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Southern Aurora
The unforgettable new novel from the Dagger award-winning author of Wimmera. A novel that shows small-town life is unforgiving if you're from the other side of the tracks.
"We always listen out for the train when we're down in the cutting because sometimes they come quicker than you expect. There aren't as many trains as there used to be. Mostly just the freight ones, like the one that nearly killed us on the bus ... The best train is The Southern Aurora. It goes all the way from Melbourne to Sydney, and from Sydney to Melbourne. It stops in Mittigunda because we're pretty much exactly halfway between."
Jimmy is a kid growing up fast on the poorest street in town. He tries to do everything right and look out for his mum and his younger brother. His older brother is in jail, so it's up to Jimmy to hold things together. But small-town life is unforgiving if you're from the other side of the tracks.
If only his mum didn't drink so much.
If only he could win the school billycart race.
If only his best friend understood.
If only he could stop his mum's boyfriend from getting angry.
If only he was there.
Jimmy soon learns that even when you get things right, everything can still go wrong.
"We always listen out for the train when we're down in the cutting because sometimes they come quicker than you expect. There aren't as many trains as there used to be. Mostly just the freight ones, like the one that nearly killed us on the bus ... The best train is The Southern Aurora. It goes all the way from Melbourne to Sydney, and from Sydney to Melbourne. It stops in Mittigunda because we're pretty much exactly halfway between."
Jimmy is a kid growing up fast on the poorest street in town. He tries to do everything right and look out for his mum and his younger brother. His older brother is in jail, so it's up to Jimmy to hold things together. But small-town life is unforgiving if you're from the other side of the tracks.
If only his mum didn't drink so much.
If only he could win the school billycart race.
If only his best friend understood.
If only he could stop his mum's boyfriend from getting angry.
If only he was there.
Jimmy soon learns that even when you get things right, everything can still go wrong.
288 pages, Paperback
Published November 12, 2024
24 people are currently reading
468 people want to read
About the author
Mark Brandi
5 books303 followersMark Brandi's bestselling novel, Wimmera, won the coveted British Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger, and was named Best Debut at the 2018 Australian Indie Book Awards. It was also shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards Literary Fiction Book of the Year, the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year, and the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime.
Mark's second novel, The Rip, was published to critical acclaim in 2019, and his third novel, The Others, was shortlisted for the Best Fiction prize in the 2022 Ned Kelly Awards. His fourth novel, Southern Aurora, was Highly Commended in the 2024 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. His fifth novel, Eden, was published in July 2025.
Mark's shorter work has appeared in The Guardian, The Age, The Big Issue, and is sometimes broadcast on ABC Radio National. Mark graduated with a criminal justice degree and worked in the justice system before changing direction and deciding to write. Originally from Italy, he grew up in rural Victoria. He now lives in Melbourne and is working on his next novel.
Mark's second novel, The Rip, was published to critical acclaim in 2019, and his third novel, The Others, was shortlisted for the Best Fiction prize in the 2022 Ned Kelly Awards. His fourth novel, Southern Aurora, was Highly Commended in the 2024 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. His fifth novel, Eden, was published in July 2025.
Mark's shorter work has appeared in The Guardian, The Age, The Big Issue, and is sometimes broadcast on ABC Radio National. Mark graduated with a criminal justice degree and worked in the justice system before changing direction and deciding to write. Originally from Italy, he grew up in rural Victoria. He now lives in Melbourne and is working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
July 28, 2023
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
Melbourne based author Mark Brandi burst onto the Australian book scene in 2017 with his powerful debut novel Wimmera. This Dagger award-winning author is back with his fourth novel, Southern Aurora. In his latest literary showpiece, Brandi shines a light on those who live in impoverished circumstances, with particular attention to small communities. A raw and visceral read, Southern Aurora is a hard headed novel.
Meet Jimmy, the charismatic narrator of Mark Brandi’s Southern Aurora. Jimmy lives on the fringes on a street that is classed as the most poverty-stricken corner in the town. Everyday is fight for Jimmy as he struggles to look after both his mother and brother. Jimmy is the one who ensures that the family sticks together, especially as his older brother has been incarcerated. But life is incredibly tough for Jimmy and those who reside with him in this part of his town. Jimmy is someone who continues to battle against the odds. His mother’s drinking habits, along with the ire of his mother’s boyfriend all conspire to bring Jimmy down. Will Jimmy ever be able to break the cycle of misfortune that has followed him his entire life?
Mark Brandi has given a voice to those who are considered outcasts in society due to their income status in his newest novel Southern Aurora. I admired the brave and fearless approach Brandi takes to his main subject line. It feels as though Southern Aurora is the kind of novel that needed to be written. It is raw, honest, hard-hitting and doleful.
I’ve followed Mark Brandi’s writing career since he first cropped up the Australian publishing scene. I have had the pleasure of reading Brandi’s previous titles, Wimmera and The Rip. Each of these novels is written in Brandi’s poised and evocative tone. Writing for impact would best describes Brandi’s style. I was taken aback by just how devastating this one was, as well as touching.
Brandi is able to occupy the voice of young, innocent, naïve yet hardened child in Jimmy. The harsh reality of living on the outskirts in a tough small community comes across with great clarity in Southern Aurora. There is a childlike innocence to Jimmy’s observations, but they are also tainted by his difficult experiences. Brandi incorporates a number of tough themes in Southern Aurora such as domestic abuse, alcoholism, poverty, crime, loss, desertion, displacement and cruelty. Set to an 1980s backdrop that felt so real and familiar to me as a child born the age dawn of this decade, Brandi has conjured up a landscape that is authentic and oh so real. At the heart of this story is Jimmy’s battle against his world and the community in which he lives. Brandi’s tale will bring a tear to your eye. Southern Aurora is one very emotive read from beginning to end.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Melbourne based author Mark Brandi burst onto the Australian book scene in 2017 with his powerful debut novel Wimmera. This Dagger award-winning author is back with his fourth novel, Southern Aurora. In his latest literary showpiece, Brandi shines a light on those who live in impoverished circumstances, with particular attention to small communities. A raw and visceral read, Southern Aurora is a hard headed novel.
Meet Jimmy, the charismatic narrator of Mark Brandi’s Southern Aurora. Jimmy lives on the fringes on a street that is classed as the most poverty-stricken corner in the town. Everyday is fight for Jimmy as he struggles to look after both his mother and brother. Jimmy is the one who ensures that the family sticks together, especially as his older brother has been incarcerated. But life is incredibly tough for Jimmy and those who reside with him in this part of his town. Jimmy is someone who continues to battle against the odds. His mother’s drinking habits, along with the ire of his mother’s boyfriend all conspire to bring Jimmy down. Will Jimmy ever be able to break the cycle of misfortune that has followed him his entire life?
Mark Brandi has given a voice to those who are considered outcasts in society due to their income status in his newest novel Southern Aurora. I admired the brave and fearless approach Brandi takes to his main subject line. It feels as though Southern Aurora is the kind of novel that needed to be written. It is raw, honest, hard-hitting and doleful.
I’ve followed Mark Brandi’s writing career since he first cropped up the Australian publishing scene. I have had the pleasure of reading Brandi’s previous titles, Wimmera and The Rip. Each of these novels is written in Brandi’s poised and evocative tone. Writing for impact would best describes Brandi’s style. I was taken aback by just how devastating this one was, as well as touching.
Brandi is able to occupy the voice of young, innocent, naïve yet hardened child in Jimmy. The harsh reality of living on the outskirts in a tough small community comes across with great clarity in Southern Aurora. There is a childlike innocence to Jimmy’s observations, but they are also tainted by his difficult experiences. Brandi incorporates a number of tough themes in Southern Aurora such as domestic abuse, alcoholism, poverty, crime, loss, desertion, displacement and cruelty. Set to an 1980s backdrop that felt so real and familiar to me as a child born the age dawn of this decade, Brandi has conjured up a landscape that is authentic and oh so real. At the heart of this story is Jimmy’s battle against his world and the community in which he lives. Brandi’s tale will bring a tear to your eye. Southern Aurora is one very emotive read from beginning to end.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
July 7, 2023
Thank you Hachette for sending us a copy to red and review.
Being from the wrong side of the tracks has an impact on your life and implications that make escaping the cycle of poverty very hard.
The concept of meritocracy is sound and achievable in this country but in reality….
Jimmy is from the Avenue, the poorest street in town that consists of mostly housing commission homes.
His young shoulders are burden to heavy emotional loads.
His single mum is an alcoholic and dates an abusive violent man, his younger brother has special needs and his older brother is in jail but a goodness in him doesn’t deter an optimistic view of life.
This small snippet of time illustrates the struggles a family on the economic fringe endure.
Kindness and loyalty are always lingering and are saviours when things are tough.
The child’s voice is masterfully executed in this narrative, it is strong, loud and pragmatic.
It exudes the innocence and highlights the level observation.
Mark Brandi is a refined literary architect and consistently delivers an evocative and well written narrative.
Being from the wrong side of the tracks has an impact on your life and implications that make escaping the cycle of poverty very hard.
The concept of meritocracy is sound and achievable in this country but in reality….
Jimmy is from the Avenue, the poorest street in town that consists of mostly housing commission homes.
His young shoulders are burden to heavy emotional loads.
His single mum is an alcoholic and dates an abusive violent man, his younger brother has special needs and his older brother is in jail but a goodness in him doesn’t deter an optimistic view of life.
This small snippet of time illustrates the struggles a family on the economic fringe endure.
Kindness and loyalty are always lingering and are saviours when things are tough.
The child’s voice is masterfully executed in this narrative, it is strong, loud and pragmatic.
It exudes the innocence and highlights the level observation.
Mark Brandi is a refined literary architect and consistently delivers an evocative and well written narrative.
July 4, 2023
Thank you Hachette Australia for sending me a copy of this book to review.
This was such an emotional read for me, this one reduced me to tears.
Set in Rural Australia, told by Jimmy a young boy growing up in the 80's . Things just dont go his way. It discusses sensitive topics such as alcoholism and domestic violence. His writing is genuine and beautiful you feel all the characters emotions. I havent stopped thinking about this book and I dont think I ever will. It will stay with me forever.
This was such an emotional read for me, this one reduced me to tears.
Set in Rural Australia, told by Jimmy a young boy growing up in the 80's . Things just dont go his way. It discusses sensitive topics such as alcoholism and domestic violence. His writing is genuine and beautiful you feel all the characters emotions. I havent stopped thinking about this book and I dont think I ever will. It will stay with me forever.
November 1, 2023
⭐️4 Stars⭐️
Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi is an Australian story full of sadness but also hope, it’s beautifully written with heart and soul in the voice of young Jimmy. Jimmy is a bit of a loner but he does has one friend, the author does a magnificent job of getting into Jimmy’s head and expressing his feelings and observations. The story has themes of domestic violence and alcoholism.
Jimmy lives in the poorest part of town and is trying to do the right thing by looking out for his family. He lives with his mum who’s vulnerable and his younger brother Sam who goes to a special school. His older brother Mick is currently serving time in jail, soon to be released. The story is set in the 1980’s and I loved reading the nostalgic references throughout the book for that era.
Southern Aurora is a story that you will think about long after you’ve finished reading.
Publication Date 28 June 2023
Publisher Hachette Australia
A huge thanks to the lovely team Hachette Australia for a copy of the book to read.
Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi is an Australian story full of sadness but also hope, it’s beautifully written with heart and soul in the voice of young Jimmy. Jimmy is a bit of a loner but he does has one friend, the author does a magnificent job of getting into Jimmy’s head and expressing his feelings and observations. The story has themes of domestic violence and alcoholism.
Jimmy lives in the poorest part of town and is trying to do the right thing by looking out for his family. He lives with his mum who’s vulnerable and his younger brother Sam who goes to a special school. His older brother Mick is currently serving time in jail, soon to be released. The story is set in the 1980’s and I loved reading the nostalgic references throughout the book for that era.
Southern Aurora is a story that you will think about long after you’ve finished reading.
Publication Date 28 June 2023
Publisher Hachette Australia
A huge thanks to the lovely team Hachette Australia for a copy of the book to read.
June 27, 2023
This book broke my heart and made me want to jump between the pages and wrap this boy up in my arms and hold him tight . Written in the voice of young 5th grader Jimmy and set in a small rural town in the 80s. Southern Aurora made me nostalgic. Being an 80s kid myself, there were so many memories of my own childhood between these pages.
Except Jimmy’s story is a lot more raw. This kid has it tough and he takes it all on himself and tries his best in the hardest of situations.
This is my first book by this author and certainly won’t be my last.
Thank you to @betterreadingau for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.
Except Jimmy’s story is a lot more raw. This kid has it tough and he takes it all on himself and tries his best in the hardest of situations.
This is my first book by this author and certainly won’t be my last.
Thank you to @betterreadingau for allowing me the opportunity to review this book.
May 20, 2024
I love how the book captures growing up in Australia. It brought back so many memories of a different time, when saving to go to the show, or eating takeaway fish and chips was such a treat.
Wonderful characters and writing!
Wonderful characters and writing!
March 13, 2024
Mark Brandi is really good at narrating stories in the voice of young boys. In Southern Aurora, we hear Jimmy’s story. He lives with his mum and younger brother Sam on the wrong side of the tracks in a small country town where friends are scarce and everyone knows your business. His older brother Mick occasionally lives with them - when he’s not in prison, that is, and sometimes Charlie, Mum’s boyfriend, is on the scene.
Set in the 1980s, Southern Aurora shows us a snapshot of around a year in Jimmy’s life. If you’re expecting any massive plot you’ll probably be disappointed, but I loved this look into a young boy’s life in the country with a dysfunctional family who he loves. Such a great look at big problems seen through young eyes, and the importance of loving relationships. And because it was set in 1980s Australia, it made me nostalgic for my own youth. A great, quick read.
Set in the 1980s, Southern Aurora shows us a snapshot of around a year in Jimmy’s life. If you’re expecting any massive plot you’ll probably be disappointed, but I loved this look into a young boy’s life in the country with a dysfunctional family who he loves. Such a great look at big problems seen through young eyes, and the importance of loving relationships. And because it was set in 1980s Australia, it made me nostalgic for my own youth. A great, quick read.
August 30, 2025
Realistic story about the struggles of a poor family in a small country town, from a young boy’s perspective. I enjoyed the 1980’s cultural references.
April 22, 2023
Would have done 10 ⭐️’s if allowed. Mark’s writing is so unique. You find yourself swept up in Jimmy’s life and his love for his family especially his brother Sam. He carries the world on his young shoulders..Marks protagonists are always the underdog and your heart bleeds for them. Superb book !!!!
couldn-t-finish
July 14, 2023I’m calling it at page 36. The author’s first two novels were brilliant. I persevered through Brandi’s third novel but the YA voice irritated me. This book has a young narrator and I just can’t do it again.
January 12, 2024
Jimmy is from the wrong side of the tracks. His older brother Mick is inside, stitched up by the cops, his younger brother Sam is intellectually impaired, and his Mum has a penchant for shitty wine and even shittier men. Jimmy tries to keep everyone together, look after Sam and his Mum, but its really hard trying to keep everyone happy and safe. Especially when you're 11, there's no money and Mum's friend Charlie keeps hanging around.
Mark Brandi is a man who's no stranger to ripping my heart out. He did it in Wimmera, then the Rip and now with Southern Aurora. I knew it would be a gut-punch, probably because I have a quiet 11 year old myself, but this book did me in.
Bring tissues. I am spent.
Mark Brandi is a man who's no stranger to ripping my heart out. He did it in Wimmera, then the Rip and now with Southern Aurora. I knew it would be a gut-punch, probably because I have a quiet 11 year old myself, but this book did me in.
Bring tissues. I am spent.
April 7, 2024
Jimmy, a young boy of primary school age, lives with his mum and younger brother Sam in the fictional Australian town of Mittigunda. Being on the 'wrong side of the tracks', Jimmy struggles with school, friends, his older brother in jail, his mum who struggles with her addiction to cask wine, and the burden he feels to take care of his family.
I listened to the audiobook and was totally captivated by the storytelling. The language is beautiful, the characters relatable. It is an impressive story by an outstanding talent in Australian literature.
I listened to the audiobook and was totally captivated by the storytelling. The language is beautiful, the characters relatable. It is an impressive story by an outstanding talent in Australian literature.
August 1, 2023
Mittagunda is a town in the middle of nowhere, a whistlestop for trains that run between Sydney and Melbourne and the Southern Aurora is a highlight for Jimmy and many of the local kids as it passes through. It whizzes past and teases the kids with it's bright lights and passengers traveling to somewhere far more exciting than these kids could ever imagine.
Jimmy lives in Mittagunda with his family - his single mum with a reliance on cask wine to try to cope with her abusive boyfriend, his younger brother Sam - a 'special kid' who Jimmy helps look after, and his older brother Mick, currently in jail (again) but soon to be released and return home.
Jimmy has had a pretty tough upbringing, but despite this he has a gentle and innocent way of looking at he world and those around him. He has a quiet but deep awareness and understanding of the wrongs in his world, but very little hope of breaking the cycle of poverty and abuse that causes so much of it.
Brandi has once again carved out characters and a setting so authentic that you can't help feeling totally immersed in this story. Mittagunda could be any rural town in Australia - if you grew up in one or have spent any time living in one you'll recognise it's characteristics: the sights and sounds, even the smells and the tastes are tangible. Jimmy could be any number of kids that I knew growing up in a small Victorian town, and while Brandi is the master of bringing life to these people and places he does so with a style of prose that is not weighed down with unnecessary embelishments and wordy descriptions - his writing is sparse but it conveys some heavy themes in quite a subtle way - a believable voice of a 12 year old country boy.
I loved this latest novel by Mark Brandi, one of my favourite Australian authors. Jimmy carries an enormous weight on his tiny shoulders, but I felt a glimmer of hope that he might one day break free of the constraints of his small town life.
Highly recommend!
Jimmy lives in Mittagunda with his family - his single mum with a reliance on cask wine to try to cope with her abusive boyfriend, his younger brother Sam - a 'special kid' who Jimmy helps look after, and his older brother Mick, currently in jail (again) but soon to be released and return home.
Jimmy has had a pretty tough upbringing, but despite this he has a gentle and innocent way of looking at he world and those around him. He has a quiet but deep awareness and understanding of the wrongs in his world, but very little hope of breaking the cycle of poverty and abuse that causes so much of it.
Brandi has once again carved out characters and a setting so authentic that you can't help feeling totally immersed in this story. Mittagunda could be any rural town in Australia - if you grew up in one or have spent any time living in one you'll recognise it's characteristics: the sights and sounds, even the smells and the tastes are tangible. Jimmy could be any number of kids that I knew growing up in a small Victorian town, and while Brandi is the master of bringing life to these people and places he does so with a style of prose that is not weighed down with unnecessary embelishments and wordy descriptions - his writing is sparse but it conveys some heavy themes in quite a subtle way - a believable voice of a 12 year old country boy.
I loved this latest novel by Mark Brandi, one of my favourite Australian authors. Jimmy carries an enormous weight on his tiny shoulders, but I felt a glimmer of hope that he might one day break free of the constraints of his small town life.
Highly recommend!
September 21, 2023
So good! Love how this author really can make you identify with the child's voice. He writes so well
July 16, 2023
Southern Aurora is one of the most heart wrenching books I have read. Sublimely written by the incredibly talented Mark Brandi this book will leave its mark - on your heart, on your conscience and on your soul.
Narrated by Jimmy, we are front and centre in his life. His life living in the worst street in town. His life with a mum who tries, but isn't always there for her boys.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗺'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.
Jimmy feels the pressure to help make things better for his mum and for his younger brother Sam. He feels it is his job to watch his mum and her drinking, to keep her boyfriend happy so he won't hurt her, to be all the things a young boy should not have to be. He is endearingly innocent and naive, yet wise and mature at the same time.
I cried, I knew I would. I want to hug Jimmy and tell him it will be alright. Now I'm crying again 😢
Narrated by Jimmy, we are front and centre in his life. His life living in the worst street in town. His life with a mum who tries, but isn't always there for her boys.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗺 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗱𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝘂𝗰𝗵.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗹𝘆𝗰𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗱.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽 𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗺𝘂𝗺'𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘆𝗳𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗿𝘆.
𝗜𝗳 𝗼𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲.
Jimmy feels the pressure to help make things better for his mum and for his younger brother Sam. He feels it is his job to watch his mum and her drinking, to keep her boyfriend happy so he won't hurt her, to be all the things a young boy should not have to be. He is endearingly innocent and naive, yet wise and mature at the same time.
I cried, I knew I would. I want to hug Jimmy and tell him it will be alright. Now I'm crying again 😢
June 18, 2023
Southern Aurora introduces us to young Jimmy and we see life through his eyes. He tries hard to do the right thing and always puts others first. He worries about his Mums drinking, his brother Mick being in prison and he cares for his special needs brother Sam.
I fell in love with Jimmy and could see that he was a great kid dispite all the hardship in his life. I wanted nothing but the best for him and felt like I wanted to protect him. I hope his future became bright and would love to know how things are for the adult Jimmy.
This was a book that I could not put down. I was thankful for the weekend and not having to worry about going to work so I could finish and ponder this awesome read. If you are looking for a weekend read then this is the one. You wont be sorry.
Southern Aurora is the first Mark Brandi book I have read but It wont be the last. I have already purchased Wimmera and it is sitting in my TBR pile.
I fell in love with Jimmy and could see that he was a great kid dispite all the hardship in his life. I wanted nothing but the best for him and felt like I wanted to protect him. I hope his future became bright and would love to know how things are for the adult Jimmy.
This was a book that I could not put down. I was thankful for the weekend and not having to worry about going to work so I could finish and ponder this awesome read. If you are looking for a weekend read then this is the one. You wont be sorry.
Southern Aurora is the first Mark Brandi book I have read but It wont be the last. I have already purchased Wimmera and it is sitting in my TBR pile.
August 29, 2023
Update: I have revised my star rating.
Initially I gave this book 4 stars. But, since I closed the book and wrote the following short review, it has been haunting me. I keep finding myself thinking about the story, the writing, the ending.
I have changed my rating to 5 stars.
-------------
This book creeps up on you.
You think it's a simple childhood story that's not going anywhere or saying much at all.
And when you finish the last page, you realise it's told you everything and you travelled a lifetime, and you sit in wonder looking at a book that is so much more complex than you were giving it credit for.
A cracker of a read.
Initially I gave this book 4 stars. But, since I closed the book and wrote the following short review, it has been haunting me. I keep finding myself thinking about the story, the writing, the ending.
I have changed my rating to 5 stars.
-------------
This book creeps up on you.
You think it's a simple childhood story that's not going anywhere or saying much at all.
And when you finish the last page, you realise it's told you everything and you travelled a lifetime, and you sit in wonder looking at a book that is so much more complex than you were giving it credit for.
A cracker of a read.
October 4, 2023
3.5 stars
September 22, 2025
3 and a half stars 🌟
April 27, 2024
I particularly enjoy a book written from the pov of a child. Mark brandi captures childhood so well -
The joy the fears the goals of a 10 year old. Poor lad has less joy and more fears than you'd hope. Also enjoyed the 80s setting.
Also heard the author speak at the Sorrento writers festival just now - very engaging.
The joy the fears the goals of a 10 year old. Poor lad has less joy and more fears than you'd hope. Also enjoyed the 80s setting.
Also heard the author speak at the Sorrento writers festival just now - very engaging.
December 9, 2024
Good book
September 5, 2025
A beautifully written story of life in Australia when life hasn’t given you much except some good music, tacky TV shows, and flawed family and friends
June 13, 2023
Jimmy lives in a lower socio economic area, he lives with his mum, his younger brother Sam who goes to special school. His older brother had a spot of bother and is in jail, Jimmy goes to the local school and has a friend called Danny. Mum has a relationship which is turning into a domestic violence situation, Jimmy is trying to be everything to everybody. Mum's bodyguard and keeping watch on her drinking Kaiser... Sams minder from time to time, a good friend to Danny and waiting for his brother Michael to return home. There is a billy cart race at school and he feels he let his team down when he had the wheels turned the wrong way and they lost precious seconds, there are repercussions as his team mates ostracise him. Charlie the mums boyfriend takes them camping and assaults the mum while the kids are asleep (not the first time Charlie has been violent). Jimmy and Sam work on their brother Michael cart with the help of Don (special school bus driver) who tries to support the family as he has known them a long time. When things seem to be coming together tragedy strikes, but the family pulls themselves together with the help of family.
July 29, 2023
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Southern Aurora is dripping in the pacey dialogue and inner thought heavy goodness that has become synonymous with Mark Brandi.
Like his other novels (Wimmera, The Rip, The Others) I was instantly captivated and pulled into a world that is familiar, all to common (but not mundane) and filled with rich characters. Crafting inner voice to compel a reader to be present with the main protagonist is Brandi’s forte.
Although Southern Aurora is perhaps less twisty and turny than his previous works, I enjoyed Mark’s latest offering and reading that voice that is distinctly his.
Southern Aurora is dripping in the pacey dialogue and inner thought heavy goodness that has become synonymous with Mark Brandi.
Like his other novels (Wimmera, The Rip, The Others) I was instantly captivated and pulled into a world that is familiar, all to common (but not mundane) and filled with rich characters. Crafting inner voice to compel a reader to be present with the main protagonist is Brandi’s forte.
Although Southern Aurora is perhaps less twisty and turny than his previous works, I enjoyed Mark’s latest offering and reading that voice that is distinctly his.
October 4, 2023
In an interview, Mark Brandi said of his main character Jimmy ”…And that’s where it began, I think that, that age, that kind of 11 or 12 years old is a really crucial age. And for Jimmy, his friends are his whole world. His siblings are his whole world and his family.” (https://thejoysofbingereading.com/mar...)
He went on to say: “He’s the kind of kid that takes the world on his shoulders to a large extent. I felt compelled to follow him and to write his story.” So this is the story of Jimmy who lives in the fictional small town of Mittigunda, which is smack bang in the middle of nowhere. It’s a dot on the map that has a train station only because it marks the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne. The novel is set in 1986. Jimmy in in Year 5 and is best mates with Danny. He lives with his mum and his younger brother Sam who has some unspecified learning difficulties. His older brother is in jail. His mum has quite the addiction to the Kaiser (yes – the wine cask from the 70s and 80s) and her boyfriend is dodgy.
Brandi conveys Jimmy’s voice really well. “There’s hardly any shade at our school, just one big pepper corn tree that makes your hand sticky if you touch the leaves. Most of the yard is boiling hot asphalt.“
He is skilled at evoking the atmosphere of a small country town – both the claustrophobia of everyone knowing your business but also the protection that can be part of a small community. People look out for Jimmy – the older bus driver, the mother of a classmate, the people in the milk bar. In an interview Brandi says: "One of the things in small towns - which I experienced growing up - was a kind of claustrophobia," he says.
"There is this sense that everyone knows who you are and who your family is, and they will make assumptions about you on that basis. That can be a very hard thing to break free from." (https://www.canberratimes.com.au/stor...) But there is also a flip side which is captured well in this book: "I loved growing up in a country town," Brandi says. "Particularly in the 1980s, you had this great sense of freedom. You could go out the front door in the morning, and your parents didn't care what you were doing as long as you were back by nighttime."
It can be a problem, the naïve narrator but I thought that he was able to hit just the right tone and present Jimmy’s perspective on things while conveying the complexities of life. Brandi said of this: “And one of the things I love about that kind of perspective is that the reader will often feel a degree of protectiveness over the protagonist.” He certainly achieves this aim in spades in this book.
“One reviewer critiqued the novel on the basis of limitations of the child narrator : “The narrative perspective means that Brandi cannot get beyond this to other issues. And while there is a thread of domestic violence (a given for Australian books set in this type of setting in this era) the biggest question of the book is whether Jimmy will win his billycart race.”
(https://pilebythebed.com/index.php/20...)
I feel though that what we got was a story that was content to live within the perspective of a child and that this is ultimately satisfying as a read. In that same interview, Brandi said: “I remember reading this quote from William Faulkner and he talked about the writing process somewhat facetiously. He said that, “writing is easy. You just make up these characters and then you follow ’em around and write what they do.” This is what this book is. I would have liked more of Mick’s story (the older brother) – and that would have taken the novel into darker terrain – but I still found the book very engaging.
He went on to say: “He’s the kind of kid that takes the world on his shoulders to a large extent. I felt compelled to follow him and to write his story.” So this is the story of Jimmy who lives in the fictional small town of Mittigunda, which is smack bang in the middle of nowhere. It’s a dot on the map that has a train station only because it marks the halfway point between Sydney and Melbourne. The novel is set in 1986. Jimmy in in Year 5 and is best mates with Danny. He lives with his mum and his younger brother Sam who has some unspecified learning difficulties. His older brother is in jail. His mum has quite the addiction to the Kaiser (yes – the wine cask from the 70s and 80s) and her boyfriend is dodgy.
Brandi conveys Jimmy’s voice really well. “There’s hardly any shade at our school, just one big pepper corn tree that makes your hand sticky if you touch the leaves. Most of the yard is boiling hot asphalt.“
He is skilled at evoking the atmosphere of a small country town – both the claustrophobia of everyone knowing your business but also the protection that can be part of a small community. People look out for Jimmy – the older bus driver, the mother of a classmate, the people in the milk bar. In an interview Brandi says: "One of the things in small towns - which I experienced growing up - was a kind of claustrophobia," he says.
"There is this sense that everyone knows who you are and who your family is, and they will make assumptions about you on that basis. That can be a very hard thing to break free from." (https://www.canberratimes.com.au/stor...) But there is also a flip side which is captured well in this book: "I loved growing up in a country town," Brandi says. "Particularly in the 1980s, you had this great sense of freedom. You could go out the front door in the morning, and your parents didn't care what you were doing as long as you were back by nighttime."
It can be a problem, the naïve narrator but I thought that he was able to hit just the right tone and present Jimmy’s perspective on things while conveying the complexities of life. Brandi said of this: “And one of the things I love about that kind of perspective is that the reader will often feel a degree of protectiveness over the protagonist.” He certainly achieves this aim in spades in this book.
“One reviewer critiqued the novel on the basis of limitations of the child narrator : “The narrative perspective means that Brandi cannot get beyond this to other issues. And while there is a thread of domestic violence (a given for Australian books set in this type of setting in this era) the biggest question of the book is whether Jimmy will win his billycart race.”
(https://pilebythebed.com/index.php/20...)
I feel though that what we got was a story that was content to live within the perspective of a child and that this is ultimately satisfying as a read. In that same interview, Brandi said: “I remember reading this quote from William Faulkner and he talked about the writing process somewhat facetiously. He said that, “writing is easy. You just make up these characters and then you follow ’em around and write what they do.” This is what this book is. I would have liked more of Mick’s story (the older brother) – and that would have taken the novel into darker terrain – but I still found the book very engaging.
August 4, 2023
I really loved this novel, but I’m having a little trouble shuffling it into any genre. It is, to a large extent, a family drama. But there are also elements of a crime novel, elements of a literary novel, and elements of a coming of age novel. It all comes together brilliantly, and should appeal to a wide range of readers.
Jimmy’s in Year 5, and he’s not as innocent as you might hope. He’s already aware that he lives on the poorest street in town, and that some people judge him for it. He knows, too, that his mother drinks too much, even if he can’t articulate it. He knows her violent boyfriend is bad news. And he thinks he knows that a lot of it is his fault.
Jimmy desperately wants things to get better. Surely they will when his big brother is out of jail. Or he wins the school billy cart race. Or when he manages to be present enough to stop the drinking, the violence, the arguments… But there’s only so much one little boy can do, and Jimmy’s going to learn a lot about life in the next few weeks.
Brandi has done a wonderful job of catching the voice of a (more or less) ten year old boy. They’re quite the mix, as a general rule, of both acute awareness and remarkable innocence. They’re still forming their understanding of the world, and are a ways away from being able to articulate their understanding. Brandi paints Jimmy’s half understanding in a way that is wholly sympathetic and empathetic.
This is also a sharp portrait of a small Australian country town, one that seems to lack any particular industry. Wealth is distributed very unevenly, and Jimmy sees the inequities although he doesn’t fully understand them. Brandi’s writing is subtle, and he outlines the social divides very clearly without ever, exactly, discussing them. He is particularly good at reflecting people’s attitudes through their words and actions rather than explicitly stating them.
Overall, Brandi’s writing is sharp and vivid. It’s spare, with no words wasted, but it conveys a great deal. The characters, environment and plot feel deep and layered, but it’s easy to read.
I felt deeply for Jimmy and closed the novel wondering how he’ll feel in a decade when he looks back on this with more comprehension. And yes, I know he’s fictional!
This is an outstanding novel, one that’s likely to stick in your memory for some time. It doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre, but that makes it feel more true to life. It’s a wonderful piece of writing, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to both feel and think as they read.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
Jimmy’s in Year 5, and he’s not as innocent as you might hope. He’s already aware that he lives on the poorest street in town, and that some people judge him for it. He knows, too, that his mother drinks too much, even if he can’t articulate it. He knows her violent boyfriend is bad news. And he thinks he knows that a lot of it is his fault.
Jimmy desperately wants things to get better. Surely they will when his big brother is out of jail. Or he wins the school billy cart race. Or when he manages to be present enough to stop the drinking, the violence, the arguments… But there’s only so much one little boy can do, and Jimmy’s going to learn a lot about life in the next few weeks.
Brandi has done a wonderful job of catching the voice of a (more or less) ten year old boy. They’re quite the mix, as a general rule, of both acute awareness and remarkable innocence. They’re still forming their understanding of the world, and are a ways away from being able to articulate their understanding. Brandi paints Jimmy’s half understanding in a way that is wholly sympathetic and empathetic.
This is also a sharp portrait of a small Australian country town, one that seems to lack any particular industry. Wealth is distributed very unevenly, and Jimmy sees the inequities although he doesn’t fully understand them. Brandi’s writing is subtle, and he outlines the social divides very clearly without ever, exactly, discussing them. He is particularly good at reflecting people’s attitudes through their words and actions rather than explicitly stating them.
Overall, Brandi’s writing is sharp and vivid. It’s spare, with no words wasted, but it conveys a great deal. The characters, environment and plot feel deep and layered, but it’s easy to read.
I felt deeply for Jimmy and closed the novel wondering how he’ll feel in a decade when he looks back on this with more comprehension. And yes, I know he’s fictional!
This is an outstanding novel, one that’s likely to stick in your memory for some time. It doesn’t fit neatly into any one genre, but that makes it feel more true to life. It’s a wonderful piece of writing, and I recommend it to anyone who wants to both feel and think as they read.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
December 21, 2023
‘Maybe people can change, or at least pretend to. Just like Charlie.’
Twelve-year-old Jimmy lives in regional Australia, in a (fictional) town called Mittigunda halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. The trains stop at Mittigunda, and Jimmy’s favourite train is the Southern Aurora which carries both passengers and the promise of a possible different life. Jimmy lives with his mum, his younger brother Sam, and his mum’s occasional boyfriend, Charlie. Jimmy’s older brother, Mick, is in gaol. Jimmy looks after Sam, worries about his mother’s drinking, and wishes that Charlie wouldn’t get so angry. Life is difficult.
‘Sometimes, if you let yourself dream of things getting better, they get worse. I should’ve known, but I’ll remember for next time. I won’t make that mistake ever again.’
Jimmy focusses on survival, on looking after Sam, on trying to keep his family together until Mick comes home.
Don, Sam’s school bus driver, gives Jimmy the best advice he can:
‘Life is really unfair sometimes, but you can’t control everything. You can’t control what people think, or what they do. This world isn’t perfect. Things always go wrong. Always. What you do matters, but it matters mostly to you. It’s not your job to fix everyone else.’
But is hard being a twelve-year-old when you feel responsible for others and when nearly everyone else seems better off. There is a school billycart race that Jimmy dreams of winning, but friendships are fickle, and Jimmy doesn’t always realise who his allies might be.
Mr Brandi brings Jimmy to life, with his over-developed sense of responsibility, his hypervigilance in relation to his mother and Charlie and the pervasive hopelessness of the situation he is in. And yet, I finished the novel hoping that Jimmy would be able to escape and make a new (and better) life for himself.
Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Twelve-year-old Jimmy lives in regional Australia, in a (fictional) town called Mittigunda halfway between Sydney and Melbourne. The trains stop at Mittigunda, and Jimmy’s favourite train is the Southern Aurora which carries both passengers and the promise of a possible different life. Jimmy lives with his mum, his younger brother Sam, and his mum’s occasional boyfriend, Charlie. Jimmy’s older brother, Mick, is in gaol. Jimmy looks after Sam, worries about his mother’s drinking, and wishes that Charlie wouldn’t get so angry. Life is difficult.
‘Sometimes, if you let yourself dream of things getting better, they get worse. I should’ve known, but I’ll remember for next time. I won’t make that mistake ever again.’
Jimmy focusses on survival, on looking after Sam, on trying to keep his family together until Mick comes home.
Don, Sam’s school bus driver, gives Jimmy the best advice he can:
‘Life is really unfair sometimes, but you can’t control everything. You can’t control what people think, or what they do. This world isn’t perfect. Things always go wrong. Always. What you do matters, but it matters mostly to you. It’s not your job to fix everyone else.’
But is hard being a twelve-year-old when you feel responsible for others and when nearly everyone else seems better off. There is a school billycart race that Jimmy dreams of winning, but friendships are fickle, and Jimmy doesn’t always realise who his allies might be.
Mr Brandi brings Jimmy to life, with his over-developed sense of responsibility, his hypervigilance in relation to his mother and Charlie and the pervasive hopelessness of the situation he is in. And yet, I finished the novel hoping that Jimmy would be able to escape and make a new (and better) life for himself.
Recommended.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
September 4, 2023
Jimmy is a kid who’s growing up on the poorest street in town. His older brother Mick is back in jail and his younger brother Sam is almost non-verbal. Jimmy looks out for him after school and when his mum isn’t around.
On top of Jimmy’s young shoulders, he feels a growing responsibility to keep an eye on his mother’s drinking and the need to protect her from her boyfriend.
When Jimmy and his friends have the chance to participate in a billy cart race, Jimmy hopes that winning will be the chance for change he’s been hoping for.
I loved this book. It took me a little while to get used to reading from the perspective of a child but Mark Brandi does it so well!
Jimmy is the picture of innocence. He doesn’t understand what is happening with his mum or her boyfriend but he knows it’s not good. He knows that her drinking is a problem but believes that his behaviour has the capacity to make a difference.
There is so much to unpack with this book and it’s hard to do without spoilers but will give it a go.
Things I loved:
- You get a better understanding of what Jimmy is thinking/feeling through his conversations with Sam
- That we never get an explanation as to why Sam is at the special school, because it’s clear Jimmy and his friends don’t care and are happy with his company
- The symbolism of the Southern Aurora train as a hope for something better in the future, passing through and just out of reach
- Even though Jimmy is from the poorer end of Mittigunda and his brother is in jail, everyone is looking out for him. Checking in on him, even if he doesn’t always understand the questions being asked
- The perspective of his friends, understanding sort of that he doesn’t have money but acting in that way that kids do, where they just assume it’ll be ok
On top of Jimmy’s young shoulders, he feels a growing responsibility to keep an eye on his mother’s drinking and the need to protect her from her boyfriend.
When Jimmy and his friends have the chance to participate in a billy cart race, Jimmy hopes that winning will be the chance for change he’s been hoping for.
I loved this book. It took me a little while to get used to reading from the perspective of a child but Mark Brandi does it so well!
Jimmy is the picture of innocence. He doesn’t understand what is happening with his mum or her boyfriend but he knows it’s not good. He knows that her drinking is a problem but believes that his behaviour has the capacity to make a difference.
There is so much to unpack with this book and it’s hard to do without spoilers but will give it a go.
Things I loved:
- You get a better understanding of what Jimmy is thinking/feeling through his conversations with Sam
- That we never get an explanation as to why Sam is at the special school, because it’s clear Jimmy and his friends don’t care and are happy with his company
- The symbolism of the Southern Aurora train as a hope for something better in the future, passing through and just out of reach
- Even though Jimmy is from the poorer end of Mittigunda and his brother is in jail, everyone is looking out for him. Checking in on him, even if he doesn’t always understand the questions being asked
- The perspective of his friends, understanding sort of that he doesn’t have money but acting in that way that kids do, where they just assume it’ll be ok
July 20, 2023
Southern Aurora by Mark Brandi is a story told through the eyes of 5th grader Jimmy. Jimmy is growing up in a rural town halfway between Melbourne and Sydney in a lower socio economic in one of the poorest streets in the town. For a 5th grader Jimmy has many burdens and worries to contend with, his mother is an alcoholic, his older brother is in jail and his younger brother has special needs. Jimmy’s story is raw and tough and through the pages Mark Brandi shows how growing up on the wrong side of the tracks in a small town can be unforgiving.
As the story is told from the point of a young person, I found this to be a quick read. The language is simple and Brandi style of writing flows well. I did feel like the first half of this story was building to an event but then realised that the event wasn’t going to happen. This did make me think what is the point? Yes, there were the issues of alcoholism, domestic violence, poverty and the emotional loads of a young person but for me the story lacked climax.
My favourite part was how much Australian nostalgia was written into this story. Every person who grew up in the 80’s in Australia could relate to the many uniquely Australian memories, right down to Saturday morning cartoons and good old fish and chip take away on a Friday night.
Would I recommend this book, probably not but then I wouldn’t not recommend it either, I’m very on the fence with this one.
July 18, 2023
Thank you to Better Reading for a preview copy of Mark Brandi's new release Southern Aurora.
Gosh, the heartbreaking story of children, growing up in neglectful, abusive circumstances in rural Australia is exactly why I avoid books like Southern Aurora. It is way too much like reality, the complex family dynamics, the interactions with the justice system and children having to navigate adult situations with limited parental support are like being at work.
That being said this is well and truly a 5 star read. Brandi perfectly captures the childlike innocence of Jimmy who wants everyone to be happy and everything to go well without really comprehending the complex issues happening around him. Southern Aurora is a totally believable story told from the perspective of a child and sensitively handled.
It's hard to review Southern Aurora without giving too much away but the way Brandi writes his characters makes you just want to rush in and save Jimmy, make him see that he is not responsible for protecting his mother and his brother.
The language is not fancy, told from Jimmy's childish perspective we are left with so much scope to fill the gaps with emotions and process what is left unsaid. Jimmy isn't a protagonist trying to be clever or teach the reader he is just a kid doing his best and that is where the real charm of Southern Aurora lies.
Gosh, the heartbreaking story of children, growing up in neglectful, abusive circumstances in rural Australia is exactly why I avoid books like Southern Aurora. It is way too much like reality, the complex family dynamics, the interactions with the justice system and children having to navigate adult situations with limited parental support are like being at work.
That being said this is well and truly a 5 star read. Brandi perfectly captures the childlike innocence of Jimmy who wants everyone to be happy and everything to go well without really comprehending the complex issues happening around him. Southern Aurora is a totally believable story told from the perspective of a child and sensitively handled.
It's hard to review Southern Aurora without giving too much away but the way Brandi writes his characters makes you just want to rush in and save Jimmy, make him see that he is not responsible for protecting his mother and his brother.
The language is not fancy, told from Jimmy's childish perspective we are left with so much scope to fill the gaps with emotions and process what is left unsaid. Jimmy isn't a protagonist trying to be clever or teach the reader he is just a kid doing his best and that is where the real charm of Southern Aurora lies.
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