there for us all.

5 out of 5,  love and nature cannot be tamed.

5 out of 5