PERIPATHETIC
By Cher Tan
A misfit essay collection not to be missed. Peripathetic: Notes on (un)belonging follows Tan’s looping, idiosyncratic, often funny, digressive and always strange thoughts on living on the edges. A searing dissection of what it means to live in the in-between; between class, between countries, between (DIY) cultures, simultaneously reaching for and rejecting a sense of belonging.
This book is an homage to the outsiders, to the punks and artists who didn’t want to play by the rules. It is about the shit jobs artists do to make art; it is about the compromises artists make on their art to pay rent. Tan writes about punk rock, immigrating, DIY, literature and working at maccas; she writes about shifting boundaries, about hating the system, playing the system, hustling, writing and not-writing. The essays are nostalgic, without being wistful, for scenes that don’t (or maybe never?) exist(ed) on the internet and IRL. Each one is playful and serious and mean and light-hearted.
Tan’s writing is both honest and illusive, interrogating the different worlds she inhabits while always resisting easy conclusions about them – instead she gestures towards something other, something bigger, just out of reach. As a real artist should, Tan is always shifting, determined to find her own way. I loved it.
THE REAPPEARANCE OF RACHEL PRICE
By Holly Jackson
$19.99 (Ages 14+)
This suspenseful young adult thriller is full of guilt, blame and a plot twist that is sure to leave you speechless. When a documentary triggers the stress of loved ones, it becomes the catalyst for family rivalry to form that in the end only makes them more resilient and strengthens their bond.
In the grueling process of making a documentary about her missing mother, Bel must relive the events of the past as she is constantly interrogated, despite knowing nothing. She finds times of solemn and comfort whilst spending time with her cousin Carter to relieve herself of the pressures of the film industry.
Jackson’s portrayal of Bel is honest and real as she accentuates the troubles and emotions teenagers face during overwhelming times of grief and conflict. A true reflection of the way family interaction fluctuates through tougher times and how individuals have such diverse ways of dealing and responding to hostile emotions.
Peripathetic & The Reappearance of Rachel Price reviews from the Sun Bookshop – sunbookshop.com
THE MINISTRY OF TIME
By Kaliane Bradley
An insightful read – what began with the author’s fascination with polar explorers has resulted in an entertaining and funny novel. Polar explorer Commander Graham Gore is saved from his death and brought by the newly established Ministry of Time to an era a few years ahead of our own. The protagonist acts as his ‘bridge’, responsible for guiding the time traveller in their new era. The book’s complexities lie in the parallels the author cleverly draws between the experience of an immigrant moving from their own culture to another, with the imagined experience of an involuntary time traveller, moving from their own era to a new one. A fun and touching romance with a spy thriller twist.
MOON ROAD
By Sarah Leipciger
An emotional story of reconnection and healing, Kathleen and Yannick undertake a road trip together, speaking for the first time in nineteen years. As they journey through the vast open spaces of Canada the history of their past relationship is revealed, interspersed with the story of their daughter, Una. This is a character driven piece, and so the construction of the characters is vital. The author has done an excellent job of this, the characters are likeable without being saccharin, and while their actions are understandable you hope that in the same position you might have chosen differently. These elements make Moon Road a valuable book to reflect on, and a very satisfying read.
Moon Road and The Ministry of Time reviews from Chestnut Tree Bookshop – thechestnuttree.com.au
