The Rip

The Rip is another intense, character driven, book written by Australian author, Mark Brandi. The story is told from the perspective of a young woman who is living on the streets of Melbourne with a friend, Anton. Life is not easy but they are surviving. Then they meet Steve, an acquaintance of Anton from his past. 

Steve offers them a bed at the unit where he lives, telling them that the girl who lives there is spending time in an asylum. Staying in the unit for a time provides them with more security, however it is soon obvious that Steve has plans which involve them. They begin to realise that they were safer living in the gardens than with Steve.

At one stage Anton explains their life to her as it's like walking out into the sea, and  you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. ... Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip. The problem is that if this happens, how do you escape?

Throughout the book there is an impending feeling of oncoming doom but towards the end there is hope as the young woman finally accepts that there are people who want to help her escape from the evergrowing predicament in which she finds herself.

Wimmera

Set in a small town in western Victoria, this novel starts by telling of the friendship at primary school between two young boys, Ben and Fab. In their spare time they enjoyed playing cricket and going yabbying but they both were aware that Fab's father was often cruel to his son. Then the young girl who lived next door to Ben committed suicide. When a new neighbour moves into the house next door to Ben the boys keep watch on him and soon realise that this man could be dangerous.

The years pass and Fab is still in the town looking for a stable job. Ben had gone to a different secondary school and the boys had lost touch with each other. Fab was having trouble settling down. He drank too much and would also take drugs from time to time. He had befriended a fellow worker, Afriki, who had plans to go and find a job in Melbourne. Fab had decided to go with him when, one day, a policeman tapped him on the shoulder and wanted to talk to him.

Wimmera by Mark Brandi explores the the dark world of child abuse and the difficulties faced by the victims in trying to lead a 'normal' life when they are unable to tell anyone about what they encountered.

Eden

Tom Blackburn has been released from prison after serving a nine year sentence. The challenge is now to make a life for himself on the outside. His first stop is to find somewhere to stay while he looks for work. The hostel is not inviting but it provides a roof over his head. There he meets Len who advises Tom on the best way to survive when he decides to leave the hostel. Eventually he finds himself at Melbourne General Cemetery where he meets Cyril who allows him to sleep in the shed and earn a wage for gardening and helping to dig graves. But Tom soon discovers new dangers that threaten his plans and puts his life in danger.

Eden by Mark Brandi is a book about secrets that are gradually revealed as Tom is forced to remember past events in order to learn to live in a new environment where the secrets of others threaten his future. Is there anywhere where he will finally be safe?

Southern Aurora

It is the mid 1980s and Jimmy lives in the poorest section of a small country town in New South Wales with his mother and his young brother, Sam. His older brother, Mick, is in gaol, again. His mother sometimes drinks too much when she is depressed. Then there is Charlie who sometimes lives with them but when he abuses family members returns to his own lodgings. Life certainly has its challenges.

Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi provides Jimmy's view on his life. He is in grade five at school and finds it difficult to make friends, especially as he is not good at sport. With his brother away, Mark feels responsible for the family and blames himself when things go wrong. He tries to look after Sam who attends a special school and he keeps an eye on his mother's welfare. 

When it is announced that a billy cart race is to be held at school Jimmy feels that he can really become involved, however even this does not go entirely to plan. It does though allow Jimmy to get to know Don, an elderly neighbour who encourages Jimmy to realise that although life can be unkind at times he cannot control everything. Others too need to help resolve life's problems.

The Southern Aurora is the train that used to travel between Melbourne and Sydney. The railway line passed through the town where Jimmy lived and children used to wave to passengers on the train and dream of one day escaping on the train themselves. The train was named after the southern lights that sometimes can be seen brightening up the sky in the southern hemisphere.

The Others

Sometimes people do the most terrible things. Sometimes you just have to. This statement by the father at the end of part two of The Others by Mark Brandi dramatically changes the tone of this novel - a study of psychological power of a father over his son.

Jacob, an eleven year old boy, lives with his father on a small, isolated farm in Tasmania during a drought. Only at the end of the book do we learn the boy's name and location of the farm and this anonymity aids the thread of fear portrayed in the book. 

Although the son regularly has lessons from this father and has learned the basics of reading, writing and maths, his main source of information is from a dictionary and encyclopaedia. The father also teaches his son survival skills. Jacob has also had to learn to read his father's face to judge his father's moods. Sometimes after lessons Jacob is allowed to ask his father one question but depending on his father's mood it is sometimes best to remain quiet.

The story is told in the first person as Jacob records his life living with his father, cut off from other people. According to his father there has been a disastrous plague in the community. People referred to as the Others who live on the other side of the hill must be avoided. Jacob's mother has died. Her grave is on the property and occasionally he visits the grave. He does not know how his mother died. In fact Jacob knows little about his earlier life, only what his father has told him and that is not much.

Generally Jacob obeys his father's rules including remaining in his room when his father is not at home. The catalyst for change occurs when a lady from the past appears at the house and leaves a message.  Jacob hears male voices talking at night occasionally but this is the first time he has seen someone. His father refuses to tell him what is going on. After Christine's visit the son questions his situation, begins to explore beyond the farm boundaries on his own and makes a decision which will change his life.

Throughout the book there is an underlying and increasing current of fear and suspense. Initially Jacob's fear is of the Outsiders and what might happen if he disobeys his father. Eventually he begins to understand that most of what he has been told is a lie. The distrust of his father increases as he realises what his father has done and what he might he do.

Thanks to Better Reading and Hachette Australia for a preview copy of this book. #BRPreview 

Publication of this book is due at the end of June