Book Review: FRACTURED by Dawn Barker

Title: Fractured
Author: Dawn Barker
Publisher: Hachette Australia
Read: March 05 - 08, 2013

Synopsis (Goodreads):

An unforgettable novel that brings to life a new mother's worst fears.

Tony is worried. His wife, Anna, isn't coping with their newborn. Anna had wanted a child so badly and, when Jack was born, they were both so happy. They'd come home from the hospital a family. Was it really only six weeks ago?

But Anna hasn't been herself since. One moment she's crying, the next she seems almost too positive. It must be normal with a baby, Tony thought; she's just adjusting. He had been busy at work. It would sort itself out. But now Anna and Jack are missing. And Tony realises that something is really wrong...

What happens to this family will break your heart and leave you breathless.


My thoughts:

Fractured is an insightful portrayal of mental illness and its devastating effects on a young Australian family.

After desperately trying for a baby for a long time, Anna and Tony finally welcome their firstborn son Jack into the world. But for Anna both the birth and the weeks following are not as she had expected. Jack is a fretful baby who wakes every two hours, and with Tony working long days Anna is soon in a state of total exhaustion. And though Tony is worried about his wife, he puts her growing lethargy, weight loss and mood swings down to adjusting to having a new baby in the house. It is not until Anna and Jack disappear one morning that Tony realises that something is very badly wrong ….

Barker, who is a psychiatrist, offers the reader insights into the devastating effects of postnatal depression, drawing on the background knowledge and experience of a health professional who has been exposed both to patients with the disease as well as the clinical environment. Her portrayal of Anna as she goes through various stages of trying to adjust to being a mother, and her gradual unravelling, is both touching and shocking. The story sends an important message to readers – that mental illness is a medical condition just like other diseases, such as cancer, and not the “fault” of the sufferer. Through Anna, whose actions may repel the reader, we get a glimpse into a world where logic and reason are no longer sufficient anchors to make people operate within the moral and ethical frameworks of humankind. Instead, the illness may compel sufferers to act in an irrational manner which is totally out of character for the person.

I thought that the scenes of Anna trying to come to terms with not only her ever growing fatigue and the demands of her newborn, but also her own feelings of powerlessness and estrangement from her baby were brilliantly described. Every new mother will identify to some extent to Anna’s emotional rollercoaster ride as she tries so very hard to be a good mother to her son. Offering Tony’s perspective highlights the differences in the new parenting experience and the adjustments required by the new parents.

Revealing most details of the novel’s central events early in the book perhaps gave too much away too soon, and I would have liked a bit more mystery to keep me truly engaged with all the characters. However, supporting the story with the perspectives of both Anna’s and Tony’s family members and friends added depth to the story and explored the effects of Anna’s illness on those closest to her, rippling out into the wider community. One aspect which could have been further explored was the public reaction to the events unfolding in the story, and its impact on family members – although the internal conflicts and divided loyalties were portrayed very well.

Barker has done an excellent job in exploring the tragic effects of postnatal depression, at a time in a woman’s life which is supposed to be the fulfilment of her womanhood. Written with compassion, understanding and sensitivity, this novel will touch your heart and sow the seeds for a better understanding of mental illness within the community. As other reviews have mentioned, this novel would offer many discussion points for bookclubs and further help to de-mystify mental illness.

Thank you to Hachette Australia and the Reading Room for providing me with a free copy of this novel. The views expressed in this review are strictly my own.

I read this novel as part of my 2013 Australian Women Writers Challenge.

I would be happy to "share the joy" and pass my copy of this novel on to another reader for review - if you are interested please leave a comment below. 

Audiobook Review: THE WOMAN IN BLACK by Susan Hill

Title: The Woman in Black
Author: Susan Hill; narrator Ralph Cosham
Publisher: Blackstone Audiobooks
Read: March 05 - 07, 2013

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

What true readers do not yearn, somewhere in the recesses of their hearts, for a literate, first-class thriller--one that chills the body but warms the soul with plot, perception, and language at once astute and vivid? In other words, a ghost story written by Jane Austen? Susan Hill's remarkable Woman in Black comes as close as our era can provide. Set on the obligatory English moor, the story's hero is Arthur Kipps, an up-and-coming young solicitor who has come from London to attend the funeral and settle the affairs of Mrs. Alice Drablow of Eel Marsh House. The routine formalities he anticipates give way to a tumble of events and secrets more sinister and terrifying than any nightmare: the rocking chair in the deserted nursery, the eerie sound of a pony and trap, a child's scream in the fog, and most dreadfully--and for Kipps most tragically--the Woman in Black.


My thoughts: 

Arthur Kipps, a young solicitor from London, is sent to Crythin Gifford, a small remote market town on the east coast of England, to present his law firm at the funeral of their client, the elderly recluse Mrs Alice Drablow. For the last few decades, Mrs Drablow has lived on her own in the secluded building of Eel Marsh House, an old mansion surrounded by marshes and cut off from the mainland at high tide. As soon as Arthur arrives in the village, he becomes aware of the villagers’ fear of the old house and their reluctance to discuss anything to do with the deceased Mrs Drablow.

In an effort to sort out the late widow’s paperwork, Arthur travels to Eel Marsh House and spends a few terrifying nights in the old mansion, haunted by the spectre of a woman in black and noises of a young child perishing in the marshes at night. Then there is the locked room in the house, which no key can open, but from which strange noises permeate at night. Young Arthur is about to experience the most terrifying days and nights of his life ….

The Woman in Black, penned in the 1980’s, is written in the style of a traditional gothic novel, using old-fashioned prose and featuring characters who could be straight out of a Jane Austen novel. I found the style to be quaint, but also slightly priggish in places, not endearing me much to the story’s central character Arthur Kipps, who I had trouble visualising as the young carefree man he is initially portrayed as. This image was not aided by the voice of the audiobook narrator, who did little to liven up Arthur’s character.

Though descriptive and atmospheric, which does set an eerie background, nothing much actually happens in the book, and it is very slow to start. And as soon as things got interesting, the novel was almost in its last pages and was resolved very quickly, before I had time to get really spooked. Which is a shame, because Susan Hill really knows how to set the scene, and the haunted Eel Marsh House is a truly terrifying locality in which to set a ghost story. I loved the premise of the story, and its ultimate conclusion, but was a bit disappointed in the execution of the novel, which wasted a lot of time (in my opinion) on meaningless details (such as Arthur’s constant introspections and predictions for something more to come, of which I am not a fan). I was also puzzled as to the era the novel was meant to take place in – on one hand the language is reminiscent of Victorian England and there is talk of a pony and trap, yet Arthur mentions electricity and motorcars, and there is no historical context to place the story in time.

All in all, as far as spooking me and giving me goosebumps, the book did not quite do it for me, despite listening to it whilst driving along a lonely dark country road in the middle of the night on my own under a new moon. I tried to be scared, but instead got annoyed with Arthur’s constant analysing of his own feelings – the ghostly apparitions themselves featured only very briefly. However, there were moments where I could visualise the old mansion and experience a slight shiver of apprehension, though more intrigue then actual fear. The story did have potential to be truly terrifying, but needed a bit more sparkle in its main character and a few more appearances of the ghostly presences – and less detail of Arthur’s rather mundane activities.  Which made it an ok read, but not a memorable one for me.

I read this book as part of my 2013 Audiobook Challenge.

Book Review: THE RAINBOW TROOPS by Andrea Hirata

Title: The Rainbow Troops
Author: Andrea Hirata
Publisher: Random House Asutralia
Read: February 27 - March 03, 2013


Synopsis (Goodreads):

Ikal is a student at Muhammadiyah Elementary, on the Indonesian island of Belitong, where graduating from sixth grade is considered a major achievement. His school is under constant threat of closure. In fact, Ikal and his friends - a group called The Rainbow Troops - face threats from every angle: pessimistic, corrupt government officials; greedy corporations hardly distinguishable from the colonialism they've replaced; deepening poverty and crumbling infrastructure; and their own faltering self-confidence. But in the form of two extraordinary teachers, they also have hope, and Ikal's education is an uplifting one, in and out of the classroom.

You will cheer for Ikal and his friends as they defy the town's powerful tin miners. Meet his first love - a hand with half-moon fingernails that passes him the chalk his teacher sent him to buy. You will roar in support of Lintang, the class's barefoot maths genius, as he bests the rich company children in an academic challenge.

First published in Indonesia, The Rainbow Troops went on to sell over 5 million copies. Now it is set to captivate readers across the globe. This is classic story-telling: an engrossing depiction of a world not often encountered, bursting with charm and verve.

My thoughts:

Andrea Hirata’s Rainbow Troops is both humbling and inspiring, a reminder that there is a lot we take for granted in this country which is a privilege in other, less fortunate places – such as the right to free education. Written as homage to his elementary school teacher and classmates, the story’s honesty and humour will warm your heart and leave you with a feeling of hope.

Born the son of a miner on the tiny Indonesian island of Belitong, on the East coast of Sumatra, six-year-old Ikal knows the huge sacrifice his parents are making to send one of their children to school in the hope of giving him a better future. On his first day at Muhammadiyah Elementary School, a poor, ramshackle building on the verge of collapse, Ikal sighs in relief as the target number of students is reached to keep the school open, giving them a chance to receive an education. There are ten students all up, only one of them female, all of them children of the poorest families on the island – fishermen, miners labourers and farmers, who can’t even afford school uniforms or books for their children. Their teacher, fifteen-year old Bu Mus, has to work as a seamstress at night to be able to survive on the minimal teacher’s wage she receives.

Despite the island’s mineral riches, none of the wealth filters through to its native inhabitants. Originally a British and then a Dutch colony, the riches are held by the large PN Mining Company, whilst most of the island’s inhabitants live in poverty, each generation repeating the same cycle of illiteracy and hard labour without a way of escaping. Muhammadiyah Elementary School, constantly threatened by closure by government officials or mining magnates, is so ramshackle that it faces the daily threat of collapse. And yet it offers a brighter future for the children who are lucky enough to be able to attend, instead of being sent off as cheap labourers like so many other children of the island. The students themselves, calling themselves the Rainbow Troops, are a colourful group – from the genius mathematician Lintang, who cycles 40km to school across crocodile-infested swamps every day, to Mahar, who is drawn to the paranormal and island mythology.

Based on Hirata’s own childhood experiences, the story is written in simple, conversational prose and has almost fable-like qualities as the author mixes facts with mythological elements prevalent in island culture. It is the story of hope and quiet rebellion as the teachers and students fight for and celebrate one of the most basic human rights – that of education. With poverty still one of the major obstacles to education in many countries around the globe today, this is a story which should be read by everyone to make them aware of the privileges we so often take for granted.

Never originally intended for publication, The Rainbow Troops has now become Indonesia’s best-selling novel in history, which has been translated into 19 languages and adapted for film, television and musical.

This book forms part of my 2013 Monthly Keyword Challenge - keyword "rainbow"; and the 2013 Eclectic Reader Challenge - "translated fiction".

Audiobook Review: DARK PLACES by Gillian Flynn

Title: Dark Places
Author: Gillian Flynn
Publisher: Random House Audio (audio version)
Read: February 17 - March 2, 2013


Synopsis (Goodreads):

Libby Day was seven when her mother and two sisters were murdered in “The Satan Sacrifice of Kinnakee, Kansas.” As her family lay dying, little Libby fled their tiny farmhouse into the freezing January snow. She lost some fingers and toes, but she survived–and famously testified that her fifteen-year-old brother, Ben, was the killer. Twenty-five years later, Ben sits in prison, and troubled Libby lives off the dregs of a trust created by well-wishers who’ve long forgotten her.

The Kill Club is a macabre secret society obsessed with notorious crimes. When they locate Libby and pump her for details–proof they hope may free Ben–Libby hatches a plan to profit off her tragic history. For a fee, she’ll reconnect with the players from that night and report her findings to the club . . . and maybe she’ll admit her testimony wasn’t so solid after all.

As Libby’s search takes her from shabby Missouri strip clubs to abandoned Oklahoma tourist towns, the narrative flashes back to January 2, 1985. The events of that day are relayed through the eyes of Libby’s doomed family members–including Ben, a loner whose rage over his shiftless father and their failing farm have driven him into a disturbing friendship with the new girl in town. Piece by piece, the unimaginable truth emerges, and Libby finds herself right back where she started–on the run from a killer.

My thoughts:

It is not often that an author is able to create characters who become as familiar and true as old friends and whose fate still haunts you in your dreams (or nightmares) long after the last page has been turned. Gillian Flynn’s Dark Places is such a book, and despite having eagerly awaited the conclusion of the story and answers to all my questions, I am almost sad to part from a story which has held my undivided attention for so many hours.

Libby Day is the only female survivor of a horrible crime – the brutal slaughter of her mother and two sisters when Libby was only seven years old. Having escaped by hiding in a dark cupboard whilst the killings took place, Libby’s testimony about the events leading up to the murders and the things she heard on the night ultimately led to the arrest and prosecution of her older brother Ben, who is believed to have killed his family in a satanic ritual. Now in her early thirties, Libby’s life is still overshadowed by her past. She is constantly afraid of strangers, has no friends, is estranged from her only other remaining relatives and is unemployed, living off donations of benefactors who have heard about her fate. Since the night of the murders she has had no contact with Ben, who has been sentenced to life in prison.

But Libby’s life is about to change – the money from her beneficiary fund has been almost depleted, and she is confronted with the reality of having to get her life in order and find work. Still bitter and depressed, she receives a strange offer from a stranger, Lyle, who belongs to a society of civilians investigating the murders of her family, the Kill Club, convinced that Ben is innocent and that the real murderer is still at large. Lyle wants her to be guest of honour at the group’s next meeting, in exchange for a generous fee. Broke and desperate, Libby agrees. Confronted by group members, Libby is thrust back into the “dark place”, her memory of the night of the murders. Knowing that her testimony of having seen Ben commit the murders was coerced and not entirely true, she lets herself be persuaded to talk to persons who could hold the key to what really happened that night, such as her alcoholic wastrel father. And though Libby is still convinced that the right person has been charged with the murders, some of the new information coming to light may challenge everything she has believed all these years….

Flynn is a truly gifted writer, drawing the reader into the story from page one and never letting go whilst the plot slowly unravels to reveal a clever twist at the end. I never saw that one coming, although looking back there were clues which I somehow overlooked or disregarded as unimportant. By using four different narrators – with Libby’s being the only first person account – the day and night of the murders slowly unfold from several viewpoints. A warning for readers who do not like violence – some of the scenes are very graphic and truly horrible, and by cleverly setting the scene and creating a chilling atmosphere the author allows no escape from the horror of it all. One particular scene towards the end of the book made my stomach churn, and yet I could not tear myself away.

As in Flynn’s other books, evil constantly simmers under the surface and many circumstances converge to lead to the central twist at the end of the book. Exploring the darkest places of the human soul, the title is very apt, although in the book it refers to Libby’s memories of the fateful night. All characters are extremely well drawn. As the novel progresses, we see Libby grow from a bitter young woman to someone who takes matters into her own hands – which leaves the reader with a sense of hope despite the truly horrible themes underlying the story. As a mother, my heart went out to Patty, who is honest and hard-working, wanting only the best for her family, but having her whole life derailed by marrying the wrong man – and the spiral of poverty which sees her constantly battling to keep her family and farm afloat. The choices she must make are heartbreaking. The third person to have a voice is Ben, and even though I wanted to shake him at times it was hard not to feel empathy for this dysfunctional character as his unfortunate choices make his life rapidly spiral out of control.

I had the audiobook version of this novel, and rate it as one of the best narrations I have ever listened to. Using different narrators for the different perspectives in the book adds depth to the characters and sets a distinctively different tone for each separate part of the novel. Each one of the four narrators did an excellent job in giving characters their own voice, and I had no trouble following the conversations between several people (which can sometimes be an issue where there are lots of different characters to keep track of). I can strongly recommend this audiobook to anyone who wants hours of riveting storytelling – I had many occasions where I sat in the driveway in the dark after work, unable to switch off the recording before I had learnt just a little bit more.

Highly recommended for fans of clever atmospheric mysteries, although not for the faint hearted. I loved it – a definite five stars from me. It doesn’t get much better than this.

This book forms part of my 2013 Audiobook Challenge.

 

Going back to the beginning - Nele Neuhaus' EINE UNBELIEBTE FRAU

Title: Eine unbeliebte Frau
Author: Nele Neuhaus
Publisher: Ullstein Buchverlage
Read: February 25 - 27, 2013


Synopsis (Goodreads):

Eine Ladung Schrot aus dem eigenen Jagdgewehr beschert dem Frankfurter Oberstaatsanwalt ein schnelles, wenn auch sehr hässliches Ende. Die schöne junge Frau, die tot am Fuß eines Aussichtsturms im Taunus liegt, ist viel zu unversehrt, um an den Folgen eines Sturzes gestorben zu sein. Kriminalhauptkommissar Oliver von Bodenstein und seine neue Kollegin Pia Kirchhoff sind sich einig: Der erste Todesfall war ein Selbstmord, der zweite jedoch ein Mord. Bald häufen sich sowohl die Motive als auch die Verdächtigen. Doch was hat den Staatsanwalt in den Tod getrieben?


My thoughts: 

I finally managed to track down an ebook version of Nele Neuhaus’ Eine unbeliebte Frau which was available in Australia and worked on my kindle! After reading (and loving) the fourth and fifth books in the series, I decided it was time to go back to see where it all began ….

Eine unbliebte Frau (an unloved woman) is the first in the Kirchhoff and von Bodenstein series and takes us right back to where Pia and Oliver first team up to solve a case together. Called to the apparent suicide of a young beautiful woman, the pair’s suspicion of foul play is soon confirmed. However, when trying to track down the woman’s murderer, the detective duo find out that dozens of people had a good motive of killing the victim – in fact, they can only find a couple of people who have anything good to say about her.

In typical Nele Neuhaus style, the case doesn’t remain a simple matter of solving a murder, but opens up into a complex conspiracy with a lot of sub-plots and secondary characters who are all somehow involved in the events leading up to the killing. Although there are a lot of characters and events to keep track of, the style works for me, building intrigue and keeping me interested to find out more.

With Pia Kirchhoff and Oliver von Bodenstein, Neuhaus has created a charismatic and likeable detective duo who are still going strong in the later books in the series. By giving her characters everyday problems, flaws and insecurities, the reader can relate to them as we catch small glimpses of their private lives and backgrounds. And yet these two people are not as flawed as many other protagonists in popular thriller series – their lives are almost ordinary, with family, friends, pets to take care of, cars to repair and housework to be done. And all of that in the setting of an ordinary town, where evil and crime can still simmer under the surface. Very refreshing!

I really enjoyed going back to the origins of this exciting new detective duo and now look forward to reading the next instalment in the series.