Praiseworthy

Wow, what a book. A huge tome. I struggled understanding many parts of it but the writing dazzled me. It was like nothing I have ever read. What ambition and imagination. Ecological magical realism with a satirical flavor. Mythological tales mixed with contemporary references all mashed together in a way where time seems relative and phrases are repeated over and over in that they seem to act like an incantation at times. The circularity of the narrative defamiliarizes the reader. Yet, this is an angry political novel too. It's not merely fanciful tales of donkeys and butterflies but it delivers warnings of a hazy, burning world.

Set in the fictional aboriginal town of Praiseworthy, Australia, which is covered by a dense haze, this novel centers on Cause Man Steel, his wife Dance, and their two children, seventeen-year-old Aboriginal Sovereignty and eight-year-old Tommyhawk. Cause Man Steel sets off in search of a unique donkey and plans to start a transportation company where donkeys will take the place of gasoline engines. Dream is obsessed with moths and butterflies and is pursuing a plan to emigrate to China. Aboriginal Sovereignty finds no purpose in life and is considering suicide. Tommyhawk is heavily influenced by the outside world he discovers on the internet.

The author employs allegory in this epic novel. It is an indictment of the Australian show more government’s policies related to the aboriginal people, particularly forced assimilation and the methods used to influence public opinion. The author tends to repeat certain words and phrases, whose repetition may be intended to simulate oral storytelling. It tackles serious topics, but the language is often playful. It is a unique take on Australia’s colonial history, racism, and recent policies. I do not have a vast knowledge of Australian politics, but the author provides sufficient background within the storyline. I would love to know what my Australian friends think of it. show less

Sometimes, no matter how much one prefers the alternative, a book doesn’t gel. Alexis Wright is, without a shred of doubt, a brilliant, innovative and accomplished writer. I loved “Tracker”. Learned from it: from its messages and its authorial giftedness.
But, I find Praiseworthy beyond me. It is possible, if with some effort, to resonate with the long flow of sentences richly sprinkled with redundancy. One wonders what a program like Grammarly would do to the text. Abbreviate, no doubt. But all this verbage is intentional. I just wish I could have agreed.

DNF
Fun and interesting narrative but too long for all of its weaving