Naturally Dotty

This is the debut book of Kim Westwood, whose wonderful writing I was introduced to in The Courier’s New Bicycle.  I’m still writing my review for that book -  too many things I want to say, and raving madly isn’t much of a review.

My high hopes for a book that was just as well written and enthralling were well and truly met in the Daughters of Moab, As with Westwood’s later book, there is so much in this story that writing a review is difficult.  I feel like the story is still percolating in my mind.

The book is set in a small part of Australia rent by natural disaster.  I was never certain whether the rest of the country, or even the world has been beset by the same calamity.  The state of not-knowing was important to me, it set the scene for the themes of the book.  At its heart of this story are questions of identity, humanity, home and longing.  Oh, and a good dollop of science against religion.

Its not that often that I wish a book could be made into a film – but this is one where I feel being able to SEE the story would be wonderful.  I want to see the landscape and characters.  I really need to read the book again, and again, and again.

Quite a few of my friends, readers, authors and editors have signed up for the Australian Women Writers 2012 National Year Of reading Challenge.

The aim of this challenge is “counteract the gender bias in reviewing and social media newsfeeds that has continued throughout 2011 by actively promoting the reading and reviewing of a wide range of contemporary Australian women's writing” A worthwhile cause to be involved with, in my opinion.

So, I’m getting off my butt and accepting the challenge.  As I have so many books by Australian women writers in my to-read pile, on my wish lists and on order from the library I am signing up for the Franklin Fantastic level, but if you don’t read as many books as me you can opt for a different level. 

Come and join in – this is going to be a lot of fun.