Matt
Added to listFavourite Bookswith 4 books.
Possibly overshadowed by the (absolutely perfect) 1975 film adaptation, Picnic at Hanging Rock perfectly embodies the energy of the story that it's telling with its languid prose and creeping sense of hopeless dread. Lace and corsets won't get you far in the outback, and the extreme prejudice with which this ancient continent swallows the schoolgirls without a trace is both unsettling but familiar to those who live here. A product of its times in that it doesn't engage with the aboriginal occupants of the land and what they might make of all of this, but in some ways this almost makes the story more effective - there are people right there who might have averted this tragedy or be able to provide answers, but nobody would ever think to ask them.
Possibly overshadowed by the (absolutely perfect) 1975 film adaptation, Picnic at Hanging Rock perfectly embodies the energy of the story that it's telling with its languid prose and creeping sense of hopeless dread. Lace and corsets won't get you far in the outback, and the extreme prejudice with which this ancient continent swallows the schoolgirls without a trace is both unsettling but familiar to those who live here. A product of its times in that it doesn't engage with the aboriginal occupants of the land and what they might make of all of this, but in some ways this almost makes the story more effective - there are people right there who might have averted this tragedy or be able to provide answers, but nobody would ever think to ask them.
Immensely entertaining, the short vignettes of Princess Margaret's real and imagined life do a great job of building a portrait of a woman who in many ways defied description. It's hard to feel sorry for the ultimate poor little rich girl, but by the end there's a real sense of tragedy for a woman who seemed desperately unhappy in the core of her being despite being afforded a life of wealth and luxury that few of us could imagine.
Immensely entertaining, the short vignettes of Princess Margaret's real and imagined life do a great job of building a portrait of a woman who in many ways defied description. It's hard to feel sorry for the ultimate poor little rich girl, but by the end there's a real sense of tragedy for a woman who seemed desperately unhappy in the core of her being despite being afforded a life of wealth and luxury that few of us could imagine.
Dense. Very, very dense. But beyond a doubt the definitive economic history of Nazi Germany, and an important corrective to the idea that fascism is anything close to an efficient or effective form of government. It's fascinating to watch (in what feels like real time, did I mention it's dense?) exactly how the German leadership kept all the balls in the air, and the horrific lengths they went to in order to buy a bit more time with which to do increasingly unspeakable things.
Dense. Very, very dense. But beyond a doubt the definitive economic history of Nazi Germany, and an important corrective to the idea that fascism is anything close to an efficient or effective form of government. It's fascinating to watch (in what feels like real time, did I mention it's dense?) exactly how the German leadership kept all the balls in the air, and the horrific lengths they went to in order to buy a bit more time with which to do increasingly unspeakable things.
Atwood at the peak of her powers, some of the turns of phrase that she dashes off will take your breath away - "some days I look like a worn-out thirty-five, others like a sprightly fifty" has lived rent free in my head for a long time now. The startlingly clear lens through which she conveys the sly malevolence of young girls and how childhood traumas can ricochet through your life reflects the artistic style of the main character, and makes me wish I could get my hands on a Risley original. Loses a bit of steam as the protagonist ages and matures, but that's almost the point, isn't it? Life is long and catharsis is hard to come by, so maybe catching a plane out of town and never looking back is the best we can hope for.
Atwood at the peak of her powers, some of the turns of phrase that she dashes off will take your breath away - "some days I look like a worn-out thirty-five, others like a sprightly fifty" has lived rent free in my head for a long time now. The startlingly clear lens through which she conveys the sly malevolence of young girls and how childhood traumas can ricochet through your life reflects the artistic style of the main character, and makes me wish I could get my hands on a Risley original. Loses a bit of steam as the protagonist ages and matures, but that's almost the point, isn't it? Life is long and catharsis is hard to come by, so maybe catching a plane out of town and never looking back is the best we can hope for.
