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ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Coralie has lived most of her life on Christmas Island with her environmental scientist mother and her father who runs the local tourist diving operation. It seems relatively idyllic, with its plentiful wildlife and outdoor activities, but it is also limited in terms of opportunities (and even supplies).
As Coralie is 13, there are decisions to be made about her schooling, and her parents' relationship is fraught. Her Mum has been working on protecting the pippistrelle, an endemic bat, but it has disappeared anyway, and she is spiralling into an angry depression which leads to her leaving for Mexico. The island has become the detention centre for 'illegal' immigrants, which adds a layer of resentment and confusion to island life. Then one night a fishing boat carrying desperate refugees crashes on the cliffs near the settlement, and the residents rush to help despite the appalling and dangerous conditions, and in the confusion, Coralie locks eyes with a young boy and feels an instant connection. When he is not amongst the rescued people, she vows to find him…
This is one of the most powerful novels of loss and the urge to do something in the face of the impossible I've read in a long time. The harshness of life for the people on the island is juxtaposed with the natural cycles of the birds and insects and crabs that inhabit the island, and the writing about the animal life is not sentimental but has a certain lyricism. The confusion Coralie feels about herself, her parents, and the impact of the refugees feels true, and the ending is both unforced and believable.
This should win awards; it's written about a 13yo but it could be read by adults as easily as by teenagers – and should be. Lindy
Pip Smith was named an SMH Best Young Novelist of 2018 for her debut novel, Half Wild, which was shortlisted for the Voss Literary award, the Davitt Award, and longlisted for an ABIA Best Debut Fiction award. She teaches novel-writing for the Faber Writing Academy, where she also works as manager.
ABBEY'S BOOKSELLER PICK ----- Coralie has lived most of her life on Christmas Island with her environmental scientist mother and her father who runs the local tourist diving operation. It seems relatively idyllic, with its plentiful wildlife and outdoor activities, but it is also limited in terms of opportunities (and even supplies).
As Coralie is 13, there are decisions to be made about her schooling, and her parents' relationship is fraught. Her Mum has been working on protecting the pippistrelle, an endemic bat, but it has disappeared anyway, and she is spiralling into an angry depression which leads to her leaving for Mexico. The island has become the detention centre for 'illegal' immigrants, which adds a layer of resentment and confusion to island life. Then one night a fishing boat carrying desperate refugees crashes on the cliffs near the settlement, and the residents rush to help despite the appalling and dangerous conditions, and in the confusion, Coralie locks eyes with a young boy and feels an instant connection. When he is not amongst the rescued people, she vows to find him…
This is one of the most powerful novels of loss and the urge to do something in the face of the impossible I've read in a long time. The harshness of life for the people on the island is juxtaposed with the natural cycles of the birds and insects and crabs that inhabit the island, and the writing about the animal life is not sentimental but has a certain lyricism. The confusion Coralie feels about herself, her parents, and the impact of the refugees feels true, and the ending is both unforced and believable.
This should win awards; it's written about a 13yo but it could be read by adults as easily as by teenagers – and should be. Lindy
""A remarkable achievement. A powerful reminder of our shared humanity."" Hossein Asgari, author of Only Sound Remains
A Little Blue Dot
Meet the planets of our solar system...
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