by Nancy,
The Broken Shore is very Australian, I hope not too much so.
One of Peter Temple’s crime series has been made into a series of movies and a mini series which I enjoyed very much, that was ‘Jack Irish ‘which starred one of my favourite actors, Guy Pearce and other very talented Australian actors. This will be the first Peter Temple novel I have read, it is also part of a series. While this is essentially a crime novel I hope these questions may help us to undertand a little more of modern Australian culture.
The novel features a glossary of Australian slang, with many of the entries describing various types of people. What were you surprised to discover about Australian culture? What commonalities exist between the dialogue of Australian , English and American crime novels?
How did race and class influence the way the case was handled? Without Joe’s intervention, would the truth have likely been discovered.
Hello Ladies
ReplyDeleteHow is everyone? How are Franklin and the children getting on with the vegetable garden, Katie? Great idea, gardening. And how are you?
So pleased you are on the mend, Nancy. And yes, I would be very happy to read the remaining two books of the Heartbeats trilogy, beginning in June. If Part 2 is like Part 1 and structured as a series of stories, I would recommend an audio version, Nancy. However, I rather think that being lulled to sleep is part of the listening process. (As every parent will testify.) One needs to be doing the ironing or something similar. Jay comes back next week. His sister-in-law has been very ill so Jay’s return to the U.K. was delayed.
‘He had me at hello’ is perhaps the best way of describing my response to Mr. Temple’s writing. If someone had given me an outline of the plot I might never have started reading it – all that abuse and horrific violence - which just goes to show how narrow minded I am, and what a wonderful thing this book club is.
My copy didn’t have a glossary, but I didn’t feel the need of one. Either my seven visits to Australian relatives, or a judicious and unpublicized pruning of the text for a British audience, sufficed to make everything clear.
Loved the details and clarity of the varied settings, the psychology and motivation of the characters; the way the narrative developed and the various backgrounds, physical and psychological, intertwined. The movement between time frames as we travelled with Cashin from childhood to maturity ensured the reader identified with the man, gave convincing snapshots of the society in which he lived. I liked Cashin/Temple’s portrayal of the evils of racism, injustice, poverty - the helplessness of victims caught up in the corrupt network of the affluent. (Some of them anyway. One wouldn’t want to demonstrate equal prejudice! And affluence doesn’t protect you, as the ruin that is Erica demonstrates.) So much has been broken at the Kettle and the Dangar Steps – lives, trust, hope – but maybe Cashin, Helen and Rebb have been mended, their lives suggesting a more positive future.
It is, of course, an all-too familiar tale, but brilliantly told. Responding to your questions, Nancy, race and class were huge influences on the way the case was handled. Without Cashin (and Villani), Hopgood and friends would simply have continued their support of the rich and powerful. Sadly, people in power, people with money, quite literally get away with murder. Lots of examples in the U.K., the Stephen Lawrence (murdered black teenage schoolboy) case being one. The investigation found the London Metropolitan police force to be institutionally racist. Mirror of society. I’ve not read many British crime novels, but none have been as honest, as ‘in your face’, as this one. However, we do have some very good televised crime series. (Line of Duty for example.)
One does wonder what Temple’s South African heritage contributed to his portrayal of Australian society. He would have been primed to observe racism in any society. His storytelling powers create such a vivid, visual, convincing world that his work must be a natural choice for filmmakers. I viewed some snapshots of Guy Pearce as Jack Irish. Clearly a marriage made in heaven. I was distressed to read of Temple’s death. The Broken Shore felt like such a contemporary novel, I’d assumed the writer was young, dynamic, very much alive. Ridiculous of me to make such an assumption. Anyway, as must be obvious, I’d be only too happy to read more of his books. And recommend him to everyone I know. I’m very grateful to you, Nancy, for giving me this book.
ReplyDeleteHello Ladies,
Sue, so glad you enjoyed this novel and Peter Temple’s writing style. Have you read the second part of this series yet?
It’s called Truth and the main character is Villani, I’m keen to read this.
I love this style of writing, it feels very familiar and despite the heavy content I found it amusing, so sarcastic though and very Australian.
I was surprised just how dark and horrific the crimes and criminals were, I wasn’t expecting it, silly on my part really as I know other Temple novels well and there is always complex situations and social comment involved.
The Broken Shore was also made into a Telemovie and after I saw the cast list it has some quality actors in it - should be good!
There is so much realism in the authors portrayal of attitudes to Aboriginal people and the racism that exists in small country towns across the country. I don’t think this is an Australia only problem though.
Kudos to Mr Temple for taking on the huge challenges of racism, child abuse, homelessness, suicide and corruption in our Police force in one novel and with all that making it not only thought provoking but entertaining and very readable.
There is so much abuse of power and the devastation and torturing of so many young minds and bodies.
We have had an ongoing Royal Commission into institutionalised sexual abuse and violence against children in Australia and the findings are so vast and shocking of the nature and amount of people affected is so disturbing and heartbreaking.
There was also hope in the mending of lives and the generosity and honesty of some of the characters. I really liked Joe Cashin such a flawed yet admirable man. Another favourite was Dave Rebb.
If you haven’t read Truth yet Sue , and Katie if you agree I can add it to our list.
Katie, I hope all is well with you and your beautiful family and you are all enjoying some Summer sun. Sue, I’m assuming Jay is home by now and all is well with his sister and your family.
I am writing this in the Hospital waiting room. Ivars is having a small surgery, nothing serious. Nothing serious, I think it might be our age, things wearing out haha. Shining light of this is I am spending the night with Sam and his partner and new puppy, so excited !!
Much love to all
Nancy
Hello to you both!
ReplyDeleteNancy, send our love to Ivars and to his speedy recovery! Glad you got to spend some time with Sam. Sue, I am hoping that Jay is back home and things with his sister are going well. The garden is doing ok. Unfortunately, we’ve had so much rain that I think the plants are getting a bit flooded. Benjamin is finishing up his first official school year and Lillian starts preschool in the fall. The time is just flying by.
I was greatly surprised by the level of racism in Australia expressed in this book. I guess I am extremely under educated in the levels of racism around the world. I feel that the portion of the US in which I live has lower levels of racism than other portions or I just never noticed any while growing up. I just can’t fathom hating someone just because of what they look like. I do feel a great deal of sympathy toward native people around the world. My own country’s history in its treatment of the native people is probably a similar example to other countries.
While reading, I did get tripped sometimes by the Australian slang. The glossary was helpful at times. I really liked Joe Cashin. He was a very enjoyable character. I think had Joe been a racist or less determined character the Bourgoyne case would never have been solved. I will keep an eye out for this telemovie. Hopefully, I will get a chance to see it. The novel kept me guessing the whole time. I was almost never able to guess what was going to happen or figure out “whodunit.” It was a book that was worth recommending to others.
Most of the American crime novels I have read have been pretty basic. I was for a long while a huge fan of an American author named James Grippando. He has written many crime fictions. I don’t recall any of them having much more than your basic murder to solve and some of the courtroom aspects as he was a lawyer by trade. He didn’t address any great social injustices or American cultural flaws. There was much more cultural substance in Mr. Temple’s novel.
Thank you for the excellent read, Nancy!
Love to you both!
Katie