Literary Brooding

Unholy Terrors  Lyndall Clipstone  Published 2023, Penguin Australia, 370 pages  Everline Blackthorn is a warden a group who guard against monsters known as the vespertine.   When the vespertine threatens the border of her homeland, Everline decides to investigate and discovers that the vespertine may not be the blood thirsty brutal monsters she has been led to believe. When her friend and fellow warden Lux is taken captive by the vespertine. Everline decides that getting Lux back is paramount and breaking her vows as a warden to achieve this is a small price to pay. What Everline does not expect is that Ravel a vespertine, will make her question everything about being a warden, including who you can love.    Clipstone has created an interesting world that her characters inhabit. It is a dark, oppressive place that is governed by a magic system that requires blood.   The main character is Everline who is haunted by her mother's past and ...

Set My Heart on Fire Izumi Suzuki Helen O'Horan  (Translator) 192 pages, Paperback, Expected publication: 12 November 2024 by Verso Fiction, first published 1 January 1983. The Japanese underground music scene in the 70's is rife with drugs, alcohol, sex and plenty of musicians trying to be something. We are taken into this world by Izumi, a young woman in her early 20's, who takes drugs and is free with her body. As we journey with Izumi, she works her way through a series of personal situations where she ruminates on what is real love, what is friendship, and who has power in relationships. Izumi is one of the most complex characters, I have met on the page. At times she is a blank canvas that men can paint to suit their wants and needs. At other times, she is manipulative, forthright and plain nasty. Her thinking at times is warped, as she concludes that she will not do drugs but will need plenty of sexual partners to offset the cravings, “The meds would kill me before l...

The Price of Salt Claire Morgan (Pseudonym), Patricia Highsmith  249 pages, Paperback Published: 1 January 2015 by Dover Publications Therese is a young woman struggling to find her place in relationships and career. She works as a sales clerk in a large department store to earn enough money to pursue her real love of set design. She is in a relationship with Richard, whilst he professes that she is the one, Theresa is indifferent and does not have the same strength of feelings. In the drudgery of selling dolls, Theresa serves Carol, a striking middle-aged woman, with whom is immediately enthralled with. Rather, than let this chance meeting pass by, Theresa sends Carol a card which elicits an invitation to lunch. The relationship between the two women evolves into love. A love that is forbidden and if exposed could result in ruin. Where do I begin? Quite simply, Highsmith’s novel is an underrated American classic, it is not perfect but captures a time, character, societal norms and...

The Revenge of Rita Marsh Nilesha Chauvet Expected publication: July 2, 2024 by Faber & Faber Rita Marsh runs an aged care centre during the day, that was left to her after the demise of her parents. Rita cares about her those she has a responsibility for and tries to make their lives better. However, everyone has a side hustle these days and for Rita well she tracks down, ensnares, and exposes pedophiles. Leading a double life can take its toll, especially when you are engaging with men who want to perform depraved acts. When a takedown goes wrong, Rita rethinks the personal toll, decides to back away and heal. Yet, the school reunion brings back bad memories and accusations of a former teacher, now famous novelist abusing girls at the school pushes Rita back into action. Especially when one of the victims is her best friend and romantic interest, Leila. The difficulty with the book is that you always feel uncomfortable, never at ease as you read. Don’t be thinking this a cosy rea...

The Tea Ladies Amanda Hampson 384 pages, Penguin Books first published 2023  The Tea Ladies is set in Sydney, NSW in 1965 and centres on a group of women who see all, hear all and are pretty much ignored by most.  Hazel Bates on her way to work, briefly sees a young woman in distress peering out the window of an abandoned building, which later burns down. For Hazel, along with Irene and Betty decide to try and solve the mystery but things take a turn for the worse when they discover a dead body and the danger levels increase. What follows is the Tea Ladies using their contacts and nous to solve a crime the police cannot.  Hampson has crafted a world which rings true, with characters that are quite believable and come fully formed. They have detailed back histories that is slowly revealed through the story.  Hazel who the central character is complex and apparent from solving a crime has to deal with personal issues that just may derail everything. Hazel, is not perfe...

Orlam  PJ Harvey  301 pages, Hardcover, First published January 1, 2022   Orlam, is a poetic story told over thirteen months of nine-year-old Ira-Abel Rawles, who lives on Hook Farm in the village of UNDERWHELEM.   There are two poems in the book, on the left hand side is the English version and on the right hand side the Dorset version. Now I have no comprehension of the Dorset dialect, so I did some research and was able to somewhat get the gift of the gab. I read both versions out loud, the Dorset version first, as I wanted to try and capture rhythm of the text and then I would read the English translation. It really did help me to appreciate the words, the imagery and the story.   The words are beautiful, the imagery of farm life and the people is stark and raw, with mythology and supernatural elements mixed in, in a way, explaining the brutality and the beauty. There are moments of humour and lightness. Harvey explains at the bottom of the po...

The Antique Hunter's Guide to Murder C.L. Miller 304 pages, Paperback, February 6, 2024 by Simon & Schuster Freya Lockwood having a crisis of sorts, her daughter has flown the nest to study in the US, her ex-husband wants to sell the family home asap, her former mentor Arthur Crockleford has died and left her with a mystery to solve.  Freya arrives on the page fully formed, in her 40s, divorced, empty nester, full of self-doubt and without a purpose. In her youth Freya had teamed up with Arthur and learnt everything about antiques. An incident in Cairo had Freya turning her back on the career and taking a different route in life. From the outset, Freya is conflicted about going back and revisiting what she is highly skilled to do. Her Aunt Carole, prods, cajoles and encourages Freya into taking up the challenge. This was an easy, enjoyable read set in the murky world of antique dealing. There is a few twists and turns, the characters are well developed and there is plenty of hu...