What do you think?
Rate this book
Cicada
A stunning novel of terror, love and survival in the greatest wilderness on earth. A lyrical, heartbreaking epic debut.
An isolated property in the middle of Western Australia, just after the Great War. An English heiress has just given birth and unleashed hell. Weakened and grieving, she realises her life is in danger, and flees into the desert with her Aboriginal maid. One of them is running from a murderer; the other is accused of murder.
Soon the women are being hunted across the Kimberley by troopers, trackers and the man who wants to silence them both. How they survive in the searing desert and what happens when they are finally found will take your breath away.
An isolated property in the middle of Western Australia, just after the Great War. An English heiress has just given birth and unleashed hell. Weakened and grieving, she realises her life is in danger, and flees into the desert with her Aboriginal maid. One of them is running from a murderer; the other is accused of murder.
Soon the women are being hunted across the Kimberley by troopers, trackers and the man who wants to silence them both. How they survive in the searing desert and what happens when they are finally found will take your breath away.
403 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2014
6 people are currently reading
419 people want to read
About the author
Moira McKinnon
2 books7 followersMoira McKinnon graduated in medicine from the University of Western Australia and travelled widely as a specialist in population health and infectious diseases. Her particular interests are emerging infectious diseases and the relationship with global and environmental health. She sees the connection between indigenous societies and global health as poorly understood and possibly containing a knowledge or a ‘knowing’ that is essential to the health of the earth and mankind. Her upcoming book, Cicada, a fictional account of survival in the Australian outback, is a fast paced story of the hunter and the hunted and yet its basis is to explore the relationship of humankind to nature. Her essay ‘Who Killed Matilda?’ published by the Australian Book Review (July 2011) was written during the research for Cicada and also examines the themes of nature, belief and survival. (Taken from The Naher Agency website)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 21, 2014
This story takes place in a remote area of Western Australia not long after the Great War. Emily Lidscombe an English heiress has just given birth to a baby boy, and by the concerned look on her nurse’s face she knows that something is not right. In an instant Emily’s life was about to change and not for the better. After seeing the aggression in her husband, Emily feels she must leave her husband, William or be killed. Only days after giving birth Emily and Wirritjil the Aboriginal maid flee the homestead.
With the help and knowledge from Wirritjil the pair make their journey across the Kimberley. Along the way, Wirritjil will teach, Emily how to survive by showing her how to hunt and search for food.
In the meantime William sends his brother, Trevor and stockman, John to track down the two women. Will the men track these women down or will something else happen?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book no in fact I LOVED this book. A wonderful story that gives the reader a true insight into the Aboriginal culture and so much more. A very intense, heartbreaking oh and did I mention breathtaking novel that will stay will you long after you have read it. HIGHLY recommended.
With thanks to Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for my copy to read and review.
With the help and knowledge from Wirritjil the pair make their journey across the Kimberley. Along the way, Wirritjil will teach, Emily how to survive by showing her how to hunt and search for food.
In the meantime William sends his brother, Trevor and stockman, John to track down the two women. Will the men track these women down or will something else happen?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book no in fact I LOVED this book. A wonderful story that gives the reader a true insight into the Aboriginal culture and so much more. A very intense, heartbreaking oh and did I mention breathtaking novel that will stay will you long after you have read it. HIGHLY recommended.
With thanks to Goodreads First Reads Giveaway for my copy to read and review.
June 21, 2014
Cicada Springs, isolated and alone and surrounded by the red dust of Western Australia in the wake of World War 1, was run by William Lidscombe with his brother Trevor by his side. His beloved wife Emily was in the last stages of her pregnancy; though her labour was long, she had her Aboriginal maid, Wirritjil and the nurse by her side.
William, Emily and Trevor were English and hadn’t been in the country for long – Emily was an heiress and her father had endowed the property on her and her husband. Trevor was in charge of the native stockmen including John Calhoon who was head stockman; tribesman Jurulu had Trevor’s respect for his uncanny ability with the horses. The Aboriginals who worked on Cicada Springs had their camps nearby where their men, women and children lived.
But as Emily gave birth, the look of horror on her nurse’s face frightened her – life as she had known it changed in that instant. Weak, in a lot of pain and losing blood, Emily was also grieving. But in a matter of days Emily was on the run with Wirritjil, away from the homestead and the husband who suddenly wanted to kill her.
As the two very different women – one with a deep knowledge of the Australian bush, and one of a genteel nature who was ill, desperately so – made their way across the desolate wasteland of the Kimberleys with their two horses, Wirritjil, with only a smattering of English, took Emily under her wing. They were hunted by a small party including an Aboriginal tracker – with murder behind them and the desolation of the desert in front, would these two women survive? And if they did, what was waiting for them at the end of their arduous journey?
This debut novel by Aussie author Moira McKinnon is breathtakingly beautiful; harsh, sad, empowering and lyrical, the vision of the Australian bush in all its desolate beauty is right there in the words on each page. The terror of Emily and the focused calm of Wirritjil were such that I could feel the emotion in them both; Emily’s gradual acceptance and then friendship of her companion shone through. An absolutely wonderful novel which I know will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommended.
William, Emily and Trevor were English and hadn’t been in the country for long – Emily was an heiress and her father had endowed the property on her and her husband. Trevor was in charge of the native stockmen including John Calhoon who was head stockman; tribesman Jurulu had Trevor’s respect for his uncanny ability with the horses. The Aboriginals who worked on Cicada Springs had their camps nearby where their men, women and children lived.
But as Emily gave birth, the look of horror on her nurse’s face frightened her – life as she had known it changed in that instant. Weak, in a lot of pain and losing blood, Emily was also grieving. But in a matter of days Emily was on the run with Wirritjil, away from the homestead and the husband who suddenly wanted to kill her.
As the two very different women – one with a deep knowledge of the Australian bush, and one of a genteel nature who was ill, desperately so – made their way across the desolate wasteland of the Kimberleys with their two horses, Wirritjil, with only a smattering of English, took Emily under her wing. They were hunted by a small party including an Aboriginal tracker – with murder behind them and the desolation of the desert in front, would these two women survive? And if they did, what was waiting for them at the end of their arduous journey?
This debut novel by Aussie author Moira McKinnon is breathtakingly beautiful; harsh, sad, empowering and lyrical, the vision of the Australian bush in all its desolate beauty is right there in the words on each page. The terror of Emily and the focused calm of Wirritjil were such that I could feel the emotion in them both; Emily’s gradual acceptance and then friendship of her companion shone through. An absolutely wonderful novel which I know will stay with me for a very long time. Highly recommended.
March 8, 2014
This is another book where I loved the cover. It is an interesting book to review for several reasons. Some of the writing in this book stopped me in my tracks, as it is fresh and evocative. I loved the description of the cicadas on page 47 ‘the cicadas were the blades of a new saw biting and biting forever into unyielding wood.’ Anyone who has ever been subjected to these annoying insects will echo that description. I also liked the description of sulphur crested cockatoos ‘flapping their wings in a dance of white fans, raising the yellow feathers of their headdresses to look like plumes of a war ceremony.’ And later the description of ‘storms peppering the land.’ The description on page 178 of the sky above Cicada Springs is so visual, you can see it. The visual impact runs throughout the novel. As one never likely to visit the Kimberley and surrounding areas, I now have a clear visual image of what the area looks like. The land is really the main character in this novel, even more so than Emily and her Aboriginal companion Wirritjil.
Emily and Wirritjil are on the run after two incidences of brutal and coldly calculated murder. This story set sometime after World War 1 presents a clearly picture of the arrogant and racist attitude of the English that led to indigenous people being treated inhumanely and of the clearly wrong attitudes and theology being taught by the church in regards to the Aboriginals. It presents a brutal and sad picture of society at the time. This is a haunting and harsh book and I found parts of it hard to read. Part of that was due to the inhumanity of man to man, where killing another person was a normal fact of life. Partly it was also difficult to read because of the graphic descriptions of some of the eating practices undertaken in an attempt to stay alive while on the run in this harsh land. Not being a camping type of person who cares for roughing it, some of them turned my stomach as did the description of the spear in William’s leg and the effects.
While I enjoyed this novel in many ways and loved much of the writing, at times I found it a little disjointed and hard to follow. It is a novel that will stay with you I suspect and I’m glad I read it even if I did find some parts difficult, so thanks to the Reading Room and Allen and Unwin for my copy to review.
Emily and Wirritjil are on the run after two incidences of brutal and coldly calculated murder. This story set sometime after World War 1 presents a clearly picture of the arrogant and racist attitude of the English that led to indigenous people being treated inhumanely and of the clearly wrong attitudes and theology being taught by the church in regards to the Aboriginals. It presents a brutal and sad picture of society at the time. This is a haunting and harsh book and I found parts of it hard to read. Part of that was due to the inhumanity of man to man, where killing another person was a normal fact of life. Partly it was also difficult to read because of the graphic descriptions of some of the eating practices undertaken in an attempt to stay alive while on the run in this harsh land. Not being a camping type of person who cares for roughing it, some of them turned my stomach as did the description of the spear in William’s leg and the effects.
While I enjoyed this novel in many ways and loved much of the writing, at times I found it a little disjointed and hard to follow. It is a novel that will stay with you I suspect and I’m glad I read it even if I did find some parts difficult, so thanks to the Reading Room and Allen and Unwin for my copy to review.
February 5, 2014
An astonishing read ... achingly beautiful and incredibly painful ... at times it is hard not to weep.
This is a story of the interaction of people who know and live in their country and of those far from their country, of those who learn to adapt and flourish in it, and those who fight it, who never learn to adapt to it or respect it, and whose souls fester into hatred and/or madness ...
The writing is vivid, pure, descriptively and emotionally intense enveloping me in the land and story in a way that reminds me how wonderful story telling can be.
Thank you Allen and Unwin for the chance to read this pre-publication version of 'Cicada', but one small suggestion, drop the reference to 'Thelma and Louise' on the back cover, it cheapens what is a searing Australian story of the far north west not long after World War One.
This is a story of the interaction of people who know and live in their country and of those far from their country, of those who learn to adapt and flourish in it, and those who fight it, who never learn to adapt to it or respect it, and whose souls fester into hatred and/or madness ...
The writing is vivid, pure, descriptively and emotionally intense enveloping me in the land and story in a way that reminds me how wonderful story telling can be.
Thank you Allen and Unwin for the chance to read this pre-publication version of 'Cicada', but one small suggestion, drop the reference to 'Thelma and Louise' on the back cover, it cheapens what is a searing Australian story of the far north west not long after World War One.
June 28, 2014
Fabulous read....I finished it in a day....just couldn't put it down. The Kimberley scenery is so beautifully written...felt like I was walking across it myself. Haven't read a book that grabs you so well for a while.
April 3, 2014
'Cicada' is Moira McKinnon's first novel and what an epic it is. Moira is a doctor who has worked extensively in the Kimberley. The landscape and the people obviously left their mark, and this is not the first time she has written about the area—her essay, 'Who Killed Matilda', won the Australian Book Review/Calibre prize in 2011.
'Cicada' begins with the aristocratic Lady Emily Lidscombe in labour at 'Cicada Springs', her husband's property in the Kimberley. She gives birth to a 'brown' baby:
'Emily stared at his wide nose, his creamy brown skin with fine downy hairs drying light and soft. She wanted to drop him, to let him go. She was afraid of him.'
Realising he is not the father, Emily's husband, William, becomes violent. After he kills the baby and the baby's indigenous father, Jurulu, Emily and the aboriginal servant, Wirritjil, escape fearing for their lives. Emily is naïve about the outback and weakened by having given birth only a day or two earlier. She relies on Wirritjil to lead her and keep her alive—find water; hunt lizards; kill snakes; spear fish; even lance Emily's infected foot.
I loved this book for many reasons. Firstly, it is distinctly Australian. Even the title—'Cicada'—that insect that provides the soundtrack to every Aussie barbecue, cricket match and bush picnic.
Then there's the Kimberley. It's easy to see the author's reverence for the land, and its flora and fauna. The reader feels immersed as they read:
'The grassland thinned and they came to paperbarks, low and scraggly, strum across dusty clay pans, with nothing to give but the promise of exuberant life once the rain began.'
And:
'A flock of sulphur-crested cockatoos decorated the tree's great branches like flowers.'
And:
'There was no moon, just the stars in the multiple depths of black sky ...'
Most of all, this book gives insight into aboriginal culture and knowledge. As the reader follows Emily and Wirritjil through the Kimberley, we see Wirritjil's relationship with the land. She not only knows the country—how to find water and food, and how to hide their tracks and confuse their pursuers—but she knows where to find the spirits. She understands the land and how to work with it.
'Wirritjil worked steadily ... Emily watched her movements, unhurried and almost languid, it was as if she was in a continuous dance, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, flowing through the day.'
Emily is injured and weakened, and the reader feels the effects of the unrelenting heat and harsh terrain:
'She took the water bag from the brumby's neck, and waited. Wirritjil came close and felt Emily's breath, coming and going as if in sleep. She held the water to Emily's lips and tipped the bag slightly. The water dribbled down Emily's chin.'
The two women converse as they walk, Wirritjil's English being interspersed her own language. I found it handy to bookmark the glossary at the back so I could easily flick back and forth.
Emily develops a respect for Wirritjil, although never truly befriends her. It is interesting to watch her learn from Wirritjil, and see her gradually shed her 'white' ways and gain strength. In the beginning, she turns away from the native food:
'(Wirritjil) picked two branches from the shrub of long grey leaves with yellow blossoms and spread them to bake in the sun. 'Miss,' she said and sucked on the bottom of the tube-shaped flower. She handed a flower to Emily. Emily refused and looked away.'
However, she learns and adapts:
'(Emily) waited just inside the shade of the mernda tree for the kulurtuk pigeon. He was used to her and it was a simple shot from close range. It stunned him and she hit him hard, cooked him quickly singeing the feathers away, and ate him, saying thank you with every second breath.'
Then there is 'the chase', which adds a thriller element to the story.
The book doesn't shy away from difficult subjects—white-black relations in the inter-war years; female infidelity; and domestic violence. It depicts Australia in the 1930s, when many whites had little respect for the aboriginal people, when a black man could be murdered by a white man without consequence.
I'd describe this story as a tribute to the Kimberley. It is also a tribute to indigenous culture and highlights how little we, as a predominantly white society, have understood the depth of indigenous knowledge and skill. Wirritjil is the true heroine of this story.
'Cicada' begins with the aristocratic Lady Emily Lidscombe in labour at 'Cicada Springs', her husband's property in the Kimberley. She gives birth to a 'brown' baby:
'Emily stared at his wide nose, his creamy brown skin with fine downy hairs drying light and soft. She wanted to drop him, to let him go. She was afraid of him.'
Realising he is not the father, Emily's husband, William, becomes violent. After he kills the baby and the baby's indigenous father, Jurulu, Emily and the aboriginal servant, Wirritjil, escape fearing for their lives. Emily is naïve about the outback and weakened by having given birth only a day or two earlier. She relies on Wirritjil to lead her and keep her alive—find water; hunt lizards; kill snakes; spear fish; even lance Emily's infected foot.
I loved this book for many reasons. Firstly, it is distinctly Australian. Even the title—'Cicada'—that insect that provides the soundtrack to every Aussie barbecue, cricket match and bush picnic.
Then there's the Kimberley. It's easy to see the author's reverence for the land, and its flora and fauna. The reader feels immersed as they read:
'The grassland thinned and they came to paperbarks, low and scraggly, strum across dusty clay pans, with nothing to give but the promise of exuberant life once the rain began.'
And:
'A flock of sulphur-crested cockatoos decorated the tree's great branches like flowers.'
And:
'There was no moon, just the stars in the multiple depths of black sky ...'
Most of all, this book gives insight into aboriginal culture and knowledge. As the reader follows Emily and Wirritjil through the Kimberley, we see Wirritjil's relationship with the land. She not only knows the country—how to find water and food, and how to hide their tracks and confuse their pursuers—but she knows where to find the spirits. She understands the land and how to work with it.
'Wirritjil worked steadily ... Emily watched her movements, unhurried and almost languid, it was as if she was in a continuous dance, sometimes slow, sometimes fast, flowing through the day.'
Emily is injured and weakened, and the reader feels the effects of the unrelenting heat and harsh terrain:
'She took the water bag from the brumby's neck, and waited. Wirritjil came close and felt Emily's breath, coming and going as if in sleep. She held the water to Emily's lips and tipped the bag slightly. The water dribbled down Emily's chin.'
The two women converse as they walk, Wirritjil's English being interspersed her own language. I found it handy to bookmark the glossary at the back so I could easily flick back and forth.
Emily develops a respect for Wirritjil, although never truly befriends her. It is interesting to watch her learn from Wirritjil, and see her gradually shed her 'white' ways and gain strength. In the beginning, she turns away from the native food:
'(Wirritjil) picked two branches from the shrub of long grey leaves with yellow blossoms and spread them to bake in the sun. 'Miss,' she said and sucked on the bottom of the tube-shaped flower. She handed a flower to Emily. Emily refused and looked away.'
However, she learns and adapts:
'(Emily) waited just inside the shade of the mernda tree for the kulurtuk pigeon. He was used to her and it was a simple shot from close range. It stunned him and she hit him hard, cooked him quickly singeing the feathers away, and ate him, saying thank you with every second breath.'
Then there is 'the chase', which adds a thriller element to the story.
The book doesn't shy away from difficult subjects—white-black relations in the inter-war years; female infidelity; and domestic violence. It depicts Australia in the 1930s, when many whites had little respect for the aboriginal people, when a black man could be murdered by a white man without consequence.
I'd describe this story as a tribute to the Kimberley. It is also a tribute to indigenous culture and highlights how little we, as a predominantly white society, have understood the depth of indigenous knowledge and skill. Wirritjil is the true heroine of this story.
September 16, 2014
I was expecting to like this, but found it rather hard to get into, with the opening chapter seeming to jump between real-life narrating, dream-like sequences of remembered past events and an almost "stream-of-consciousness" writing, at times. And unfortunately, this continued throughout the book, to a certain extent, which affected my enjoyment of the book.
The two main characters are Emily, an English woman now living out in Australia's Kimberley region, and Wirritjil, an Aboriginal woman who worked on the station and who assisted Emily in her efforts to get away from her husband, William, a thoroughly unlikeable character.
There were some beautiful descriptive passages of the Australian bush and animals. And the last little part of the book improved slightly , and I thought the ending was well done, but it wasn't really enough for me to make the whole book worth any more than 2.5 stars.
The two main characters are Emily, an English woman now living out in Australia's Kimberley region, and Wirritjil, an Aboriginal woman who worked on the station and who assisted Emily in her efforts to get away from her husband, William, a thoroughly unlikeable character.
There were some beautiful descriptive passages of the Australian bush and animals. And the last little part of the book improved slightly , and I thought the ending was well done, but it wasn't really enough for me to make the whole book worth any more than 2.5 stars.
August 17, 2014
Whilst I enjoyed this book, I did not get totally swept up in it. I worried and feared for the two women, Emily and Wirritjil as they struggled to survive. You could not help but become a part of their journey and experience all the dangers,emotions and fears that they did. One thing McKinnon did exceptionally well I thought was describe the vastness and harshness of the land the women traveled but also showed us that this wonderful country of ours is not totally unforgiving. There were some parts of the book I was not completely satisfied with and wished they were done differently but then again it wasn't my story to write. As a debut novel it was quite brilliant and I look forward to reading more from this author. A 3.5 star read for me.
December 26, 2013
Cicada is a fiercely paced thriller which deals with love, deceit, murder, and racial tensions. There are many characters in this magnificent book, but the most powerful and beautifully drawn of all is - the Kimberley, Western Australia, where the story takes place. But the rugged splendor of the Kimberley never dominates; instead it compliments this story beautifully. From page one; I held my breath until some 400 pages later. Just loved it, made me proud of our great land, sad too, yet hopeful for our relationship with the land and indigenous people.
May 19, 2014
Moira McKinnon’s debut novel Cicada is an impressive narrative of friendship and survival in early Australia. Set in outback Western Australia, Emily births to baby of Aboriginal heritage, much to the shame of her English husband William. He destroys any ties she may have with the baby and the biological father which propels Emily to go on the run with her Aboriginal maid Wirritjil.
They speak a different language, they live by different rules but Emily and Wirritjil connect through their shared goal to survive and to break free of the hold of their Master. The story follows Emily and Wirritjil’s escape through Australia’s harsh bushland; in which Emily learns to trust Wirritjil and the land in which she walks on. The viewpoints alternate between Emily and her husband William provide contrasting ideas about the values and rights of all human beings.
Cicada is written in a uniquely lyrical style with the voice of Aboriginal culture, heritage and values bouncing of the pages. It was written in a way that reminded me of Aboriginal dreamtime stories and the way in which they have a magical feel while exploring serious grave and terrifying issues.
It’s a reminder of our very recent history of war on Australian soil and we see in the character of Wirritjil, despite the hardships her wisdom and loyalty shine through on every page.
I became completely immersed in this story and in some ways it’s hard to even describe, but it’s a very well written story that is well worth reading.
They speak a different language, they live by different rules but Emily and Wirritjil connect through their shared goal to survive and to break free of the hold of their Master. The story follows Emily and Wirritjil’s escape through Australia’s harsh bushland; in which Emily learns to trust Wirritjil and the land in which she walks on. The viewpoints alternate between Emily and her husband William provide contrasting ideas about the values and rights of all human beings.
Cicada is written in a uniquely lyrical style with the voice of Aboriginal culture, heritage and values bouncing of the pages. It was written in a way that reminded me of Aboriginal dreamtime stories and the way in which they have a magical feel while exploring serious grave and terrifying issues.
It’s a reminder of our very recent history of war on Australian soil and we see in the character of Wirritjil, despite the hardships her wisdom and loyalty shine through on every page.
I became completely immersed in this story and in some ways it’s hard to even describe, but it’s a very well written story that is well worth reading.
February 11, 2014
The Aboriginal story and the way they survive in the outback was fascinating and I really enjoyed the Aboriginal words scattered throughout the book. Also, the descriptions of the Kimberley region was well done. I found the actual story quite hard to follow. There wasn't a lot of explanations and you were left wondering what the writer actually meant and you basically had to do a bit of guess work. I'm big on books spelling things out to me! Overall, worth a read just for the relationship between the white woman and her Aboriginal maid.
March 22, 2014
Haunting and important
Haunting and important
this is a book that will stay with you. the descriptions of an unfamiliar life help to give you insights. definitely a good read
Haunting and important
this is a book that will stay with you. the descriptions of an unfamiliar life help to give you insights. definitely a good read
May 4, 2014
Moira said she set out to write a fast paced novel which she has certainly achieved. Some nights I had to think carefully about reading it before bed because I knew I wouldn't want to put it down. An evocative and haunting drama. What a wonderful debut novel.
February 5, 2016
Anna gave me this when we were in Sydney. It's a beautifully written book and the scenery is almost another character. Gives a close-up look at the Aborigines beliefs and relationship with the land. I absolutely loved it.
Book description:
A stunning novel of terror, love and survival in the greatest wilderness on earth. A lyrical, heartbreaking epic debut.
An isolated property in the middle of Western Australia, just after the Great War. An English heiress has just given birth and unleashed hell. Weakened and grieving, she realises her life is in danger, and flees into the desert with her Aboriginal maid. One of them is running from a murderer; the other is accused of murder.
Soon the women are being hunted across the Kimberley by troopers, trackers and the man who wants to silence them both. How they survive in the searing desert and what happens when they are finally found will take your breath away.
la2,historical fiction,adventure,australian author,writing workshop
Book description:
A stunning novel of terror, love and survival in the greatest wilderness on earth. A lyrical, heartbreaking epic debut.
An isolated property in the middle of Western Australia, just after the Great War. An English heiress has just given birth and unleashed hell. Weakened and grieving, she realises her life is in danger, and flees into the desert with her Aboriginal maid. One of them is running from a murderer; the other is accused of murder.
Soon the women are being hunted across the Kimberley by troopers, trackers and the man who wants to silence them both. How they survive in the searing desert and what happens when they are finally found will take your breath away.
la2,historical fiction,adventure,australian author,writing workshop
June 30, 2014
When a White English girl, Emily gives birth to a black baby in the early 1900's in Western Australia, her husband flies into a jealous rage and kills the baby and her aboriginal lover. Emily escapes into the desert with her black maid and she has to learn how to survive. It's a story of survival, the unjust treatment of the aborigines and it really shows how life is in the Australian outback. I found there was a lot of repetition and got slightly bored withy the aboriginal language and descriptions of flora and fauna. The story is certainly very readable and compelling as I wanted to find out what happened. A good first time novel.
July 19, 2014
A good solid Australian story. Cicada has great characters that are fully formed and not just names on paper. Moira McKinnon has created an epic story. Cicada is a story that you will think about after you have completed it and you will find yourself returning to it again. I very much enjoyed reading this novel as a Goodreads first read, and I encourage everyone else to go out and read it. The landscape in this book is so vivid, having never been to that part of Australia before I found it easy to imagine what it looked like.
July 30, 2014
A haunting and thought provoking tale set in the magical country of the Kimberleys. How did a sick English heiress happen to be on the run with an aboriginal woman, away from her husband, her dead baby and the police? This debut novel is quite amazing, getting into the life and times of the era, with its prejudices against black people, the class system inherited from England versus basic human goodness and willingness to help. The intricacies of how they survived and the insights into aboriginal lore is spell-binding. The way it ended - there HAS to be a sequel!
June 9, 2014
This was a rather slow-moving but magical read, and Wirritjil was the real star of the book. Her short answers and no-nonsense approach to Emily was funny and sad at the same time. The ending was not what I expected, and actually much more interesting. Wirritjil's stories and knowledge as they crossed the desert was very interesting and really made the book special.
September 8, 2016
I received this book as a First Reads Giveaway.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, which is very descriptive, but found it disjointed at times, and the main characters somewhat unrealistic and difficult to identify with. However, I believe it would make an interesting movie.
I enjoyed the author's writing style, which is very descriptive, but found it disjointed at times, and the main characters somewhat unrealistic and difficult to identify with. However, I believe it would make an interesting movie.
October 12, 2015
It took me a while to get into this book - the beginning seemed disjointed and I couldn't quite follow - but by the end I loved it!
I really felt like I was in the outback and was left with the desire to go bush..
I really felt like I was in the outback and was left with the desire to go bush..
March 22, 2014
(Review will be posted shortly)
September 28, 2022
Actually it is 3.5 stars.
I almost released this book on my recent travels as a BC book. (I drove around Australia which took just over three months.) It was only when I read the back of the book during release that I decided it might be worth reading. Plus I needed a book to read. So the book was not left on the Nullarbor Plain, but I began reading it, and it came home with me.
An enjoyable read and I recognised many of the places from my recent travels. I drove through the Kimberly. I stayed at Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing. At Fitzroy Crossing I actually stayed at the Crossing Inn (mentioned many times in this book), although in a newer building behind the old Inn. A rip off, terrible accommodation and I couldn't wait to leave in the morning. So because of this I never actually had a good look at the historic Crossing Inn, and especially after reading this book, I am now disappointed I didn't. Another reason was, that when I arrived, it was loud with the noisy interactions between the locals in the pub and I didn't want to go near the place. Then because some locals wanted me to drive them somewhere, thinking I was the taxi and I had trouble convincing them otherwise, but mostly because what they charge for accommodation is a rip off for what you get, and I wanted out of the place. Not much choice for accommodation at Fitzroy Crossing. Still disappointed not to go in the inn (except for a small room where I booked in). Saw the outside though, but should have studied it more.
The book shows evidence of lots to research to write it, with the Aboriginal culture a large part of it, as well as the newcomers' history. A unique book in that way.
I almost released this book on my recent travels as a BC book. (I drove around Australia which took just over three months.) It was only when I read the back of the book during release that I decided it might be worth reading. Plus I needed a book to read. So the book was not left on the Nullarbor Plain, but I began reading it, and it came home with me.
An enjoyable read and I recognised many of the places from my recent travels. I drove through the Kimberly. I stayed at Kununurra, Halls Creek and Fitzroy Crossing. At Fitzroy Crossing I actually stayed at the Crossing Inn (mentioned many times in this book), although in a newer building behind the old Inn. A rip off, terrible accommodation and I couldn't wait to leave in the morning. So because of this I never actually had a good look at the historic Crossing Inn, and especially after reading this book, I am now disappointed I didn't. Another reason was, that when I arrived, it was loud with the noisy interactions between the locals in the pub and I didn't want to go near the place. Then because some locals wanted me to drive them somewhere, thinking I was the taxi and I had trouble convincing them otherwise, but mostly because what they charge for accommodation is a rip off for what you get, and I wanted out of the place. Not much choice for accommodation at Fitzroy Crossing. Still disappointed not to go in the inn (except for a small room where I booked in). Saw the outside though, but should have studied it more.
The book shows evidence of lots to research to write it, with the Aboriginal culture a large part of it, as well as the newcomers' history. A unique book in that way.
June 15, 2020
Cicada creeps up on you. I had a hard time getting through the first quarter, with so many characters being thrown at me that didn't seem to be doing much and whose ranking of importance I couldn't get a handle on right away, and a bit of a language barrier to slog through on top of it. Not even the Aboriginal terminology used--I'm just not nearly Aussie enough to immediately parse a lot of the dialect.
There were also times in the beginning where I felt the author neither showed, nor told. Things of what I'd imagine to be great emotional importance were narrated very matter-of-factly, leaving me confused and taking me out of the story to mentally piece together what was actually happening.
So at first I was feeling pretty "meh". I'm not sure when it actually hit. Maybe halfway through? There was no definitive moment in the plot that finally got me hooked, I just suddenly was and didn't want to put it down.
I know nothing about Australia, not really, but I think I love it now too.
I'd recommend reading this for the love story between the author, and Australia, and its indigenous people.
There were also times in the beginning where I felt the author neither showed, nor told. Things of what I'd imagine to be great emotional importance were narrated very matter-of-factly, leaving me confused and taking me out of the story to mentally piece together what was actually happening.
So at first I was feeling pretty "meh". I'm not sure when it actually hit. Maybe halfway through? There was no definitive moment in the plot that finally got me hooked, I just suddenly was and didn't want to put it down.
I know nothing about Australia, not really, but I think I love it now too.
I'd recommend reading this for the love story between the author, and Australia, and its indigenous people.
January 27, 2022
The inherent racism in many of the relationships in the story is troubling, even in what are otherwise arguably positive relationships. Yet if taken as a depiction of what was as opposed to what we might have hoped would have been, the depiction is probably accurate, and perspectives of the aboriginal people in the book are provided at least to some extent. The author clearly knows a lot about the birds of Australia that are featured not as part of the narrative not only for their sounds and color and activities, but also how they are part of one or more of the aboriginal cultures. A glossary at the end helps with words that are not translated in the text, though usually can be understood in context. Again, this takes place in the past, so needs to be read in that context.
March 12, 2023
Lots & lots of Aboriginal words throughout this book. Thank goodness for the glossary! Very interesting story set in the Australian Outback shortly after WWI. A white woman gives birth to a dark skinned child. Husband goes mad, kills the employee he thinks raped his wife & kills the child. The wife, afraid for her life & still recovering from the birth, runs away with the help of her aboriginal nurse. The descriptions of the landscape, the birds, & animals & how the women survived is what really pull this story together.
October 15, 2017
Very disappointed - I think the last couple of pages says what the author wanted to say but the book does not hang together - I think some of the paragraphs/comments are only slightly better than Mills & Boon but other parts are well written. I think the author was sympathetic to most of the characters in the book but found it difficult to write combined aboriginal & white people at the same time. That said...... it is a lot better than if I'd tried to write it!!
March 14, 2019
If only, when the first settlers came to Australia, they had listened to our Aborigines, Australia would have been a different place. Instead white people thought the Aborigines savages and primitive with no heaven to go to, and thought themselves so superior they just did not listen.....did not want to listen.
This book is amazing! The worst part was the end......I wanted it to keep going, and the next was Moira McKinnon has only written this one book.
This book is amazing! The worst part was the end......I wanted it to keep going, and the next was Moira McKinnon has only written this one book.
June 23, 2018
Vrij goed verhaal poëtisch en dromerig geschreven. Echter voor een "non-native English" lezer komen er te veel namen in van dieren en planten wat ik steeds moet opzoeken. Dus heb het boek na twee hoofdstukken opgegeven ...
000ve in English" heeft het boek te veel namen van dieren en planten
000ve in English" heeft het boek te veel namen van dieren en planten
September 10, 2023
Couldn't finish first chapter.
September 20, 2014
A debut novel from Moira McKinnon, Cicada, set post World War I, tells of the treacherous journey two very different women make across the vast, desolate landscape of remote Australia. Emily is a heiress, who lives on Cicada Springs station, located in a remote part of the Kimberley region. Wirritjil is her kindly Aboriginal maid. Tragedy strikes at the remote station when Emily gives birth to a child who is brown skinned. This sets Emily’s husband William in such a rage, realising the baby clearly does not belong to him, that he kills both the infant and the suspected Father, an Aboriginal man. Concerned for her own welfare, Emily decides to flee her violent husband and takes with her Wirritjil. It is a fight for survival in the harshness of the remote Australian bush for the two women as they try to get to the safety of the coast.
Cicada is a book that is rich in Aboriginal language, customs and knowledge. It is also a book that deals with themes such as such as love, friendship, secrets, murder, grief, survival and most importantly racial tension, that is reflective of the era. I greatly appreciated McKinnon’s descriptions of the Australian landscape, flora and fauna. These parts of the book held the most interest for me and I was impressed by the descriptive prose delivered by McKinnon as a debut author. In general, I found this book to be thrilling as the two women evade capture by trackers, troopers and her husband’s men sent to find them. I genuinely was invested in their journey and wanted to know how it ended for them. Cicada was not an easy read for me, it was read over a few sittings, at times I felt that the language side overwhelmed me and although a helpful glossary was provided, I did not use it as much as perhaps I should have. Cicada is a worthy read and a good testament to our land and people.
Thank you to the Reading Room and the Allen and Unwin for an uncorrected proof edition of this book.
Cicada is a book that is rich in Aboriginal language, customs and knowledge. It is also a book that deals with themes such as such as love, friendship, secrets, murder, grief, survival and most importantly racial tension, that is reflective of the era. I greatly appreciated McKinnon’s descriptions of the Australian landscape, flora and fauna. These parts of the book held the most interest for me and I was impressed by the descriptive prose delivered by McKinnon as a debut author. In general, I found this book to be thrilling as the two women evade capture by trackers, troopers and her husband’s men sent to find them. I genuinely was invested in their journey and wanted to know how it ended for them. Cicada was not an easy read for me, it was read over a few sittings, at times I felt that the language side overwhelmed me and although a helpful glossary was provided, I did not use it as much as perhaps I should have. Cicada is a worthy read and a good testament to our land and people.
Thank you to the Reading Room and the Allen and Unwin for an uncorrected proof edition of this book.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews