Gilgamesh: A Novel (2001)

I was taken both by the local setting (Nunderup is like Yallingup, Sea House is like Caves House, Busselton and Perth are like Busselton and Perth) and by the fine writing. ( )

The writing is succinct yet exquisitely descriptive. A beautiful, sad, and haunting tale. I wanted happiness for the characters (especially Edith and Jim) but instead there was only the reality of hard living. ( )

This book perfectly expands on the title taken from an ancient book of friendship and adventure. Edith lives with her depressed Russian immigrant mother and her down to earth sister Francis in poverty in Australia. The girls have one pair of shoes between them but Ellen has frivolous dreams of high heels, pretty clothes and dancing that begin when her chubby, charismatic cousin Leopold from England and his beautiful Armenian friend Aram drop in for a visit. The girls learn to enjoy life, and when their company leaves they've learned that they have an ability to change their lives, and their adventures begin. Nothing happens that they would have planned, but they make plans that make their lives and the lives of others change course. Recommended to anyone who wants to read about living in chaos, following the paths that present themselves and finding the path that fits your needs. ( )

Joan London's debut novel is the story of Edith, a young Australian girl who lives in the bush with her mom and sister. Edith knows the realities of hard country living - her parents' farm never taking off after years of effort. When her cousin, Leopold, and his friend, Aram, arrive for a visit, it's a breath of fresh air. Edith and her family are charmed by the young men's stories and antics, and slowly, Edith falls in love with Aram.

After the men leave, Edith begins to plot her own departure, a worldwide journey to Aram's homeland of Armenia. However, Edith didn't realize that Europe was about to burst with World War II, and as she draws closer to her destination, Edith becomes an unwilling pawn in a political chess match.

The fable Gilgamesh is central to this story, and it fits well with the travels of many characters. London does a wonderful job weaving in texts from the poem to help the reader connect the dots between the fable and the story. In fact, my favorite parts of the book are when Edith is traveling - first on a ship around Africa, then to London, Armenia and finally northern Africa. Each stop on Edith's journey gave the reader a snapshot of life during that time.

Gilgamesh is a quick read - very enthralling with fully developed characters and great plot twists. London's writing is subtle but powerful. Fans of the Orange Prize or literary fiction are sure to enjoy this fast-paced novel. ( )

I loved this book. I came to care about all of the characters and I couldn't wait to see what was coming up around the corner with Edith and her son's travels and travails looking for 'the papa'. The writing is beautifully done and this reader did not want this one to end.
I am not going to review the book as Soup has done it so beautifully below. But I too, found it to be everything I desire in a read. So well done and the characters were so interesting. Loved the part with the handicapped singer. Just so colorful. A wonderful book. Read it. ( )