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The Precipice
What happens when an obsession takes over and there is no one to hold you back? Longlisted for the Miles Franklin Award.Thea Farmer, a reclusive and difficult retired school principal, lives in isolation with her dog in the Blue Mountains. Her distinguished career ended under a cloud over a decade earlier, following a scandal involving a much younger male teacher. After losing her savings in the financial crash, she is forced to sell the dream house she had built for her old age and live on in her dilapidated cottage opposite. Initially resentful and hostile towards Frank and Ellice, the young couple who buy the new house, Thea develops a flirtatious friendship with Frank, and then a grudging affinity with his twelve-year-old niece, Kim, who lives with them. Although she has never much liked children, Thea discovers a gradual and wholly unexpected bond with the half-Vietnamese Kim, a solitary, bookish child from a troubled background. Her growing sympathy with Kim propels Thea into a psychological minefield. Finding Frank's behaviour increasingly irresponsible, she becomes convinced that all is not well in the house. Unsettling suspicions, which may or may not be irrational, begin to dominate her life, and build towards a catastrophic climax.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 7, 2011
6 people are currently reading
81 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Duigan
6 books4 followersVirginia Duigan wrote the screenplay of the 1998 movie The Leading Man, starring Jon Bon Jovi, Thandie Newton and Barry Humphries. Before becoming a novelist, Duigan worked as a journalist, broadcaster, editor and TV scriptwriter. She was a regular feature writer on The National Times, and contributed documentaries to ABC radio. She was a freelance contributor to The Bulletin, The Age, The Australian, The Financial Review, Cinema Papers, and in London to the The Observer and The Times. She was Literary Editor of The National Times, and a theatre, book, film and restaurant reviewer.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
April 23, 2016
I listened to the audio version of this book which was read by the very eloquent author.
It is a very long audio and I found it did tend to ramble on at times causing me to get a bit frustrated with it, I wanted it to get a move on.
I thought Thea was more than a bit interfering...however justified or not, and her penchant for dropping big words was a little over the top (I like author's to use a good range of words to describe what is happening within a story, but it seemed here that the author was just dropping these words in for effect.)
Nonetheless I found myself being pulled into the story and once I stopped waiting for something to happen I started to enjoy the interactions between the main players, and a deeper picture began to emerge...though this was getting quite late in the story.
...And here is why I was shocked out of my socks at the ending!
This may be a spoiler...
It has taken me several days to try and think of what to say in my review but I am none the wiser for having done so.
I don't believe this description on the cover accurately describes this book, "A psychological literary thriller where one woman's suspicions threaten to tear a family apart."
Admittedly I didn't pay a lot of attention to the blurb, rather I took this book on face value, all the same I would have probably classed it as contemporary fiction.
Bottom line is, the author is a very eloquent writer and narrator, and while I did enjoy being gradually pulled into this story, I feel like I must have missed some key piece. Or that there was just so much more to the tale than there was to the gist of the story.
To me it was like two stories, one not quite finished and one finished too soon.
I erred in favour of a 4★s rating because the writing was good.
January 10, 2013
Thea Farmer, a seventy-seven year old retired principal, has lost all her money after her investments tanked, and is now faced with the heart-wrenching reality of selling the house she just finished building in the Blue Mountains, her dream house, and living the remainder of her days in "the hovel", the old Federation-era cottage on the original property, with her beloved dog and companion, Teddy. She sells the house to a couple who seem enthusiastic and to really care about the place. Frank Campbell and Ellice Carrington are young - she guesses mid-twenties, but when she sees them move in with a young girl whom she figures for their daughter, she hastily revises her previous assumption.
Even though she spent her life as an English teacher and then a principal at an all-girls boarding school, Thea doesn't like children. In fact, she doesn't like many people at all. She's irascible, intimidating, grumpy, opinionated, bossy, sharp-tongued and fairly scathing of others, and a product of a much different generation, with an out-of-date perspective. But she has manners, so after reluctantly accepting an invitation for drinks from Frank and Ellice, she returns the gesture by inviting them over to the hovel, and asking several other people she knows in the area because she doesn't feel up to dealing with them on her own. Despite this gesture, Thea has no intention of befriending the family or of becoming one of those old ladies who spies on her neighbours behind her lace curtains (not that she has lace curtains, and in fact her windows are covered in grime).
Nevertheless, the "invaders" as she starts off thinking of them as, gradually become people she thinks far too much about, especially Kim, Frank's twelve-year-old half-Vietnamese niece, the one she thought was their daughter (they really are in the twenties). Kim is quiet and keeps to herself, spending her time reading and drawing sketches. When Thea finds her on one of her walks with Teddy through the bush, in a spot she could only have found by following Thea before, Thea is furious. But slowly the two oddballs befriend each other, thawing and becoming close friends. Kim even starts coming to Thea's writing class, run by a flamboyant man called Oscar.
With the mistakes of her past - notably the reason why she was forced to resign - haunting her mind, Thea begins to worry about the family in her house, especially Frank, a music composer now working on an adult film that he leaves lying around where Kim can find it - and in Thea's experience, every teenager is a curious one. Her preoccupation with what is going on in that house, and how it might affect Kim, takes over her life and pushes her to a precipice of her own making.
The Precipice was long-listed for the Miles Franklin Award in 2012, which is how I came to hear of it, and luckily a UK publisher had picked it up so I could get a copy from the Book Depository. Because this was an excellent book, truly gripping and compelling, without ever being contrived or even overly dramatic. In fact, it all slowly creeps up on you, but because it's told in Thea's voice - her journal, that she's keeping after Oscar asked them to start one - and her thought patterns and voice so gradually changes, it all comes together so perfectly.
I don't know if I have the words for this one. At first I was liking it but not overly impressed - Thea's writing style was a bit erratic at first, a bit disjointed - but her writing improved (and this technique made her even more real, as a character) and you really, really, come to know the way she thinks. The true skill in this novel, the real beauty of it, is in Thea's voice. She's a very interesting woman, quite entertaining in her way, and sympathetic too. I'm sure we've all know older women something like Thea. I felt her pain for the dream house she had designed and built to her exact specifications, only to have to sell it because she couldn't afford to live in it.
The way she thinks through her reactions to things, her opinions, is realistic and helps us understand her even more. As well, she has a dry sense of humour, totally self-deprecating, and she freely admits to her faults.
When you have a story with little action and a very plain plot that is narrated by an individual, that character has to carry the story. And Thea does. She lives, she's realistic, and for the duration of the story (which was far too short and ended far too soon, yet was perfectly structured and concluded), she completely filled my head. The skill Duigan displays in cleverly, finely crafting such gradual change in Thea, all so that the climax fits so perfectly, is impressive. It's so understated and subtle, and that's not easy to write.
I don't want to give things away by talking about the mistakes of Thea's past and how it all came together at the end, but I have to say something about it - when I closed the book at the end I had one of those moments of speaking aloud, to express my admiration and just how it affected me. It's not a story that makes you cry or brings on other intense emotion, but I can't see it leaving you unaffected either. Personally, I had the delight of feeling deeply troubled, in that unsettled way that comes from something subtle and shocking yet also understandable. That troubled feeling, which we spend our lives trying to avoid feeling (and thus avoiding discussing the troubling issues that causes the feeling), that comes from something that is wrong, yet ... and yet. It's not that I thought Thea did the right thing, not at all, it's that I could understand why she did it, so well was she constructed as a character. It's a moral dilemma, but Thea has gone so far that she sees it more as an issue of not repeating the mistakes of her past, which is where she becomes understandable, even relatable. It's this moral tipping point, this conflict of right and wrong, that makes the book so absolutely delicious.
Thea isn't the only character who comes fully alive, though. All the characters brought to life through simple sketches - a less is more approach, you could say, and all through the lens of Thea's oft-times old-fashioned opinions. As well as the human characters, Teddy also stands out, and so does the land. I'm a big fan of books set in Australia where the natural landscape becomes intrinsic to the story - the plot, the characters, but more than that, it becomes a character itself. That is my own personal experience with the land, and it's a prominent element in the Australian national identity - especially where the two meet, with people getting lost in the bush. We have centuries of stories, both true and fictional, about people, including children, wandering into the bush, never to be seen again, and having this at our backs - this allure, or lure, of the bush, the wilderness, a wilderness that has a kind of siren call, luring people in - definitely has an effect on our culture, our psyche, our relationship with the bush. My favourite course at uni was an English Honours class on this very topic, and I got to read some fascinating stories. The most famous is probably Picnic at Hanging Rock (the book or the film), and I'd also recommend Peter Pierce's non-fiction work, The Country of Lost Children: An Australian Anxiety , which is not about abducted children but children who disappear in the bush.
The Precipice is rather like a writing exercise itself, and that was one of the things that really impressed me: how it was written. Unlike other readers (and they may think I'm dim), I didn't see the ending coming. In fact, I didn't know how it would end and until close to the ending, I didn't even see where the story was going. It was all so nicely understated, with a glimmer of insidious threat and tension, downplayed by modern sensibilities and basic morality. This is what it comes back to: I didn't see it coming, because for the longest time there was no justifiable reason for it; also, I like to think well of people, and I knew Thea's intimate thoughts - she lays herself bare - and she's such an "upright character".
That's the beauty of it: we are ALL capable of ANYTHING, and The Precipice details that gradual psychological shift, and our ability to convince ourselves that something is the right thing to do. Yes all the clues are there, and if you're not as engaged in the story as I was you'll no doubt see it much more quickly than I did. I like stories to play out, though; I rarely actively try to figure things out, and while I had heard that this was a psychological thriller, I quickly decided that they must have been mistaken, because it didn't seem to be one at all. So I read this as straight-up fiction, unsure where it was going but figuring it was just going to be family drama.
Other people might be annoyed or frustrated by this, but for me it was half the fun.
I've reached the point where I'm going to start repeating myself and lose my audience entirely, so I'll just say that I loved The Precipice, both for the story it tells, the beautiful and clever way it's written, and the characters themselves - but also for giving me a chance to immerse myself once again in the Blue Mountains, which I've visited once and have never forgotten: they're beautiful, the kind of landscape that makes you quietly contemplative, and put everything into perspective.
Even though she spent her life as an English teacher and then a principal at an all-girls boarding school, Thea doesn't like children. In fact, she doesn't like many people at all. She's irascible, intimidating, grumpy, opinionated, bossy, sharp-tongued and fairly scathing of others, and a product of a much different generation, with an out-of-date perspective. But she has manners, so after reluctantly accepting an invitation for drinks from Frank and Ellice, she returns the gesture by inviting them over to the hovel, and asking several other people she knows in the area because she doesn't feel up to dealing with them on her own. Despite this gesture, Thea has no intention of befriending the family or of becoming one of those old ladies who spies on her neighbours behind her lace curtains (not that she has lace curtains, and in fact her windows are covered in grime).
Nevertheless, the "invaders" as she starts off thinking of them as, gradually become people she thinks far too much about, especially Kim, Frank's twelve-year-old half-Vietnamese niece, the one she thought was their daughter (they really are in the twenties). Kim is quiet and keeps to herself, spending her time reading and drawing sketches. When Thea finds her on one of her walks with Teddy through the bush, in a spot she could only have found by following Thea before, Thea is furious. But slowly the two oddballs befriend each other, thawing and becoming close friends. Kim even starts coming to Thea's writing class, run by a flamboyant man called Oscar.
With the mistakes of her past - notably the reason why she was forced to resign - haunting her mind, Thea begins to worry about the family in her house, especially Frank, a music composer now working on an adult film that he leaves lying around where Kim can find it - and in Thea's experience, every teenager is a curious one. Her preoccupation with what is going on in that house, and how it might affect Kim, takes over her life and pushes her to a precipice of her own making.
The Precipice was long-listed for the Miles Franklin Award in 2012, which is how I came to hear of it, and luckily a UK publisher had picked it up so I could get a copy from the Book Depository. Because this was an excellent book, truly gripping and compelling, without ever being contrived or even overly dramatic. In fact, it all slowly creeps up on you, but because it's told in Thea's voice - her journal, that she's keeping after Oscar asked them to start one - and her thought patterns and voice so gradually changes, it all comes together so perfectly.
I don't know if I have the words for this one. At first I was liking it but not overly impressed - Thea's writing style was a bit erratic at first, a bit disjointed - but her writing improved (and this technique made her even more real, as a character) and you really, really, come to know the way she thinks. The true skill in this novel, the real beauty of it, is in Thea's voice. She's a very interesting woman, quite entertaining in her way, and sympathetic too. I'm sure we've all know older women something like Thea. I felt her pain for the dream house she had designed and built to her exact specifications, only to have to sell it because she couldn't afford to live in it.
The otherwise untainted emptiness of everything affected me deeply. I thought, this is the last time I will ever see my house untouched, just as I left it. The last time ever that it will be my creation alone. If I can bear to set foot inside again, in some unthinkable future, it will not be the same. It will have taken on the patina of other people's lives.
There was one additional thing I can hardly bring myself to mention: an expectancy. I sensed it, felt it hovering lightly in the air. The house was awaiting its new owners, impatient for its life's work and purpose to begin with. It was almost as if it was - repudiating me, but that is too strong.
Yet I was aware that a distance had opened up between us. The intimacy of our relationship, the three-way interplay of myself, Teddy, house - it was no longer there. And more than that, it was as if it had never been. It had blown away, jut like my money. Vanished without a trace, and from this day forward I could be nothing but a casual visitor.
I felt I was trespassing in my own house. [p.8]
The way she thinks through her reactions to things, her opinions, is realistic and helps us understand her even more. As well, she has a dry sense of humour, totally self-deprecating, and she freely admits to her faults.
I sound like one of those dreadful women in English detective stories. The cosy, old-fashioned sort that fly off Sandy's shelves. One of those village nosy parkers who spy on everyone through net curtains. Tea cosies, scones and prurient gossip: a lifestyle I abhor, and have strenuously avoided. Although scones and tea cosies have their place; one should never throw out the baby with the bathwater. I've had a tendency to do that, I suspect all my life. [pp.138-9]
When you have a story with little action and a very plain plot that is narrated by an individual, that character has to carry the story. And Thea does. She lives, she's realistic, and for the duration of the story (which was far too short and ended far too soon, yet was perfectly structured and concluded), she completely filled my head. The skill Duigan displays in cleverly, finely crafting such gradual change in Thea, all so that the climax fits so perfectly, is impressive. It's so understated and subtle, and that's not easy to write.
I don't want to give things away by talking about the mistakes of Thea's past and how it all came together at the end, but I have to say something about it - when I closed the book at the end I had one of those moments of speaking aloud, to express my admiration and just how it affected me. It's not a story that makes you cry or brings on other intense emotion, but I can't see it leaving you unaffected either. Personally, I had the delight of feeling deeply troubled, in that unsettled way that comes from something subtle and shocking yet also understandable. That troubled feeling, which we spend our lives trying to avoid feeling (and thus avoiding discussing the troubling issues that causes the feeling), that comes from something that is wrong, yet ... and yet. It's not that I thought Thea did the right thing, not at all, it's that I could understand why she did it, so well was she constructed as a character. It's a moral dilemma, but Thea has gone so far that she sees it more as an issue of not repeating the mistakes of her past, which is where she becomes understandable, even relatable. It's this moral tipping point, this conflict of right and wrong, that makes the book so absolutely delicious.
Thea isn't the only character who comes fully alive, though. All the characters brought to life through simple sketches - a less is more approach, you could say, and all through the lens of Thea's oft-times old-fashioned opinions. As well as the human characters, Teddy also stands out, and so does the land. I'm a big fan of books set in Australia where the natural landscape becomes intrinsic to the story - the plot, the characters, but more than that, it becomes a character itself. That is my own personal experience with the land, and it's a prominent element in the Australian national identity - especially where the two meet, with people getting lost in the bush. We have centuries of stories, both true and fictional, about people, including children, wandering into the bush, never to be seen again, and having this at our backs - this allure, or lure, of the bush, the wilderness, a wilderness that has a kind of siren call, luring people in - definitely has an effect on our culture, our psyche, our relationship with the bush. My favourite course at uni was an English Honours class on this very topic, and I got to read some fascinating stories. The most famous is probably Picnic at Hanging Rock (the book or the film), and I'd also recommend Peter Pierce's non-fiction work, The Country of Lost Children: An Australian Anxiety , which is not about abducted children but children who disappear in the bush.
The Precipice is rather like a writing exercise itself, and that was one of the things that really impressed me: how it was written. Unlike other readers (and they may think I'm dim), I didn't see the ending coming. In fact, I didn't know how it would end and until close to the ending, I didn't even see where the story was going. It was all so nicely understated, with a glimmer of insidious threat and tension, downplayed by modern sensibilities and basic morality. This is what it comes back to: I didn't see it coming, because for the longest time there was no justifiable reason for it; also, I like to think well of people, and I knew Thea's intimate thoughts - she lays herself bare - and she's such an "upright character".
That's the beauty of it: we are ALL capable of ANYTHING, and The Precipice details that gradual psychological shift, and our ability to convince ourselves that something is the right thing to do. Yes all the clues are there, and if you're not as engaged in the story as I was you'll no doubt see it much more quickly than I did. I like stories to play out, though; I rarely actively try to figure things out, and while I had heard that this was a psychological thriller, I quickly decided that they must have been mistaken, because it didn't seem to be one at all. So I read this as straight-up fiction, unsure where it was going but figuring it was just going to be family drama.
Other people might be annoyed or frustrated by this, but for me it was half the fun.
I've reached the point where I'm going to start repeating myself and lose my audience entirely, so I'll just say that I loved The Precipice, both for the story it tells, the beautiful and clever way it's written, and the characters themselves - but also for giving me a chance to immerse myself once again in the Blue Mountains, which I've visited once and have never forgotten: they're beautiful, the kind of landscape that makes you quietly contemplative, and put everything into perspective.
June 23, 2013
Thea Farmer, 77 year old retired school principal, had just sold her dream home, one she designed and had built as her retirement home. But the “financial crash” saw her lose everything, so the sale of her home was unavoidable. She had a small cottage across the road, which she called the hovel, into which she moved when the sale went through. Thea was a recluse who lived with her labrador Teddy, her companion for the past thirteen years, and she didn’t want anything to do with her new neighbours, especially seeing as they had taken over HER house.
But Frank and wife Ellice were a friendly couple, and they also had their shy, quiet niece Kim, living with them. Kim was Frank’s brother’s child, but had never known a “real” home, not since she was around three years old. Over time, Thea and Kim became unlikely friends, forming a bond and a gentle friendship. Thea was concerned for Kim, as her uncle seemed a little strange and her aunt very vague, quite uncaring toward her niece, so she had Kim over to her cottage as often as she could.
I had trouble getting into this novel, as a matter of fact I almost put it to one side, but in the end I finished it. It did get better, but the first part of the book was very jumbled and rambling. The characters were not easy to like, especially Frank and Ellice. Kim I found the most likeable, but all the characters seemed a little stiff and unnatural to me. It is called a psychological thriller…I have read many of these, and this isn’t one, in my opinion. The best part of the book was the beautiful Blue Mountains of Australia!
But Frank and wife Ellice were a friendly couple, and they also had their shy, quiet niece Kim, living with them. Kim was Frank’s brother’s child, but had never known a “real” home, not since she was around three years old. Over time, Thea and Kim became unlikely friends, forming a bond and a gentle friendship. Thea was concerned for Kim, as her uncle seemed a little strange and her aunt very vague, quite uncaring toward her niece, so she had Kim over to her cottage as often as she could.
I had trouble getting into this novel, as a matter of fact I almost put it to one side, but in the end I finished it. It did get better, but the first part of the book was very jumbled and rambling. The characters were not easy to like, especially Frank and Ellice. Kim I found the most likeable, but all the characters seemed a little stiff and unnatural to me. It is called a psychological thriller…I have read many of these, and this isn’t one, in my opinion. The best part of the book was the beautiful Blue Mountains of Australia!
July 29, 2018
This was a slow burner that held my interest enough to keep me turning the pages. The catastrophic climax was obvious and I knew it was coming a mile off however Thea as a character with her scathing and critical observations of those around her were interesting and I will look for more from this author.
September 8, 2014
The Precipice, longlisted for the Miles Franklin Literary Award is a psychological thriller, a genre with which I am not very familiar. I’ve read very few of them, enough to know that I don’t usually like the drip-feed of clues which are supposed to build tension and keep the reader enthralled to the dénouement. For reasons best known to the publisher, the dénouementin this novel is (unless the reader is remarkably dim) as-good-as given away by the cover image, the title and the blurb on the back cover.
So, since I had worked out what was going to happen very early on in the novel, I had to continue reading it for reasons other than the plot.
The characterisation makes for interesting contrasts between the major characters. Thea Farmer, a retired principal on the precipice of moral disorder, reminded me of Barbara Covett in Notes on a Scandal. Like Barbara, she reaches out of her comfort zone to become friends with someone much younger, in this case, a vulnerable twelve-year-old neighbour called Kim who has come to live in the house she once owned. Thea has left her career in disgrace as Barbara did, and she is possessive like Barbara too, assuming a protective role over her new friend to the point of obsession. She’s also possessive about a piece of the bush nearby, believing that she is the only person to know about it and initially very indignant when Kim ventures into it.
To read the rest of my review, please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2012/04/25/th...
So, since I had worked out what was going to happen very early on in the novel, I had to continue reading it for reasons other than the plot.
The characterisation makes for interesting contrasts between the major characters. Thea Farmer, a retired principal on the precipice of moral disorder, reminded me of Barbara Covett in Notes on a Scandal. Like Barbara, she reaches out of her comfort zone to become friends with someone much younger, in this case, a vulnerable twelve-year-old neighbour called Kim who has come to live in the house she once owned. Thea has left her career in disgrace as Barbara did, and she is possessive like Barbara too, assuming a protective role over her new friend to the point of obsession. She’s also possessive about a piece of the bush nearby, believing that she is the only person to know about it and initially very indignant when Kim ventures into it.
To read the rest of my review, please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2012/04/25/th...
August 25, 2011
I was teetering between 4 and 5 stars. I really liked this book, I could relate to the way the character talked, the language ... even though at times I needed a dictionary ... as I have an older friend who talks the same way, has the same sardonic view on life, people etc. I was great to see it written down, but it caught me in the beginning, as I had not really read the back cover, and did not realise that it was the ramblings of an educated oldish woman. I got a real sense of location though, and makes me want to visit the Blue Mountains.
This was another book that I have read recently where I have wondered if the person who wrote the blurb on the back cover, actually read the book, or did I miss something. Despite this, I enjoyed the story and found the ending quite fitting/plausible.
The reason I did not give it 5 stars was that somethings appeared out of character and/or were unexplained. I was waiting to hear what happened in Thea's past, but it did not really get explained, though it was alluded to in the end. Also, the scene with Kim smoking ... I had to double check that it wasn't Frank who was smoking. Where did that come from and why? However, this absence of clarification could be construed to be in line with the character, who is actually telling the tale ... maybe she did not care enough to find out why, be shocked etc..
I may change my score when I think about this some more.
This was another book that I have read recently where I have wondered if the person who wrote the blurb on the back cover, actually read the book, or did I miss something. Despite this, I enjoyed the story and found the ending quite fitting/plausible.
The reason I did not give it 5 stars was that somethings appeared out of character and/or were unexplained. I was waiting to hear what happened in Thea's past, but it did not really get explained, though it was alluded to in the end. Also, the scene with Kim smoking ... I had to double check that it wasn't Frank who was smoking. Where did that come from and why? However, this absence of clarification could be construed to be in line with the character, who is actually telling the tale ... maybe she did not care enough to find out why, be shocked etc..
I may change my score when I think about this some more.
September 26, 2014
This book was wonderful. It started of at a slow pace but then slowly builds up to a very dramatic ending. Thea's once calm and quiet life in the Blue Mountains is disrupted by her new neighbours Frank & Ellice. Somehow they seem to force their way into Thea's life and I could feel she was rather uncomfortable about the situation and a little anxious at the start.
Thea developed a lovely friendship with their 12 year old niece Kim. They seem to have many things in common. Their love of animals, reading, writing, and I felt they had a mutual respect for one another and understanding of each others feelings.
However tension builds as Thea suspects something is not right with her neighbours. She becomes bold, persistent toward them and resorts to snooping around to find some answers. It wasn't until I learned of what happen in Thea’s past that I could fully understand why she acted this way.
I really enjoyed the mix of humour, friendship, and suspense all rolled into one. But the only reason I gave it 4 stars was abrupt ending. It left me hanging and I wanted for more.
Thea developed a lovely friendship with their 12 year old niece Kim. They seem to have many things in common. Their love of animals, reading, writing, and I felt they had a mutual respect for one another and understanding of each others feelings.
However tension builds as Thea suspects something is not right with her neighbours. She becomes bold, persistent toward them and resorts to snooping around to find some answers. It wasn't until I learned of what happen in Thea’s past that I could fully understand why she acted this way.
I really enjoyed the mix of humour, friendship, and suspense all rolled into one. But the only reason I gave it 4 stars was abrupt ending. It left me hanging and I wanted for more.
March 29, 2016
I read this as an audio book in my car. Narrated by the author.
I found the interfering narrator frustratingly prudish at times, but the story used this to advantage. The relationships between the characters were well drawn and sensitive and the language elegant.
The developing relationship between Thea, aging ex-principal with a cloud over her career end, and Kim, the troubled niece of Thea's new neighbours, was warming and based around a love of literature and writing. Kim's troubled past seemed to trouble her not enough, so that she grew open and receptive too quickly.
The growing intrigue around Kim's uncle, Frank, seemed at times to be a fuss over very little on Thea's part. The end was shocking and unexpected.
Well recommended if the reader can move past an initial frustration over Thea's prudish views.
I found the interfering narrator frustratingly prudish at times, but the story used this to advantage. The relationships between the characters were well drawn and sensitive and the language elegant.
The developing relationship between Thea, aging ex-principal with a cloud over her career end, and Kim, the troubled niece of Thea's new neighbours, was warming and based around a love of literature and writing. Kim's troubled past seemed to trouble her not enough, so that she grew open and receptive too quickly.
The growing intrigue around Kim's uncle, Frank, seemed at times to be a fuss over very little on Thea's part. The end was shocking and unexpected.
Well recommended if the reader can move past an initial frustration over Thea's prudish views.
January 4, 2013
A recovering alcoholic, pregnant and with her hubby recently diagnosed with cancer, her life was spiraling out of control. Then she discovered blogging, and this saved her, gave her an alternate focus and now she has gone on to become one of Australia’s best, according to her interviewer, and making money from it to boot. Her name, I have no idea of, as I awoke temporarily from my slumbers to hear her rhapsodise on the pluses of a blog – it is my habit to have the radio on during the night hours, a result of the many years that, for the most part, I lived alone. I have none of those issues in my life that the interviewee nominated, but having a blog certainly has enhanced my world, and its all down to my BTD – my Beautiful Talented Daughter. Firstly she introduced me to Goodreads, where this will shortly appear, and I found I could write reviews of sorts for the books I devoured. Then, in a labour of love for which I am immensely grateful, she set me up with a blog that will also host this piece. In that I expanded to relate happenings in my life, past and present – never of great moment, but I found I could spin a yarn around them that at least entertained me. Lately I’ve tried my hand at a sort of fiction too. My scribblings will never amount to much, but it is the satisfaction the process gives me that I so enjoy. I’ll never make a razoo from it as does the interviewee, nor do I remotely have the gift my BTD has in the ability to extend a yarn into a cogent work of fiction that publishers and readers over this great country have warmed to. BTD also has a blog relating the daily adventures of raising the Tiger, my adored granddaughter. I love my own blog and, as a newly minted retiree, it has made the transition from limited to unlimited time a doddle. So heartfelt thanks to you, BTD!
And what has all this to do with the book in question? Well the main character is also a similarly retired teacher and she has discovered ‘writing’ as well. Thea, immensely let down by the GFC, had to give up her dreams of living out her life in style in a grand rural abode of her own design, returning by necessity to her original digs, what she calls a hovel, on the same block of Blue Mountains forest-shrouded real estate. Her dream house was sold to a young city couple, with a child on the cusp of teenagerhood in tow. Her writing is in the form of exercises invented by her intriguing windbag of a creative writing facilitator, Oscar. Being somewhat of a Luddite (as was I till BTD stepped in), Thea also keeps a journal, rather than a blog. Her writing could easily have become an obsession as she is that way inclined, but instead Thea starts obsessing over the neighbouring child, Kim – a young lady of exotic heritage and one not entirely innocent. The last time Thea was so captivated by someone ended in tears, and to prevent this reoccurring she needs to take drastic action. We know something sinister is going to happen, the back cover blurb tells us so. From about half way through the tome it would become clear to any reasonably savvy reader the form this terrible climax will take, but the ‘The Precipice’ isn’t any the less for that. It is a wonderfully wrought piece of fiction as Duigan heaps the pressure on Thea until she explodes into well conceived action.
This novel places the values of one generation against those of another with interesting results. And in the middle of this is Kim, a very articulate but nonetheless unworldly child – or is she. Kim responds to Thea in a way that only one other had done so in the past, and although the first fixation takes up little of the story’s space, it is essential to an understanding of Thea’s motivations.
There are lovely moments abounding in this book, many centred on Thea’s true love in the real sense of the word, her hound Ted – and his transition from canine to ‘lover’ is one of the delights of ‘The Precipice’. Kim herself is also an excellent writerly creation.
The book is also homage to the Australian bush – its grandeur, its possibility of enveloping life and its protectiveness of the old people, the First Australians. Reading this was a terrific way of starting off a new year’s worth of the worlds books transport us to. Looking out my window this morning, on a day promising temperatures in the high thirties and extreme fire danger, I observe the surrounding bush covered hills and cogitate on what secrets they may hold – secrets my BTD also wrote very ably of in her two very fine works for young adults, ‘Thyla’ and ‘Vulpi’.
And what has all this to do with the book in question? Well the main character is also a similarly retired teacher and she has discovered ‘writing’ as well. Thea, immensely let down by the GFC, had to give up her dreams of living out her life in style in a grand rural abode of her own design, returning by necessity to her original digs, what she calls a hovel, on the same block of Blue Mountains forest-shrouded real estate. Her dream house was sold to a young city couple, with a child on the cusp of teenagerhood in tow. Her writing is in the form of exercises invented by her intriguing windbag of a creative writing facilitator, Oscar. Being somewhat of a Luddite (as was I till BTD stepped in), Thea also keeps a journal, rather than a blog. Her writing could easily have become an obsession as she is that way inclined, but instead Thea starts obsessing over the neighbouring child, Kim – a young lady of exotic heritage and one not entirely innocent. The last time Thea was so captivated by someone ended in tears, and to prevent this reoccurring she needs to take drastic action. We know something sinister is going to happen, the back cover blurb tells us so. From about half way through the tome it would become clear to any reasonably savvy reader the form this terrible climax will take, but the ‘The Precipice’ isn’t any the less for that. It is a wonderfully wrought piece of fiction as Duigan heaps the pressure on Thea until she explodes into well conceived action.
This novel places the values of one generation against those of another with interesting results. And in the middle of this is Kim, a very articulate but nonetheless unworldly child – or is she. Kim responds to Thea in a way that only one other had done so in the past, and although the first fixation takes up little of the story’s space, it is essential to an understanding of Thea’s motivations.
There are lovely moments abounding in this book, many centred on Thea’s true love in the real sense of the word, her hound Ted – and his transition from canine to ‘lover’ is one of the delights of ‘The Precipice’. Kim herself is also an excellent writerly creation.
The book is also homage to the Australian bush – its grandeur, its possibility of enveloping life and its protectiveness of the old people, the First Australians. Reading this was a terrific way of starting off a new year’s worth of the worlds books transport us to. Looking out my window this morning, on a day promising temperatures in the high thirties and extreme fire danger, I observe the surrounding bush covered hills and cogitate on what secrets they may hold – secrets my BTD also wrote very ably of in her two very fine works for young adults, ‘Thyla’ and ‘Vulpi’.
August 11, 2011
This book could have been good. Retired school principal, (and we all know how weird they can be)loses everything in the stockmarket crash, has to sell dream home in Blue Mountains and live in a crumbling cottage opposite. Becomes obsessed with the new neighbours and their niece, thinks the girl's uncle is a bit dodgy..takes him for a walk in the bush...and whoops! Unfortunately, Virginia Duigan made it incredibly long winded and verbose and stream of consciousness boring.
September 7, 2011
Pleasant read. The writer withheld information until so late in the book (the last 3 pages) so that the end was very abrupt. Good read throughout though.
December 27, 2011
I really like the way this book was written and could identify with the grumpy old lady who was the main character! Set in the Blue Mountains - a good read.
February 16, 2017
I think it’s really important to understand this book might not necessarily do what it says on the tin – the blurb indicates this is a literary psychological thriller set in the intense Australian bush. While the setting is certainly the Australian bush, I wouldn’t perhaps say that this is a thriller (for those of you looking for a mystery-type story.)
Personally, I found this book a bit disappointing on many levels. I guess I like stories based on the writing, the character and the structure of the storytelling – so I don’t mind stories that are slow burning (ie the pace is slow) so long as the characters are compelling and I want to spend more time in the good writing. Unfortunately with this book I didn’t necessarily like the characters, I found the pace was glacial and the writing could have worked much better.
I think this is mainly because I “read” this as an audiobook – more importantly, narrated by the author. I’ve found with some audiobooks read by their authors it’s really great – but with others I really miss the actor’s craft, being able to perhaps breathe life into writing that might have otherwise fallen flat. Because the story takes place wholly inside Thea’s head, Duigan leaves very little doubt about her intentions for the tone of Thea’s voice – which I found harsh, pompous and there was little relief from her haughty pronouncements. Even when describing her beloved dog, I never felt relief from the feeling of being lectured to.
I feel like Duigan was aiming for a character a little like Barbara from Zoe Heller’s “Notes on a Scandal” – the older, acid-tongued, isolated ex-educator making judgements about others and interfering for her own ends. But I feel like there was a lot still left undeveloped about Thea – I don’t mean she had more to about herself to reveal to the reader, but rather that she felt a little two dimensional. She reflects on her days as a teacher, but not the students (and obviously taught in a place that didn’t insist on being a mandatory notifier, but that’s another thing.) She assumes nobody is as smart as her, which also includes the reader, as she spells out things that could have been simply alluded to (which would have strengthened the writing too.) Thea is definitely someone who uses big words deliberately and revels in explaining them to you on the assumption you wouldn’t know what they mean. And yet when she’s introduced to the concept of subtext she’s apparently never considered its existence. Being undeveloped, this meant there was very little change and progress in Thea’s character – yes, she befriends the girl, but really there’s no unravelling or descent towards the story’s conclusion.
(Another whole other issue was Thea assuming she was the only one who knew about the cave paintings, because there’s no possibility there are modern-day indigenous people who would know about them…)
Having Thea be a member of a writing group was just painful. I am interested to hear authors discuss their writing, but I find reading amateur writers writing about writing up there with listening to people tell me about their dreams.
For a “thriller” there was very little urgency in the story – I wouldn’t be surprised if readers abandon this book because so much of the beginning is simply her annoyance at the new, young couple who have moved in, with absolutely no description of the place or their surroundings. Given the importance of the surroundings (to the sense of imminent danger to the teenager, as a place of refuge for Thea, as a place where something bad might happen), there was no description – no bird life, no certain trees, I don’t even know if this took place in the country, what sort of town it was.
I found the ending very abrupt – not necessarily unpredictable, but it really is the last few pages and there isn’t really a conclusion, or even really a build up to it all. I was frustrated because there were so many opportunities to make this story and its narrating story interesting. Of course Thea hates “young people’s music” – what would make it interesting is for her to be surprised by her interest in something she wouldn’t perhaps have thought she would like. Of course she’s the shining star of her writing group – what would have made it interesting is if there were a better writer in the group she would feel put out by. Of course Kim thought her piece about Teddy was great – what would have made it interesting is if she made a constructive observation that the members of the writing group missed.
I think I went into this with pretty high expectations - so I guess there's a lot about this book that was okay, however if I hadn't known there was something interesting coming I might not have finished.
Personally, I found this book a bit disappointing on many levels. I guess I like stories based on the writing, the character and the structure of the storytelling – so I don’t mind stories that are slow burning (ie the pace is slow) so long as the characters are compelling and I want to spend more time in the good writing. Unfortunately with this book I didn’t necessarily like the characters, I found the pace was glacial and the writing could have worked much better.
I think this is mainly because I “read” this as an audiobook – more importantly, narrated by the author. I’ve found with some audiobooks read by their authors it’s really great – but with others I really miss the actor’s craft, being able to perhaps breathe life into writing that might have otherwise fallen flat. Because the story takes place wholly inside Thea’s head, Duigan leaves very little doubt about her intentions for the tone of Thea’s voice – which I found harsh, pompous and there was little relief from her haughty pronouncements. Even when describing her beloved dog, I never felt relief from the feeling of being lectured to.
I feel like Duigan was aiming for a character a little like Barbara from Zoe Heller’s “Notes on a Scandal” – the older, acid-tongued, isolated ex-educator making judgements about others and interfering for her own ends. But I feel like there was a lot still left undeveloped about Thea – I don’t mean she had more to about herself to reveal to the reader, but rather that she felt a little two dimensional. She reflects on her days as a teacher, but not the students (and obviously taught in a place that didn’t insist on being a mandatory notifier, but that’s another thing.) She assumes nobody is as smart as her, which also includes the reader, as she spells out things that could have been simply alluded to (which would have strengthened the writing too.) Thea is definitely someone who uses big words deliberately and revels in explaining them to you on the assumption you wouldn’t know what they mean. And yet when she’s introduced to the concept of subtext she’s apparently never considered its existence. Being undeveloped, this meant there was very little change and progress in Thea’s character – yes, she befriends the girl, but really there’s no unravelling or descent towards the story’s conclusion.
(Another whole other issue was Thea assuming she was the only one who knew about the cave paintings, because there’s no possibility there are modern-day indigenous people who would know about them…)
Having Thea be a member of a writing group was just painful. I am interested to hear authors discuss their writing, but I find reading amateur writers writing about writing up there with listening to people tell me about their dreams.
For a “thriller” there was very little urgency in the story – I wouldn’t be surprised if readers abandon this book because so much of the beginning is simply her annoyance at the new, young couple who have moved in, with absolutely no description of the place or their surroundings. Given the importance of the surroundings (to the sense of imminent danger to the teenager, as a place of refuge for Thea, as a place where something bad might happen), there was no description – no bird life, no certain trees, I don’t even know if this took place in the country, what sort of town it was.
I found the ending very abrupt – not necessarily unpredictable, but it really is the last few pages and there isn’t really a conclusion, or even really a build up to it all. I was frustrated because there were so many opportunities to make this story and its narrating story interesting. Of course Thea hates “young people’s music” – what would make it interesting is for her to be surprised by her interest in something she wouldn’t perhaps have thought she would like. Of course she’s the shining star of her writing group – what would have made it interesting is if there were a better writer in the group she would feel put out by. Of course Kim thought her piece about Teddy was great – what would have made it interesting is if she made a constructive observation that the members of the writing group missed.
I think I went into this with pretty high expectations - so I guess there's a lot about this book that was okay, however if I hadn't known there was something interesting coming I might not have finished.
February 17, 2017
OK, I'm going to go out on a limb (or a precipice) and give this book 5 stars because I thoroughly enjoyed it. Don't believe the blurb that calls it a psychological thriller because it really isn't. I've read a lot of detective and thriller books recently, so this was a refreshing departure from those genres.
I listened to the Bolinda audiobook read by the author and she did a super job. Set in the Blue Mountains northwest of Sydney, Precipice is the story told in first person narrative by Thea, a curmudgeonly, erudite older woman who is forced to sell her brand new dream house due to financial problems. She and her dog remain in a small cottage (The Hovel) on the property, as she gradually gets to know the new neighbours (The Intruders). Like peeling off layers of an onion, we slowly learn more about Thea's past and how it influences her behaviour in the the present.
I listened to the Bolinda audiobook read by the author and she did a super job. Set in the Blue Mountains northwest of Sydney, Precipice is the story told in first person narrative by Thea, a curmudgeonly, erudite older woman who is forced to sell her brand new dream house due to financial problems. She and her dog remain in a small cottage (The Hovel) on the property, as she gradually gets to know the new neighbours (The Intruders). Like peeling off layers of an onion, we slowly learn more about Thea's past and how it influences her behaviour in the the present.
August 17, 2018
I loved this book!
I was fortunate enough to listen to the AudioBook version, read aloud by the author herself, which added an extra element of wonderment to this exceptionally well-written thriller.
I was fortunate enough to listen to the AudioBook version, read aloud by the author herself, which added an extra element of wonderment to this exceptionally well-written thriller.
April 14, 2019
I have only recently discovered this author. I love her quirky and descriptive way of writing.
The story is told with much-hidden humor. I loved it and am off to Virginia's next book.
The story is told with much-hidden humor. I loved it and am off to Virginia's next book.
June 18, 2024
Simmers slowly and innocently so that the supposed 'justified' ending comes as a complete surprise.
September 20, 2024
A very tedious read.
September 15, 2019
Well written and engaging, I loved the character Kim and found myself warming to Thea but personally did not like the ending. Did not feel it was ethical or justified.
January 9, 2012
I suppose finding some sort of "pattern" in what you're reading, when you read a lot of books, is inevitable, but it always intrigues when I find that sort of co-incidence showing up. At the moment it's well-written unsympathetic, often off-putting characterisations. THE PRECIPICE has more than one of those in spades.
Thea Farmer's voice is very realistic, the retired school principal, reclusive, difficult, with a small circle of carefully chosen people she interacts with; her only soft edges come from her relationship with her beloved, and rapidly aging, dog. Resentful and hostile, she's prickly, acerbic, standoffish and seemingly unable to find anyway to reconcile herself to the loss of her dream home and the invasion of her privacy that this new couple, and the child with them, inflict on her controlled and private world.
This is most definitely not a book for readers who like events declared right up front, and investigations and resolutions with everything neat, tidy and answered at the end. It's not even a book that declares a "crime" or a problem blatantly, although I suppose it might be possible to take an educated guess at where we could be heading, if you have the time, or the inclination to want to try to double guess the author. But it's really not that sort of a book. THE PRECIPICE is very much a psychological thriller, moving seamlessly from the resentful mutterings of a grumpy old woman, through the development of a cessation of hostilities rather than friendship with the young girl, to a minefield of responsibility and dilemma. There's the odd stutter and stumble along the way - they could be plot vagaries, they could equally be the vagaries of a tricky narrator.
The book is undoubtedly one of those slow burn, sleeper type thrillers. The plot's very slow to reveal, which makes the reader really have to concentrate on Thea's life - her main obsessions as well. She's definitely terse, she's judgemental and more than a bit snobby at points, all of which seem perfectly in character, it's probably a tendency towards whinging that really stood out as a character flaw - somehow that just didn't fit with the rest of the woman's persona. Having said that, there was something "not quite right" about the new neighbours as well... overly "nice", too contrasted to Thea to be true.
So far, it sounds like there's not a lot going for THE PRECIPICE, and I can't begin to tell you how surprised I was to find that it had gone from a book to be slogged through, to something unable to be put down. But it did, and that was quite a while before the "point" of the drama was clearly revealed, before the crime was declared, and some reason for everyone being assembled on the pages was constructed. Where that happened, when the why or the what or the how became less important and the doing, the build up, the slow reveal really started to work, is still a bit of a mystery to this reader. But work it did.
Thea Farmer's voice is very realistic, the retired school principal, reclusive, difficult, with a small circle of carefully chosen people she interacts with; her only soft edges come from her relationship with her beloved, and rapidly aging, dog. Resentful and hostile, she's prickly, acerbic, standoffish and seemingly unable to find anyway to reconcile herself to the loss of her dream home and the invasion of her privacy that this new couple, and the child with them, inflict on her controlled and private world.
This is most definitely not a book for readers who like events declared right up front, and investigations and resolutions with everything neat, tidy and answered at the end. It's not even a book that declares a "crime" or a problem blatantly, although I suppose it might be possible to take an educated guess at where we could be heading, if you have the time, or the inclination to want to try to double guess the author. But it's really not that sort of a book. THE PRECIPICE is very much a psychological thriller, moving seamlessly from the resentful mutterings of a grumpy old woman, through the development of a cessation of hostilities rather than friendship with the young girl, to a minefield of responsibility and dilemma. There's the odd stutter and stumble along the way - they could be plot vagaries, they could equally be the vagaries of a tricky narrator.
The book is undoubtedly one of those slow burn, sleeper type thrillers. The plot's very slow to reveal, which makes the reader really have to concentrate on Thea's life - her main obsessions as well. She's definitely terse, she's judgemental and more than a bit snobby at points, all of which seem perfectly in character, it's probably a tendency towards whinging that really stood out as a character flaw - somehow that just didn't fit with the rest of the woman's persona. Having said that, there was something "not quite right" about the new neighbours as well... overly "nice", too contrasted to Thea to be true.
So far, it sounds like there's not a lot going for THE PRECIPICE, and I can't begin to tell you how surprised I was to find that it had gone from a book to be slogged through, to something unable to be put down. But it did, and that was quite a while before the "point" of the drama was clearly revealed, before the crime was declared, and some reason for everyone being assembled on the pages was constructed. Where that happened, when the why or the what or the how became less important and the doing, the build up, the slow reveal really started to work, is still a bit of a mystery to this reader. But work it did.
October 22, 2014
I simply did not enjoy this book. I found the writing clumsy. It reinforced my dislike of journal-style novels. And the characters, while mildly entertaining, are unlikely to stay with me.
The book is the fictional journal of Thea Farmer, a retired school principal who wants to be a writer (a writer writing about writing, hmm yes). Thea is opinionated and strong willed and takes on her neighbours' lax approach to parenting of their fostered niece as a personal challenge. This takes a dramatic turn as Thea begins to suspect there is more going on than lazy parenting.
There are actually some beautiful sub-plots in the novel that add richness and colour. Without the cave, the writing class and the house that Thea built, I doubt I would have finished The Precipice.
Two stars. Because it's clever and sometimes beautiful. But I don't recommend it.
The book is the fictional journal of Thea Farmer, a retired school principal who wants to be a writer (a writer writing about writing, hmm yes). Thea is opinionated and strong willed and takes on her neighbours' lax approach to parenting of their fostered niece as a personal challenge. This takes a dramatic turn as Thea begins to suspect there is more going on than lazy parenting.
There are actually some beautiful sub-plots in the novel that add richness and colour. Without the cave, the writing class and the house that Thea built, I doubt I would have finished The Precipice.
Two stars. Because it's clever and sometimes beautiful. But I don't recommend it.
January 10, 2015
This story revolves around the character of Thea, a "retired" school principal who is grumpy, reclusive, difficult and often bitter. It is slowly paced but gradually builds the tension as we begin to realise that all is not right with her new neighbours and we also gradually realise why she was forced to retire. These two factors come together in a shocking conclusion. Written through Thea's eyes, the supporting characters, including her beloved dog and the neighbour's niece Kim, are well drawn. The Blue Mountains form a substantial presence in the background and contribute to the sense of tension; every Australian's fear of being lost in the bush. I'd love to know what happened "after" and if Thea even thought that far ahead. I'd also like to be more certain that the man's fate was deserved or if Thea's past experiences and old-fashioned outlook made more of it than it really was??
October 1, 2011
I chose this to read following on from 'Flock' by Lyn Hughes, as it too is set in the Blue Mountains of which I'm fond. Being a person over a 'certain age' I appreciated the lead character's point of view, although not in agreement with all her views. Duigan describes the landscape of the Blue Mountains as an invaded space now lost to the original inhabitants, an 'acknowledgement of country', but somehow skirts over the olfactory fact so distinctive of the Australian bush. The tension between the generations was interesting and her relationship with the troubled child is nicely done, but I saw the denouement coming a long way off.
Read
March 28, 2012Very poor read. The mish-mash of themes ( home/house/architecture, Australian bush, being a writer ...) don't gel. The dialogue is very unconvincing thus the characters are entirely unrealistic. This is especially true for each of her neighbours, but also all of the rest, (except for the narrator and perhaps Oscar). The denouement is brief, unexpected and unsatisfying.
One pleasing aspect was the frequent cogent analyses of language, both in conversation and personal reflection. However, this does not save the book.
One pleasing aspect was the frequent cogent analyses of language, both in conversation and personal reflection. However, this does not save the book.
January 6, 2016
Duigan’s protagonist Thea, a retired school principal living in the Blue Mountains, is a difficult character who has lost her home because of the financial crisis and has been forced to move into a next door ‘hovel’. Despite her intense desire for solitude, Thea befriends the young girl who moves in next door with her uncle and his wife. A lot goes on beneath the surface of this absorbing novel and readers are left with many questions about the choices Thea makes that lead to the novel’s dramatic conclusion. Three and a half stars.
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September 14, 2011This is written by a friend of mine. This is her 3rd book and it's interesting to make connections to her life through her characters. So far I'm enjoying it. Love my kindle.
I hurtled through this book at a runner's pace, thoroughly enjoying it and the ending is perfect. The build up sucked me in and I was thrown out the other end like a huge wave. Well done, can't wait for the next one.
I hurtled through this book at a runner's pace, thoroughly enjoying it and the ending is perfect. The build up sucked me in and I was thrown out the other end like a huge wave. Well done, can't wait for the next one.
May 9, 2012
Some books take the reader on a journey, sometimes to places which intrigue and frighten us. This was such a book. From the beginning there is a sense of doom, as gradually the layers are peeled off and more is revealed. I loved the characters, the setting and the storyline. The darker the plot got, the more I had to keep reading until the book stopped with a shudder. It's great to read an Australian book that is so intriguing and I want to read more by this author.
January 10, 2012
I missed that this was a "thriller" and because I read it on a Kindle I didn't notice the spooky cover. Until very late in the book, I was still expecting the story to resolve much differently than it does. I was pleasantly surprised. I liked the character of Thea very much, although she did take a while to warm up to. Great read.
September 24, 2012
Picked this up on the new releases shelf at the library. Loved it! A female twist on the boy meets mentor theme. Great characters - the cynical ex-principal is very amusing and I love the relationship that develops between her and the girl who moves in across the road. Loved the setting - Blue Mountains. Loved the ending. A compelling read
April 17, 2013
Slow to start but eventually reaches a climax which has been hinted at so many times it is neither shocking as it should be nor convincing. A pity as the descriptions of the scenery in the Blue Mountains are beautiful.
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