Title: The Better Son
Author: Katherine Johnson
Publisher: Ventura Press
Read: December 2016
Synopsis (Goodreads):
1952. Tasmania. The beautiful green, rolling hills of the
dairy town Mole Creek have a dark underside — a labyrinthine underworld of
tunnels that stretch for countless miles, caverns the size of cathedrals and
underground rivers that flood after heavy rain. The caves are dangerous places,
forbidden to children. But this is Tasmania — an island at the end of the
earth. Here, rules are made to be broken.
For two young brothers, a hidden cave a short walk from the family farm seems the perfect escape from their abusive, shell-shocked father — until the older brother goes missing. Fearful of his father, the younger and more vulnerable Kip lies about what happened. It is a decision that will haunt him his whole life.
Fifty years later, Kip — now an award-winning scientist — has a young son of his own, but cannot look him without seeing his lost brother, Tommy. On a mission of atonement, he returns to the cave they called Kubla to discover if it’s ever too late to have a second chance. To go back and set things right. To be the father you never had.
Following the release of her hugely successful first novel Pescador’s Wake, Katherine Johnson is back to share her exceptional writing talent with the world.
The Better Son is a richly imaginative and universal story about the danger of secrets, the beauty of forgiveness and the enthralling power of our natural landscape.
For two young brothers, a hidden cave a short walk from the family farm seems the perfect escape from their abusive, shell-shocked father — until the older brother goes missing. Fearful of his father, the younger and more vulnerable Kip lies about what happened. It is a decision that will haunt him his whole life.
Fifty years later, Kip — now an award-winning scientist — has a young son of his own, but cannot look him without seeing his lost brother, Tommy. On a mission of atonement, he returns to the cave they called Kubla to discover if it’s ever too late to have a second chance. To go back and set things right. To be the father you never had.
Following the release of her hugely successful first novel Pescador’s Wake, Katherine Johnson is back to share her exceptional writing talent with the world.
The Better Son is a richly imaginative and universal story about the danger of secrets, the beauty of forgiveness and the enthralling power of our natural landscape.
My thoughts:
The Better Son makes the perfect finale for 2016 for me, capping
a year of discovering some very talented new Australian writers. Set in the
wild and wonderful Tasmanian countryside, it not only offers a moving family
drama but also a perfect opportunity for armchair travel. Written with insight
and an intimate knowledge of the area and its inhabitants, the words have the
power to carry you away into a magical place of danger and beauty, where people
have to eke out a meagre living from an untamed and sometimes cruel land. Into
this landscape steps Kip, an adult male, returned to his old childhood home to
revisit the setting of a terrible tragedy when he was only nine years old, in
the hope of finally putting his demons to rest. Little does he know that the full
horror of the past is only just unfolding.
Johnson has a way of bringing the Tasmanian countryside to
life in the pages of her novel, which had me hooked from the start and made me
devour the story in one single sitting. Initially told through the eyes of
nine-year-old Kip, we get to know a family fractured by the scars of war and
the violent temper of Kip’s father, who rules with a cruel hand, letting his
temper and frustration out on his youngest and most vulnerable son. Kip’s only
escape is nature, and it is no wonder that he feels happiest out of doors,
exploring the wild foothills and its network of hidden caves, which have already
cost many a life.
The Better Son is a story of secrets, family, relationships
and survival, and ultimately the wounds left by a cruel and unjust childhood. All
throughout his life, Kip bears the scars of feeling like the lesser son, the
one not worthy of his father’s love. Even without the tragedy befalling the
family, he would have been a troubled man – now also bearing a terrible guilt,
which makes him incapable of being a loving father and husband to his own
family. Although an air of sadness and tragedy runs like a fault line through
the novel, the overall feeling ultimately is one of hope and redemption. I
loved the historical detail, which so skilfully describes the hardships of
farming folk in a wild country in the 1950’s. The only one criticism with the
story was the somewhat inconsistent portrayal of Kip’s father – I initially got
the sense of a man scarred by the horrors of war, which rang true to me.
However, in later pages, Harold is described as senselessly cruel and
vindictive, which somewhat didn’t fit with my image of this particular
character. But this is a small quibble that did not detract from the overall
storyline.
To recap, The Better Son is a well-written family drama you
will be loathe to put down. Inspired by true historical events, it makes for a
compelling read, the perfect book to pick up for the holidays to enjoy on the
beach or in the hammock.
Thank you to Ventura Press for providing a copy of The
Better Son in exchange for an honest review.
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