A Town Like Alice

Sweet, moving, but really two books. The first half merited six stars; the second... well, it was more of an upbeat story of Entrepreneurship and Economic Development brought to us by the Queensland Ministry for 1950s-style Family Planning. It felt flat. So much so that my initial click upon beginning this was four stars. But that's not fair: Shute's language is beautiful; his depictions of scenery and people remarkable; his compassion stunning. The book's ending cannot take away from the rest of it.

The first-person narrative is awkward, only really serving to tell a third but far-background story. I found myself distracted by it too often. Maybe on rereading—and yes, I think I will reread in 5 years or so—I won't find it so jarring.