Day 10 - A book you thought you wouldn’t like but ended up loving
I've been thinking hard about this for the last couple of hours.
The most recent book to fit this description is, I think, Carpentaria by Alexis Wright. I need to phrase this carefully to avoid what sounds like prejudice but is, quite honestly, a statement of fact and my own, personal taste. I have not enjoyed the little I have read of Indigenous Australian writing. I was rather dubious about this. But the reviews did sound intriguing, and I had a book voucher from a nice bookshop. So instead of buying crime or fantasy or craft books, I bought Carpentaria. It took me another six months to get around to reading it. I remained dubious for the first few pages.
Then I fell in love.
It is a huge, sprawling novel (literally as well as figuratively) and I loved every word of it. IT was funny, creepy, tragic, magic, and so damn well written.
I take back everything I ever thought about 'Indigenous Australian writing' and realise, humbly, that it is like any other writing - some of it is not going to be to my taste, but that is no reason to dismiss it like I had done.
One day I will reread it. (This is the greatest honour I can bestow upon a book). Not right now, though, because I have so many other things to read and reread. But I will never dispose of this book. I love it.
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