Past the Shallows

Well written, at times dreamy, at times poetic novel about a young boy growing up in a broken family along the wild Tasmanian coast. Actually the story is about two brothers – Miles, the older brother, who keeps an eye out for his younger brother Harry.

Their dad works a debt-ridden existence as fisherman, diving for abalone, in protected sites. Miles is forced to participate in these harrowing fishing trips, certainly since his older brother Joe has moved out of their parental home to join his grandfather (who recently passed away). By alternating POVs between Miles and Harry, the backstory is slowly revealed to the reader. Their mom died in a car crash. Harry might not be his dad’s child. The mom had an extra-marital affair with show more uncle Nick. Their dad is extremely violent and abusive. Joe and Miles are surfers and they love the water (and so does the writer Favel – it is obvious from her visceral descriptions that she is an experienced surfer and savant on waves and undertows). Harry is afraid of the water, but he loves dogs (so does Favel, see her later writings). A dog pulls him into a loving acquaintance with George, who stays in a derelict shed, despite Harry’s dad explicit prohibition to have anything to do with George (he is portrayed as a dangerous character). The climax of the book entails a heavy storm at sea, during which a series of accidents occur, leading to the drowning of Harry, ship wreck with loss of all souls, except for Miles, who is saved by Joe. Next, Joe and Miles take off to discover the wider world.

The writing is excellent, the moods of characters are reflected in the movements of waves, shallows and wind; the violence is explicit and raw; the love subtle and shaped in minute details and gestures. What a writer! show less

Excellent writing, emotionally powerful, well developed characters, fantastic read … these are all phrases used by our members while discussing Past the Shallows by young Australian author Favel Parrett.
To say this book was well received would be the understatement of our reading year. The family turmoil and abuse experienced by young Harry had us all feeling wretched, yet at the same time we loved this beguiling little fellow and his youthful optimism. To tell a story from the mind of a seven year old is no easy task and we all applaud the skill Parrett shows in doing just that. But the praise does not stop with Harry. We found the list of supporting characters lifts the story quality to even greater heights, with George being a show more favourite (although, not especially liked, Auntie Jean got a good airing also!).
We found ourselves discussing not only the more obvious themes (child neglect, family violence, infidelity, sibling bonds) but also the many undisclosed details within the story’s framework. We unearthed quite a few questions left unanswered, and we were all more than happy to express our own ideas as to what did or would happen.
Of the few negative comments that found their way into the discussion was the idea that the disturbing aspects of the story did not make for pleasant reading and that ‘true life issues’ are not necessarily what we wish to read about. There was agreement here, but the overall perception was that such a well written book overrides the undesirable aspects and that a powerful story, well told, goes a long way to enriching the readers experience.
Packed with beautiful descriptive passages, emotional plot and compelling themes, Past the Shallows (a great metaphor for life, we decided) worked its magic on us, having us happily wading into its depths.
Tuesday Book Club

Good Australian fiction has a way of telling the worst of stories in a truly engaging form. Parrett’s sense of place, her characters, emotive perspective and remarkable insight challenge the reader to wander the territory without the heartbreak.
That is not to say we did not feel for the brothers Joe, Miles and Harry. On the contrary, we felt deeply for their plight, and hoped for, if not the best outcome, at least a better one.
But there is no fairytale ending here, unless you manufacture it yourself! The many loose ends raise more questions than they answer and although frustrating for some of us, most felt happy to come to their own conclusions.
We enjoyed a lively discussion on many topics raised by this novel. First and foremost child protection and rights, then small town attitudes and gossip, family relationships (and the complexity of) and lastly, the author’s writing style and what drives a great novel.
More than enough for any bookclub to attempt in one evening, wouldn’t you agree?
Top quality reading is our opinion and highly recommended. Wade past the shallows and dive in!
Monday Night Book Club show less

Set on the Tasmanian coast, this book is about three brothers and their abalone fisherman father. Their mother has died, their father is not coping, and neither are they, really. The youngest boy, Harry, is afraid of the water, and doesn't remember his mother. The middle boy, Miles, may have to leave school to help on the fishing boat; and the eldest, Joe, is living away from home and building his own boat to escape the town.

Yes, this is one of those angsty dysfunctional family dramas that Australian authors seem to specialise in. But this one is a cut well above average, with the angst actually quite restrained, being filtered through the children who are survivors rather than victims. The characterisation of the three brothers is show more excellent, the tension between them and their father is gripping, and it's beautifully written with small hints being dropped about the full story all the way and yet the reveal of the backstory still took me quite by surprise. She never hits you over the head with an unsubtle or clunky moment.

I'm not a fan of dysfunctional family stories, but this one completely grabbed me and did not let me go. I read it in one day, and stayed up until 1am to finish it. show less

I was attracted to this book because of the setting, Tasmania, where my future daughter is at this time. The writing is very spare, but this is done to great effect. Three boys, trying to get over a horrible tragedy, two who are the mercy of a drunken, abusive father. The third, older had been building a boat for years and is now ready to get away.

Abalone fishing is a way of life there and the scenes on the water are harrowing. There is a wonderful old neighbor named George, who offers the boys shelter and companionship without asking many questions. He is a great character. Not an easy book to read, heartbreaking but a story about secrets, brotherhood and hopefully a second chance for some.

3 1/2 stars - actually quite a moving book. Although quick and very easy to read with its short sentences, the author evokes a strong sense of place (a remote fishing community in Tasmania) and skilfully develops her characters. So why not 4 stars? Because these are the ones (for me) that mean “I really enjoyed this and you would too” books.
This book was bleak and portrayed the sad world of three brothers living with a dysfunctional father. It reminded me of Tim Winton novels, which I find overly descriptive. A worthy text, but not my preferred choice of novel. So if you’re all about the style and craft of writing, you’ll probably appreciate this one.

A difficult book to review. It's about a family in remote Tasmania, three brothers and their father, an abalone fisherman, after the death of their mother. Harry is the littlest one, Miles is the middle brother who has been taken out of school to help on his father's abalone boat, and Joe is the eldest and has already left home. The story weaves backwards and forwards in time, filling in the details of past events as the future unfolds. It's tersely and skilfully told, and the bleakness of the landscape/implacability of the sea makes a fitting backdrop for the events of the novel. This wasn't my cup of tea, but I can't fault the execution.

I found ‘Past the Shallows’ to be an incredibly moving story. It made me weep for the plight of the boys, but I did not feel manipulated or that the writing was overly sentimental. Parrett has painted a realistic picture of a tough life in a tough community but there is much beauty at the same time – in the environment, in small kindnesses and in the boys’ love for each other. Beautifully written, restrained, deceptively simple language.