Review: Beautifully written - a must read!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 14, 2014
Anikka, Isabel and Mac Lachlan were happy; their lives were peaceful, full of love and dreams to be fulfilled. The war was finally over, it had been for three years – but people were still grieving for those lost, and the survivors were slowly coming home. Roy McKinnon, a teacher before the war, arrived at his sister Iris’ home to try to continue his life. His teaching was over, he had no patience anymore, but the poetry he wrote before the war just wouldn’t come to him. Frank Draper was a doctor and decided to continue in Thirroul as he had “before”. They were bitter young men, but friends – they could lift each others spirits when needed.Ani and Mac‘s love was all encompassing – they delighted in their daughter Isabel and the three of them enjoyed their outings to the beach, their picnics and excursions. When Isabel turned ten, her gift was a kaleidoscope; its magic was spellbounding to Isabel and the wonder and delight at this small gift was heartwarming. With Mac leaving before dawn to do his job on the train, Ani would listen to it groan and puff away from Thirroul, knowing it would bring him back later in the day – the distinctive sounds of the engine would alert her to his arrival once again.But when tragedy struck, Ani thought her life would never be the same again. Trying to find solace in the books she read, her job in the railway’s library and Isabel she found herself drifting. Much the same as Roy and Frank. But slowly, over the weeks and months, Roy started to find his words; Frank began to feel a little less angry; and Anikka, well she and Isabel began to enjoy life once again. Slowly, slowly – a struggle for them all, but the light began to look brighter…What an amazing book! Soft, quiet and melancholy; beautiful, lyrical and poetic. I don’t think I have ever read a book with such magical, deeply tender and illuminating words. So many sentences, phrases and paragraphs took my eye, but this one I particularly loved:“A jacaranda tree transmogrified into something from the northern fairytales of her childhood” – P248This book is one which just meanders through the lives of the people involved, but the nature of it is that it will keep you turning the pages until the end. I have no hesitation in highly recommending this wonderful novel which I thoroughly enjoyed.