A long Way from Home - Peter Carey - my thoughts
Short version - I've just read this - it's brilliant.
![A Long Way From Home by [Carey, Peter]](https://images-eu.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51i1fOproiL.jpg)
At first it reveals itself as a story of a marriage, a car race, gender politics in post-war Australia and a slightly odd next-door neighbour fired from a teaching job for dangling a boy from an upstairs window by his ankles. Enough for interesting, enjoyable and compelling first few chapters.
As the novel develops Carey gradually reveals its dark heart, that of a nation, his nation, built on genocide. Without being preached at, we are led through a series of set pieces and characters which can only scratch the surface of the devastating truth of Australia's history and shame. But scratches deep enough to unleash an unsettling stench of racism and brutality. We "know" this stuff about Australia - but the way Carey personalises it makes it real, so we can really know it, feel it, see it through the eyes of those living with the legacy of it.
Through all that, it has flashes of humour and warmth and in Irene Bobs and Willy Bachhuber two of my favourite Carey characters. And don't be put off - it's not a "heavy" read, throughout the story is told with a lightness of touch that draws you in without dragging you down.
Highly recommended
At first it reveals itself as a story of a marriage, a car race, gender politics in post-war Australia and a slightly odd next-door neighbour fired from a teaching job for dangling a boy from an upstairs window by his ankles. Enough for interesting, enjoyable and compelling first few chapters.
As the novel develops Carey gradually reveals its dark heart, that of a nation, his nation, built on genocide. Without being preached at, we are led through a series of set pieces and characters which can only scratch the surface of the devastating truth of Australia's history and shame. But scratches deep enough to unleash an unsettling stench of racism and brutality. We "know" this stuff about Australia - but the way Carey personalises it makes it real, so we can really know it, feel it, see it through the eyes of those living with the legacy of it.
Through all that, it has flashes of humour and warmth and in Irene Bobs and Willy Bachhuber two of my favourite Carey characters. And don't be put off - it's not a "heavy" read, throughout the story is told with a lightness of touch that draws you in without dragging you down.
Highly recommended
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