Lesley Glaister

I have no idea how to rate this. It’s not what I was expecting, that’s for sure, especially the amount of explicit sexual content (which I skipped over, though none of it could be describe as erotic or lust-inducing, it’s horrifying, and some of it plain criminal) On the other hand, this is one of the scariest books I’ve ever read, and I found the writing and characterization itself fantastic. I just didn’t know it was going to be scary. I was expecting The Dry, and was reminded show more instead of a mixture of Gerald’s Game and the game Firewatch. I felt super unsettled by this whole book, but I tore through it. I think the author accomplished what she set out to do, but “enjoy” is the wrong word describe the experience of reading this. show less

This book presents two twinned, parallel storylines of women suffering imprisonment.

In the main story, Jenny, a young girl in solitary confinement, reminisces about her lost love affair with Tom, an older man. There are hints that this love affair is the cause for her imprisonment (but I won’t get into that!). Solitary is dismal, as expected, but also lets Jenny’s mind wander, and we get the entire story of her affair with Tom, of her relationship with her grandmother, and her descent show more into passion and madness.

Jenny often speaks of color, or the lack of it, in her prison cell, fantasizing about a palette of paints. Her mental life is rich, which offers the reader a glimpse into her psyche. At first you wonder if Jenny was somehow wronged. Is she a victim of exploitation? Or is she psychotic?

In her mind, Jenny tells herself the story of Peggy Maybee, a distant ancestor who was imprisoned for trying to steal peacock feathers to give her infant son. Peggy is put on a prisoner transport ship and sent to Botany Bay, and desperate conditions, mutiny, and horrible punishment await her on the ship. I enjoyed her story as much as Jenny’s, despite the cruelty and depravity that Peggy had to endure. Her story is brutal and devastating.

I would describe Glaister’s writing style as modern gothic. There’s the subtle psychological disintegration, the haunting sense of place, the character-driven plot. She describes one item, like grey scrambled eggs, or the thin nubbiness of the bedspread, and you get a sense of the entire room, of the mood and atmosphere, of the dinginess, or newness, or oppressiveness. There’s a dark, introverted quality to the perspectives of both Jenny and Peggy.

This book was a riveting tale of blind passion. Jenny is, at first, very sympathetic, but as her story progresses she becomes less reliable, which only makes the book that more interesting. Anyone who’s had their heart broken will be able to relate to Jenny’s story, but her innocent infatuation turns dramatically into violent obsession. And yet, Glaister’s writing is so multifaceted that even in the end, as twisted as Jenny is, you still rally for her.

5 stars all way ‘round.

This review is also posted on my blog at flyleafunfurled.com. show less

I received an ARC e-book copy of this title from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first read by Lesley Glaister and I enjoyed it very much. Strong characterization and deep insight into the motivations and inner thoughts of the main characters are enhanced by a tense plot line and a very thorough creation of place. I really felt the dusty isolation and squirmed at the insect onslaught of the deep outback as characters brushed away jewel toned flies, show more endless swarms of mosquitos and kicked away beetley creatures the size of small birds.

This novel is not for those that want blood drenched wars of attrition between heavily armed adversaries or hard as nails protagonists. This novel is more about manipulation of regular people. Choices. Where we are when a line has been crossed that leads us to a new line... The unexpected discovery of evil and how we react. What we will do to keep what we (have convinced ourselves) need. I found this novel to be compelling yet completely realistic.

4 stars. show less

The remote outback of Australia is a perfect setting for this novel of disquiet and dread. So many of the things that make this region uniquely beautiful are the exact same things that prey on Cassie's and Graham's minds-- poisonous creatures that can be hiding in any nook or cranny, the harsh red rocks and soil that cover everything in layers of dust, the towering gum trees that never seem to provide shade. The heat alone is almost enough to drive them mad because there never seems to be show more enough water to bathe properly. They never feel clean or cool.

Add to the setting a cast of characters guaranteed to make you nervous. The man who makes grocery deliveries sometimes seems to be a friend, but at other times, he feels more like a foe. Larry, always cool and immaculately turned out, is a superior sort who seems to relish watching Cassie and Graham stumble as they try to acclimate themselves. Larry's wife Mara seems to have some sort of mysterious mental problem and must be kept medicated most of the time. Everything seems determined to keep Cassie and Graham off balance and unsure of themselves.

I didn't really find the storyline surprising, but the book is meticulously plotted and very adept at keeping the reader's sense of unease and dread simmering. Although I did figure out almost everything that was going on, the process of deduction was an enjoyable one albeit detrimental to my opinion of the English couple.

In many ways, As Far As You Can Go can also be considered a character study of Cassie and Graham-- two rather spoiled and self-centered people who are thrown in a situation that is completely beyond anything they could imagine in their wildest dreams. Their strengths and weaknesses are laid bare as they gradually uncover the truth about what's happening at Woolagong, and the story isn't neatly tied up with a little bow at the end. No, at the book's conclusion, the author allows us to speculate on what the future holds for Cassie and Graham-- and I enjoyed letting my imagination fill in the blanks. show less