Eleanor suffered traumatic abuse from her mother as a young child and later lived in many foster homes. Now in her middle twenties she is totally isolated by choice, with no friends or relatives, despite holding a good job. The narrative traces her journey towards accepting friendships and forming gradually a close bond with Raymond, one of her coworkers. Also a bit of an outcaste, Raymond helps strangers, has a warm relationship with his mother, and cares for Eleanor when her unrealistic crush on a rock singer fails. Through Raymond she meets people and learns to relate to them, eventually seeking professional help to work through the issues from her childhood that have plagued her.
This is a tough but compelling read in which Honeyman tells the story with compassion and insight. One of our members reported this type of narrative is called ‘Up Lit’ - a story of redemption in which the character turns their life around. A worthwhile piece of realist fiction.
The Survivors Jane Harper
Set in coastal Tasmania this is a small town story about the drowning of two men in a wild storm and the disappearance, presumed drowned, of Gabbie, a teenaged girl. Ten years later, Kieren, one of the men’s brothers, returns with his wife and baby to visit his parents who have never recovered from their son’s death. The pattern starts to repeat itself with the disappearance of Bronte, another teenager in wild weather.
Small town secrets and traumas are relived as Kieren reconnects with his former mates and guilt and recriminations sour the visit. As detective fiction the story carries the reader along, as first one then another character seems to have been implicated in some of these events.
All the characters are survivors of the effects of these events, like the symbolic bronze statues of the same name, that have been erected on the rocky foreshore in memory of an earlier shipwreck.
June 2022 Book of the month is The Keeper of Lost Things by Ruth Hogan
Meg Dillon