Carpentaria
Alexis Wright
Rated: 3.67 of 5 stars
3.67
· 12 ratings · 528 pages · Published: 01 Apr 2006
In the sparsely populated northern Queensland town of Desperance, loyalties run deep and battle lines have been drawn between the powerful Phantom family, leaders of the Westend Pricklebush people, and Joseph Midnight’s renegade Eastend mob, and their disputes with the white officials of neighboring towns. Steeped in myth and magical realism, Wright’s hypnotic storytelling exposes the heartbreaking realities of Aboriginal life.
By turns operatic and everyday, surreal and sensational, the novel teems with extraordinary, larger-than-life characters. From the outcast savior Elias Smith, religious zealot Mossie Fishman, and murderous mayor Bruiser to activist Will Phantom and Normal Phantom, ruler of the family, these unforgettable characters transcend their circumstances and challenge assumptions about the downtrodden “other.” Trapped between politics and principle, past and present, the indigenous tribes fight to protect their natural resources, sacred sites, and above all, their people.
Already an international bestseller, Carpentaria has garnered praise from around the world.
Tagged as:
- fantasy 4
- historical 3
- historical fiction 3
- magical realism 3
- literary fiction 3
- folktales & legends 3
- indigenous mc 2
- classics 2
- college/university 2
- social commentary 2
- protagonists of colour 2
- great outdoors 2
- on the move 1
- colonization 1
- family 1
- action / adventure 1
- Add topics
- format - reader age
- audiobook 2
- book 1
- adult fiction 1