Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

Sisters, Ruthie and Lucille are left by their mother in the porch of their grandmother’s house in the small town of Fingerbone in Idaho.   Their mother doesn’t come back and her body is found later.   In Fingerbone the people are embittered, the environment harsh and the winters long.  Friendless, the girls seek solace in each other’s company.  Their grandmother cares for them as best she can, but enlists the help of her sisters-in-law (Nona and Lilly) should anything happen to her.  After the death of their grandmother the elderly sisters-in-law arrive, but are anxious and can’t cope with two adolescent girls.  Sylvie, the girl’s wayward aunt, arrives and takes over their care.  It is clear from the start that Sylvie has led the life of a transient and Ruthie and Lucille’s fear that they will be abandoned again is tangible.  The story is narrated by Ruthie who is haunted by memories of her ancestors and drawn to the lake where many of them died.  As the girls approach adulthood Ruthie becomes more introvert and feels a connection with her aunt, whereas Lucille scorns her aunt’s attempts to raise them and dreams of a more conventional upbringing.  The story is one of loneliness.  It was one of those novels where, when you reach the end, you feel the need to re-read it, which I couldn’t do as I had borrowed it from the library!

My Criminal World by Henry Sutton

This is a story within a story.  Struggling writer, David Slavitt is at a crossroads in his life.  His agent is harassing him, his publisher is ignoring him and his day to day life is getting in the way of writing – well that’s his excuse.  Meanwhile, his successful and beautiful wife is working longer and longer hours while he copes with the childcare and the housework.  As he begins to see a plot for his new novel he suspects his wife is having an affair with one of her Ph.D students and real life and fictional life appear to be merging.  The novel is interspersed with sections from the new crime novel David is writing with the effect that two stories unravel side by side.  For me, the structure worked and I enjoyed the writing style. 

Wanting by Richard Flanagan

The story begins in 1841 and centres on an orphaned aboriginal girl, Mathina, one of the remaining indigenous people exiled from Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) and living on Flinders Island under the care of George Augustus Robinson, the Chief Protector of the Aborigines.  He can’t comprehend why most of the people in his care are dying, despite adopting western dress and eating a western diet.  Sir John Franklin, the governor of Van Diemen’s Land and his wife, Lady Jane Franklin visit Flinders Island.  They are drawn to Mathina and, when Lady Franklin learns that the girl is an orphan, they decide to adopt her.  Lady Jane sees the adoption as an experiment in converting a savage.  Mathina is taken from her own people and transported to the home of the Franklins on Van Diemen’s Land.  Running in parallel is the story of Charles Dickens who meets Lady Jane several years after her time in Australia.  Sir John has been lost on an expedition in the Arctic and rumours are rife about cannibalism.  Lady Jane is determined to clear her husband’s name and seeks out Dickens to write an article.   In this way the story of Mathina, The Franklins and Dickens become entwined.  The story depicts the barbaric cruelty inflicted on the aborigines by the European settlers.  It also highlights how someone can think they’re doing the right thing, but how that can have damaging consequences that last a lifetime and beyond.  It was a disturbing and thought provoking read.