Solid Gold

Detective Sergeant Ivan Lucic and Detective Senior Constable Nell Buchanan are back for their fourth outing in Chris Hammer's The Valley (2024). Still based in Dubbo, the homicide investigation team are used to travelling across the Central West of New South Wales to manage complex cases. This time, they are sent further afield, down to the Southern Tablelands, when a body is discovered.

Told in alternating timelines, in the 1990s we meet a young police officer Simmons Burnside. Stationed in the Valley, caught up in a protest between environmentalists and loggers, Burnside also moonlights as security at the historic gold mine, which a local couple is trying to restart in an effort to revive the town. Back in the present, the body discovered is Burnside's son Wolf - an entrepreneur with plans to commercialise the Valley. Was he killed to stop his proposed development? For political reasons? For money?

Lucic is told by head office that they should not trust local law enforcement, so they proceed with caution. During the investigation Nell learns that her birth mother once lived in the Valley. This unforeseen connection to the case rattles Nell. Fortunately Lucic has her back, and the colleagues have a trust and confidence in each other that allows them to do their jobs exceptionally well.

Like all of Hammer's novels, the location plays a central role. The Valley is vividly portrayed - from its natural beauty, to its quirky inhabitants - and it feels very much like a real place. There are multiple issues at play in both the historic and contemporary timeframes in this well researched novel. 

I really enjoy the Lucic/Buchanan series and have grown fond of these characters. Hammer has a way of weaving various story threads together which build pace and page-turning excitement. Unlike his previous novels, in The Valley Hammer shifted his narrative in the 1990s to give us a first person account from Burnside's perspective. This was a great way of signalling the change in timeline to the reader and giving a fresh look on activities that would become important thirty years later. 

I hope Hammer continues the Lucic/Buchanan series as it is so enjoyable. While The Valley can be read as a standalone book, readers will get more out of it if they start at the beginning of the series.

My reviews of other Chris Hammer novels are available on this blog: 

• the Martin Scarsden Series - Scrublands (2018); Silver (2019); Trust (2020);
• the Lucic/Buchanan Series -   Treasure and Dirt (2021), The Tilt (2022) and The Seven (2023). 

For readers outside Australia, the Lucic/Buchanan novels are published under different titles - look for Opal Country (Treasure and Dirt), Dead Man's Creek (The Tilt) and Cover the Bones (The Seven) instead.

The Great Divide

There are only three weeks to go before election day in America. Like many political science nerds around the world, I have been avidly following the twists and turns of the campaign. The uninspiring Biden-Trump rematch was hard to watch. Were these two men the best a nation of 345 million people had to offer?  Generational change in both parties, at all levels of government, is needed to reinvigorate American politics and bring things back to a more moderate, less divisive centre.

In the latest Quarterly Essay, High Noon: Trump, Harris and America on the Brink (QE95, 2024), by Australian author, political adviser and historian Don Watson, readers are taken to America - to Los Angeles, Detroit, Kalamazoo, New York - to learn about the issues shaping this election. 

When Watson began writing this essay Biden was still on the ticket. He explores Biden's life in politics and the many achievements of his presidency. More Americans have health insurance, job growth and wages have risen, worker protections have improved. The economy is better, crime is declining and there has been serious action on climate change. Biden has reduced inequality. Watson pointed to many initiatives I did not know about and I reckon when non-partisan historians write of the Biden legacy he will be viewed with much admiration.

After the depressing Trump-Biden debate things had to change. Within a few short weeks, JD Vance was named as Trump's running mate, Biden was out, Harris was the Democratic nominee, and there had been an assassination attempt on Trump. 

Watson writes of the threat of a second Trump presidency, the way he has shifted the Republican party towards populism, xenophobia and isolationism. His family and acolytes are entrenched in the party, making Trumpism the test of loyalty and favour. Watson contrasts Trump's appearance at his hush money trial with his campaign rallies - ever the showman, relying on entertainment over substance. 

The swap from Biden to Harris brought with it a glimmer of hope that change was possible. Watson talks with everyday Americans about the polarisation of politics, misinformation and division. He explores how the media has a lot to answer for, racism and fear run deep, and how voters mistrust the electoral system. Whatever happens on election day, America is a tinderbox ready to ignite.

I greatly enjoyed Watson's exploration of American politics. He is an intelligent, unpretentious and persuasive author. This is a brilliant Quarterly Essay, well worth a read.

My review of Don Watson's previous Quarterly Essay, Enemy Within: American Politics in the Time of Trump (QE63), is also available on this blog.

Nobel Prize for Literature 2024

South Korean author Han Kang has been awarded the 2024 Nobel Prize for Literature. The 53 year old author is best known for her International Booker Prize winning novel The Vegetarian (2016).

Born in Gwangju, South Korea, Han Kang is the daughter of author Han Seung-won and the sister of writer Han Dong Rim. She studied literature at Yonsei University before attending the University of Iowa's International Writing Program.

Her first published work was in 1993 when five poems were included in the winter issue of Munhak-gwa-sahoe (Literature and Society). The following year she won a literary contest in Seoul for her story Red Anchor. She is the author of a number of short story collections, novellas and eight novels.

Han Kang is the first South Korean author to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature and only the 18th woman.

Let's take a look at her novels which have been translated into English.

The Vegetarian (2015)

Originally published in 2007, it was translated by Deborah Smith and published in English in 2015. Set in modern day Seoul, The Vegetarian tells the story of a woman who decides to stop eating meat after having a nightmare which includes images of animal slaughter. Abstaining from meat causes a distance between herself and her family.  Composed in three parts, each has a different narrator exploring the woman's rebellion. 

Human Acts (2016)

Originally published in 2014 as A Boy is Coming, it was translated by Deborah Smith and published in English in 2016 as Human Acts. This novel is about the 1980 Gwangju massacre in which the military brutally suppressed an uprising killing an estimated 2300 people. The uprising was in response to the coup d'état which saw Chun Doo-hwan installed as dictator and martial law imposed. The novel follows victims and the bereaved as they try and make sense of the brutality.

The White Book (2017)

Originally published in 2016 as White, it was translated by Deborah Smith and published in English in 2017 as The White Book. In this novel, the unnamed narrator is on writers residency in Warsaw.  She meditates on the colour white to make sense of her older sister's death. White is a recurring theme which she uses to explore grief.

Greek Lessons (2023)

Originally published in 2011 as Greek Time, it was translated by Deborah Smith and Emily Yae Won and published in English in 2023. A Greek language teacher is slowly losing his sight. He is drawn to a young woman in his class who tries to speak but has no voice. The two have both experienced tragedy which incapacitates them.

We Do Not Part (2025)

Originally published in 2021 as Don't Say Goodbye, this forthcoming novel was translated into English by Emily Yae Won and Paige Aniyah Morris. It is scheduled to be published in February 2025. We Do Not Part tells the story of a woman who travels to a friend's house in the countryside to care for her friend's pet bird while she is in hospital. While pet sitting, the woman discovers letters from the Jeju massacre in 1948. 

One expects that Kang's previous novellas and short stories will be translated and she will gain a wider audience on the strength of the Nobel acclaim. Her win is a reminder how valuable it is to read works in translation and the importance of supporting small imprint publishers. 

Seda Vacante

On a recent work trip I scrolled my e-reader for unread books, I opened several and read the first paragraph to see what would grip me and match my travelling mood. When I came across Robert Harris' Conclave (2016), I could not stop at the first paragraph; I was immediately enthralled and rapidly read this book in a few short sittings.

Conclave starts with the death of the Pope, who passed that evening from a heart attack. Late at night, a handful of Cardinals gather round the deceased Pope's bedside to pray and immediately the machinations begin as to who will replace him. Cardinal Lomeli, Dean of the College of Cardinals, is tasked with facilitating the conclave in which Cardinals from around the world gather to determine who will be the next Pope. The elderly men are sequestered in the Vatican, the windows of their rooms boarded up to prevent external influences. The men will remain isolated together during the papal interregnum, until they can agree on who will serve as the global head of the Catholic Church.

Unable to connect with God, Lomeli is greatly troubled by the disconnect he is experiencing with his faith. Lomeli wants Cardinal Bellini, Secretary of State, to take the papacy as he shares the former Pope's desire for reform. Bellini humbly claims to let God's will determine the outcome and refuses to actively seek the role. Unlike Bellini, Canadian Cardinal Tremblay, the Camerlengo, is overtly vying for the top job and lobbying Cardinals from the developing world to rally behind him. The top ranked African Cardinal Adeyemi, formerly Archbishop of Lagos, is also in the running and could become the first black Pope. Amidst all these front runners, factions have formed.  The Italians want it the Pope to be from Italy, like Cardinal Tedesco, who reflect traditional, conservative values. They fear the papacy will go to someone in Asia or South America where Catholicism is on the rise.

Each day the Cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel and vote as per their ritual. The world's media and the faithful masses gather outside awaiting a plume of white smoke emerging from the chimney to signal a new Pope. But the Cardinals cannot decide and each ballot ends with black smoke instead. Meanwhile Lomeli is conflicted as to whether he should reveal what he learns about the skeletons in various Cardinals' closets as it may impact conclave.

This could have been a fairly pedestrian depiction of what happens behind closed doors. But Harris has added so many intriguing subplots - political manoeuvring, modern issues facing a tradition-bound church, a surprise candidate -  that the reader cannot help but be gripped. As the votes tighten and candidates fall off the ballot, the action quickens. 

I had not expected to enjoy this book quite so much. Having visited the Vatican, I reminisced about my travels to Rome when reading about the Sistine Chapel and the various places I had seen. I learned a lot about the Catholic Church and the papacy from this novel, which is surprisingly filled with rich detail from Harris' meticulous research. The author also subtly infuses his novel with deep questions about faith, power and the role of women in the church and society. Overall, a greatly enjoyable read. 

A film version of Conclave premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August 2024 and will have wider release in late 2024.  The film stars Ralph Fiennes as the troubled Lomeli (renamed Lawrence in the film), Stanley Tucci as Bellini, John Lithgow as Tremblay and Isabella Rosellini as Sister Agnes. The film was directed by Edward Berger, best known for his 2022 remake of All Quiet on the Western Front.  I look forward to seeing this film when it is available in Australia. The trailer is below.

Joie de Vivre

Sarah Firth's debut graphic novel Eventually Everything Connects (2023) is a beautiful, articulate, meditation on life. Subtitled 'Eight Essays on Uncertainty' Firth writes about the environment, diversity, and the joys of the little things in life, in interconnected visual essays.

The first essay, 'Joie de Vivre' is about the repetitions of life, our daily routine and finding the joy in simplicity. Can we find meaning in the seemingly meaningless?. In 'Like a moth to a flame' Firth ponders our obsession with our phones and the need to disconnect. In other essays she writes about sexual dreams and taboos, life cycles, the environment, mental health. 

These are deeply thoughtful, personal essays in which Firth grapples with the complexities and contradictions of life. Despite the deep subject matter, Firth's humour and creative illustrations make the essays relatable and compelling. 

I found this book fascinating on many levels. Had Firth written on these topics in prose they would have been interesting enough. But she has elevated the reader's connection to her and the subject material through her illustrations. She positions herself in many of the illustrations - at various stages in her life - and shares her vulnerability and anxieties. 

After reading each essay I went back and spent time reviewing some of the intricate drawings and really appreciate them. Whether a panel of illustrations on what diverse people were doing at that moment in time, or a whole page devoted to self-reflection, Firth's drawings provide another layer of meaning. 

I first heard about this book at the Sydney Writers Festival in 2022 when Nakkiah Lui introduced her as part of a panel of new talent. Firth read an excerpt and shared her website with illustrations for Joie de Vivre. Firth said at the time that she was glad Lui's new publishing house Joan had picked up the book as other publishers had rejected it as it could not be easily categorised. I had totally forgotten to look out for this book and was only reminded of it in August this year when it was shortlisted for the Prime Minister's Literary Awards, prompting me to order a copy. 

I am so glad to have read Eventually Everything Connects. For anyone wanting to have a look at Firth's work before committing to the whole book, her website has extracts from this book. 

Graphic novels are not for everyone, but I really appreciate this genre. My reviews of other graphic novels can be found on this blog, including: Mandy Ord's When One Person Dies the Whole World is Over (2020), Jim Broadbent's Dull Margaret (2018), Nick Drasno's Sabrina (2018) and Chris Ware's Jimmy Corrigan: The Smartest Kid on Earth (2000).