Image may be subject to copyright
Book: The Shepherd's Hut, Tim Winton
Publication date: 2018
WCRG Meeting: 22 January 2020
Rating: 6.8
For years Jaxie Clackton has dreaded going home. His beloved mum is dead – and he wishes his dad was too, until one terrible moment leaves his life stripped to nothing. No one ever told Jaxie to be careful what he wishes for.
And so Jaxie runs. There’s just one person in the world who understands him, but to reach her he’ll have to cross the saltlands of Western Australia. It is a place that harbours criminals and threatens to kill those who haven’t reckoned with its hot, waterless vastness. This is a journey only a dreamer – or a fugitive – would attempt…
Overall, the book was praised as being very Australian and getting things right about the language, landscape and society it described. This was also confirmed by our guest attendee who lives in Australia. Incidentally, one of our Irish members mentioned how well Fintan’s character was done and that she almost instantly knew that he was Irish, well before this was confirmed in the book (however, others found his Irishness “twee”).
Overall, the book was praised as being very Australian and getting things right about the language, landscape and society it described. This was also confirmed by our guest attendee who lives in Australia. Incidentally, one of our Irish members mentioned how well Fintan’s character was done and that she almost instantly knew that he was Irish, well before this was confirmed in the book (however, others found his Irishness “twee”).
One member was disappointed that the book wasn’t more about the landscape, as they expected from the description. However, this was questioned by other attendees who felt that the book did indeed describe and gave the reader a very good feeling of the landscape. Many of our readers liked the description of the ‘spiritual’ side of the landscape and were also impressed on the insight of life and survival in the outback.
Many appreciated the structure of the book with its three acts, and how we are first alone with Jaxie for half of the book. Having the story told by Jaxie himself we got to know him intimately and it was pointed out that otherwise we would just see him as a thug, but because we knew his inner thoughts and his grit, resolution, humour and ethics, we saw him completely differently.
The book felt more intense because it was narrated in the first person. We liked the relationship that developed between Jaxie and Fintan, it was strong without being sentimental. We also liked the relationship between Jaxie and Lee, which seemed sweet and innocent. However, it was also pointed out that we only get Jaxie’s view.
Overall the story was psychologically very convincing; in a situation like Jaxie’s you either retreat or become a ‘bruiser’ yourself.
Almost everyone commented on the amount of swearwords in the book. It also took a while to get used to the language, but it was generally felt that it was certainly worth persevering with the book. The voice and tone used was unique and “mesmerizing”, with some very beautiful expressions.
Many liked that we did not get all the answers, however, others did not (at all).
The book received a very respectable 6.8 points.
One of our members contributed the following:
"Re our last book, here's some background which may help explain the priest character. The insert of the 'wild colonial boy' was significant by Winton and would be well recognized in Ireland and possibly Australia. 'He robbed the rich, he helped the poor, he shot James McAvoy. A terror to Australia was the wild colonial boy.'" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3QJPxiLOPo
