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No Church in the Wild
Five years after violence erupted between young migrants and local police in Melbourne's inner west, a police-led trip to hike the Kokoda Trail seeks to rebuild trust. But fresh allegations of racial profiling have the community on a knife edge.
For wannabe rapper Ali, pride is hard to come by in the commission towers, where friends fill the gaps left by a family secret.
Classmate Tyler's anger - at his broken home, and a world that denies his dreams - is close to ignition.
With her life in disarray, young and idealistic teacher Anna defies a school system that's failing her students.
And Paul, a cop new to the beat, quickly realises it'll take more than community policing to fix relations with local youth.
From the vial-studded stairs of the inner-city high-rises to the mud-sucking jungle of Kokoda, No Church in the Wild is a fierce interrogation of contemporary Australian society and the prejudices that still underpin it.
Praise for No Church in the Wild
'Murray Middleton deftly avoids the landmines in his propulsive new novel. He takes on a story whose hoary origins hark back to Blackboard Jungle, and which has for too long been mired in journalistic cliché and in hand-wringing sentimentality, and he makes it fresh, troubling and compelling. The structure is cinematic, but the real strength is in the operatic assuredness of the writing. The chorus of voices have real bite, real sting and real tenderness and truth. It sounds like real life.' CHRISTOS TSIOLKAS
'I don't know if Murray Middleton is the bravest writer in Australia or the stupidest. What I do know is that No Church in the Wild is amazing; a novel of wisdom and assurance and audacity. The fact that this book exists is a triumph. The fact that it works - and that it's so good - is a miracle.' MILES ALLINSON
'A fierce, urgent, necessary book.' JAMES BRADLEY
For wannabe rapper Ali, pride is hard to come by in the commission towers, where friends fill the gaps left by a family secret.
Classmate Tyler's anger - at his broken home, and a world that denies his dreams - is close to ignition.
With her life in disarray, young and idealistic teacher Anna defies a school system that's failing her students.
And Paul, a cop new to the beat, quickly realises it'll take more than community policing to fix relations with local youth.
From the vial-studded stairs of the inner-city high-rises to the mud-sucking jungle of Kokoda, No Church in the Wild is a fierce interrogation of contemporary Australian society and the prejudices that still underpin it.
Praise for No Church in the Wild
'Murray Middleton deftly avoids the landmines in his propulsive new novel. He takes on a story whose hoary origins hark back to Blackboard Jungle, and which has for too long been mired in journalistic cliché and in hand-wringing sentimentality, and he makes it fresh, troubling and compelling. The structure is cinematic, but the real strength is in the operatic assuredness of the writing. The chorus of voices have real bite, real sting and real tenderness and truth. It sounds like real life.' CHRISTOS TSIOLKAS
'I don't know if Murray Middleton is the bravest writer in Australia or the stupidest. What I do know is that No Church in the Wild is amazing; a novel of wisdom and assurance and audacity. The fact that this book exists is a triumph. The fact that it works - and that it's so good - is a miracle.' MILES ALLINSON
'A fierce, urgent, necessary book.' JAMES BRADLEY
325 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 26, 2024
16 people are currently reading
508 people want to read
About the author
Murray Middleton
3 books11 followersMurray Middleton was born with fractured hips in 1983. He spent the first three months of his life in plaster and has broken most bones since.
He won The Age Short Story Award in 2010 with ‘The Fields of Early Sorrow’. When There’s Nowhere Else to Run is his first published collection of short stories.
He currently lives in Melbourne and won’t publish a second collection of stories until the Saints win a second premiership.
He won The Age Short Story Award in 2010 with ‘The Fields of Early Sorrow’. When There’s Nowhere Else to Run is his first published collection of short stories.
He currently lives in Melbourne and won’t publish a second collection of stories until the Saints win a second premiership.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
May 29, 2024
Could not have read this at a more relevant time after the furore around Laura Tingle's comments. Fantastic book written by an ex teacher and set around a high school in Footscray and surrounding suburbs including the Flemington public housing towers. It deals with inter generational trauma, gentrification, changing cultural diversity, privilege and the lack of, cycles of poverty. All the big stuff. An outstanding book about Melbourne. Highly recommended.
July 27, 2024
Murray Middleton’s latest book, No Church in the Wild, references a Jay-Z and Kanye West song that questions authority and religion while glamourising a gangster lifestyle, hinting at the deep cultural influence of this music. The book explores how this culture has deeply impacted marginalized young people in Australia, using rap references to delve into a complex and confronting narrative.
Set in Melbourne’s inner city commission towers, the story follows four main characters: Anna, a burnt-out idealistic teacher; Paul, a new police officer with strong beliefs; Tyler, a student who is seeking escape through the army; and Ali, a Middle Eastern student aspiring to be a famous rapper.
The novel weaves in and out of these characters lives, their personal challenges and experience, and as their lives intersect by a collective aim to undertake a two-week trek along the Kokoda Track, part of a community outreach program involving Anna’s high school and the local police. The preparation for this challenging trek,designed to inspire closer community ties and transform the participants, starkly contrasts their ultra-urban backgrounds and the fractured reality they face.
Middleton’s acknowledgements at the end of the book indicate he really did his research for this book - over eight years interviewing dealers, users, police, teachers and his former students. He writes that he tried to do justice and represent the people he interviewed realistically, unflinchingly, with scrupulous sensitivity. I think he achieved this.
This book is a harsh reminder that there are young people in our community who are living life hard, who are living in poverty and more likely to experience traumatic incidents like witnessing or being the victims of violence, parental neglect or abuse.
It’s a compelling but confronting read.
This is Middleton’s first novel. I also recommend reading his collection of short stories ‘When there’s nowhere else to run’ (2015), which I remember loving and was a 5⭐️ read for me!
Set in Melbourne’s inner city commission towers, the story follows four main characters: Anna, a burnt-out idealistic teacher; Paul, a new police officer with strong beliefs; Tyler, a student who is seeking escape through the army; and Ali, a Middle Eastern student aspiring to be a famous rapper.
The novel weaves in and out of these characters lives, their personal challenges and experience, and as their lives intersect by a collective aim to undertake a two-week trek along the Kokoda Track, part of a community outreach program involving Anna’s high school and the local police. The preparation for this challenging trek,designed to inspire closer community ties and transform the participants, starkly contrasts their ultra-urban backgrounds and the fractured reality they face.
Middleton’s acknowledgements at the end of the book indicate he really did his research for this book - over eight years interviewing dealers, users, police, teachers and his former students. He writes that he tried to do justice and represent the people he interviewed realistically, unflinchingly, with scrupulous sensitivity. I think he achieved this.
This book is a harsh reminder that there are young people in our community who are living life hard, who are living in poverty and more likely to experience traumatic incidents like witnessing or being the victims of violence, parental neglect or abuse.
It’s a compelling but confronting read.
This is Middleton’s first novel. I also recommend reading his collection of short stories ‘When there’s nowhere else to run’ (2015), which I remember loving and was a 5⭐️ read for me!
March 10, 2024
“Courage, endurance, mateship and sacrifice.”
No Church in the Wild by Murray Middleton is a captivating dive into the complexities of modern-day Australia. With its diverse characters and intertwined storylines, the book offers a raw and honest portrayal of life in Melbourne's inner west. Told from the perspectives of Ali, a young migrant grappling with pride and identity in the face of gentrification, to Tyler, whose simmering anger at his circumstances threatens to boil over, Anna, a teacher fighting against a failing system and Paul, somewhat in power, yet not so much, someone who is just trying to do the right thing.
The book is told in many segments and the pacing of the storytelling is skillfully executed, with tension building steadily as the narrative unfolds. Middleton deftly balances moments of introspection and character development with gripping plot twists and conflicts. It is a richly layered exploration of prejudice and its intersecting manifestations.
Each character grapples with their own sense of self and struggles to find their place in a society that often feels indifferent or hostile towards them and encourages readers to confront their own biases and examine the systems of power and privilege that perpetuate injustice.
Thankyou MacMillan Australia for the copy!
No Church in the Wild by Murray Middleton is a captivating dive into the complexities of modern-day Australia. With its diverse characters and intertwined storylines, the book offers a raw and honest portrayal of life in Melbourne's inner west. Told from the perspectives of Ali, a young migrant grappling with pride and identity in the face of gentrification, to Tyler, whose simmering anger at his circumstances threatens to boil over, Anna, a teacher fighting against a failing system and Paul, somewhat in power, yet not so much, someone who is just trying to do the right thing.
The book is told in many segments and the pacing of the storytelling is skillfully executed, with tension building steadily as the narrative unfolds. Middleton deftly balances moments of introspection and character development with gripping plot twists and conflicts. It is a richly layered exploration of prejudice and its intersecting manifestations.
Each character grapples with their own sense of self and struggles to find their place in a society that often feels indifferent or hostile towards them and encourages readers to confront their own biases and examine the systems of power and privilege that perpetuate injustice.
Thankyou MacMillan Australia for the copy!
October 2, 2024
An enjoyable read. A group of socially disadvantaged youths from a high rise flat, their teacher and a local policeman prepare to hike the Kokoda trail. The portraits Middleton creates are authentic, even down to the language usage. I could not help but laugh my way through whole pages of this novel, particularly some of the descriptions of the teacher's experiences - Middleton clearly understands what it is to be a teacher. This work was very hard to put down.
May 5, 2025
I be will surprised if this book doesn't win some Australian book award this year. Very cleverly portrayed in the world in which it is set.
September 5, 2024
Set in and around the high rise flats in Flemington, this looks at the difficult relationship between the police, teenagers and teachers in a very depressed area. Told from multiple viewpoints it is often a difficult read, but with clear voices and very strong characters.
April 24, 2025
The first scene is set in Laksa King Flemington, so that alone is worth a few stars. I loved this book. It was a bit disjointed, but enjoyed the story and the heart.
If only our society appreciated and supported the Anna's of the world. Give her a pay rise and more support.
If only our society appreciated and supported the Anna's of the world. Give her a pay rise and more support.
July 14, 2024
A bit too confronting for me but beautifully told the situation Australia finds itself
January 6, 2025
I loved this. Really brave, challenging story set in inner city Melbourne. I love loved loved that this completely avoids the redemption arc cliches. Which have their place for sure, but it wouldn’t be authentic for this story. This is contemporary, urban Australia. The answers don’t lie in the mythology of the past. Great read.
February 28, 2025
Not my favourite type of novel, but it's just invigorating to read such unflinchingly real literary work set so close to home, and to know every location, traffic light, high school, Irish pub and KFC that appears.
Also, I'm bewildered to read other reviews saying that they find the outlook for the characters depressing (what... do people think the lives of adolescents in social housing with junkie parents or intergenerational trauma are like???), that they can't tell what era this is set in (again, what do they think... it's now! 100%, now) and that they wished the section on the Kokoda trail was longer (perhaps the blurb is a bit to blame for this, but I'm glad this didn't turn into a travelogue--also because newsflash, the Kokoda trip is a token gesture that doesn't really change anything; the fact it's just a blip in the lives of the protagonists and not some kind of cure-all is the point!).
Also, I'm bewildered to read other reviews saying that they find the outlook for the characters depressing (what... do people think the lives of adolescents in social housing with junkie parents or intergenerational trauma are like???), that they can't tell what era this is set in (again, what do they think... it's now! 100%, now) and that they wished the section on the Kokoda trail was longer (perhaps the blurb is a bit to blame for this, but I'm glad this didn't turn into a travelogue--also because newsflash, the Kokoda trip is a token gesture that doesn't really change anything; the fact it's just a blip in the lives of the protagonists and not some kind of cure-all is the point!).
September 27, 2024
In “No Church in the Wild” Murray Middleton has written an extraordinarily depressing novel. However, it’s also a novel which will challenge you to re-examine your own attitudes, preconceptions, and prejudices. It’s well worth reading.
This is not a novel to read for enjoyment, exactly: it’s challenging and thought provoking, the kind of novel that demands something of you. You’ll be thinking about it for a while after finishing it, and you’ll be pleased that you’ve read it.
This is a contemporary novel, set in inner Melbourne. It follows four different characters, all of whom interact, largely around the public high school which serves the area.
Anna is a teacher – a good one. She’s dedicated, she cares about her students, and she’s disturbed by the way the school and the education system more broadly is failing them. But both the weight of bureaucracy and her students’ indifference work against her efforts at change.
Ali and Tyler are two of her students. Ali dreams of being a famous (and rich) rapper, but is caught up in the struggle to survive in a depressed area with a substantial refugee population – like Ali himself.
His classmate Tyler has perhaps a more realistic goal – to join the army – but is being pulled down by the drug abuse of the adults around him. He can see his dreams slowly disintegrating, and anger is taking the place of both despair and hope.
And then there’s Paul, a cop relatively new to the area. He’s supposed to be leading a group of students and teachers on a trek of the Kokoda Trail, in part to rebuild relationships between the police and the community. Paul’s not a great choice, though. He’s full of his own prejudices, blind to other’s perspectives, and utterly unable to hear what others are saying to him.
Not all of these characters are particularly likeable, but they’re all pretty realistic. We’ve all met or seen people like them. Middleton draws these people strongly, and through them their community. Neither Paul or Anna are particularly well off, and both have their problems. Still, we see that they are relatively privileged compared to the students.
It is in the depiction of the students that the novel really shines. Initially they present as absolute horrors. They’re disruptive in class, they’re rude, their honesty is flexible, and they carry their own prejudices. As Middleton draws more of their world, and those around them, we develop an understanding of the influences that have made them this way. It’s vivid, believable – and incredibly depressing. It engages our sympathies for these young people.
The plot is slight, with Middleton essentially just wandering through the days with these people as they train for the Kokoda Trail. There’s a power in that, though, letting us see the good and bad in their lives in a very gradual way.
As I have said a couple of times, I found this novel very depressing. It doesn’t feel as if it offers much hope for any of the characters. However, it does offer a lot of understanding, and may provoke readers to consider their own attitudes to, and understanding of, refugee teenagers. In that perhaps there’s some long term hope for all of us.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
This is not a novel to read for enjoyment, exactly: it’s challenging and thought provoking, the kind of novel that demands something of you. You’ll be thinking about it for a while after finishing it, and you’ll be pleased that you’ve read it.
This is a contemporary novel, set in inner Melbourne. It follows four different characters, all of whom interact, largely around the public high school which serves the area.
Anna is a teacher – a good one. She’s dedicated, she cares about her students, and she’s disturbed by the way the school and the education system more broadly is failing them. But both the weight of bureaucracy and her students’ indifference work against her efforts at change.
Ali and Tyler are two of her students. Ali dreams of being a famous (and rich) rapper, but is caught up in the struggle to survive in a depressed area with a substantial refugee population – like Ali himself.
His classmate Tyler has perhaps a more realistic goal – to join the army – but is being pulled down by the drug abuse of the adults around him. He can see his dreams slowly disintegrating, and anger is taking the place of both despair and hope.
And then there’s Paul, a cop relatively new to the area. He’s supposed to be leading a group of students and teachers on a trek of the Kokoda Trail, in part to rebuild relationships between the police and the community. Paul’s not a great choice, though. He’s full of his own prejudices, blind to other’s perspectives, and utterly unable to hear what others are saying to him.
Not all of these characters are particularly likeable, but they’re all pretty realistic. We’ve all met or seen people like them. Middleton draws these people strongly, and through them their community. Neither Paul or Anna are particularly well off, and both have their problems. Still, we see that they are relatively privileged compared to the students.
It is in the depiction of the students that the novel really shines. Initially they present as absolute horrors. They’re disruptive in class, they’re rude, their honesty is flexible, and they carry their own prejudices. As Middleton draws more of their world, and those around them, we develop an understanding of the influences that have made them this way. It’s vivid, believable – and incredibly depressing. It engages our sympathies for these young people.
The plot is slight, with Middleton essentially just wandering through the days with these people as they train for the Kokoda Trail. There’s a power in that, though, letting us see the good and bad in their lives in a very gradual way.
As I have said a couple of times, I found this novel very depressing. It doesn’t feel as if it offers much hope for any of the characters. However, it does offer a lot of understanding, and may provoke readers to consider their own attitudes to, and understanding of, refugee teenagers. In that perhaps there’s some long term hope for all of us.
An edited version of this review first appeared on www.beautyandlace.net as part of their bookclub.
If you enjoyed this review, please visit www.otherdreamsotherlives.home.blog to read more.
May 17, 2024
This is a hard book to read, mainly because there doesn't seem to be much hope for some of the characters. Most of the action revolves around the police, and an inner city public school in Melbourne with many students coming from low income or refugee families.
Anna is one of the teachers at the school, and she manages to keep her optimism up as she teaches. She cares for her students, even when they give her serious grief - and some of them truly do. Still, Anna seems to pick herself up, dust herself off, and plough on. But that optimism is getting a bit dented with all the challenges over this year.
The students don't have the luxury of caring much, and don't seem to be much cared for either. Their backgrounds are unbelievably tough, especially the refugees who have huge past traumas. But so, also, are the students living in poverty, and/or with other problems like drug-addled adults in their lives. For all of these young adults, the problem can boil down to simply surviving. Whether they actually want to learn or not becomes immaterial when survival is paramount.
The police have an uneasy relationship with the community. A case is ongoing which may or may not prove the police guilty of racism and potentially murder. It's pretty much destroyed any trust these kids might have with authority.
Into this mix comes a PR exercise for a select few to train to walk the Kokoda Trail, and thus re-establish some trust. Whether it will or won't becomes almost a moot point, however, as uneasiness prevails.
Hard to read, hard to enjoy, but I guess that's the whole point of the novel. The title comes from a Kanye West song which renounces organised religion. Again, part of the message, not so much from the religious side of things, but more renouncing the 'organised' side of things. Interesting to read but overall not a favourite with me.
Thankyou to Beauty & Lace and Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy.
Anna is one of the teachers at the school, and she manages to keep her optimism up as she teaches. She cares for her students, even when they give her serious grief - and some of them truly do. Still, Anna seems to pick herself up, dust herself off, and plough on. But that optimism is getting a bit dented with all the challenges over this year.
The students don't have the luxury of caring much, and don't seem to be much cared for either. Their backgrounds are unbelievably tough, especially the refugees who have huge past traumas. But so, also, are the students living in poverty, and/or with other problems like drug-addled adults in their lives. For all of these young adults, the problem can boil down to simply surviving. Whether they actually want to learn or not becomes immaterial when survival is paramount.
The police have an uneasy relationship with the community. A case is ongoing which may or may not prove the police guilty of racism and potentially murder. It's pretty much destroyed any trust these kids might have with authority.
Into this mix comes a PR exercise for a select few to train to walk the Kokoda Trail, and thus re-establish some trust. Whether it will or won't becomes almost a moot point, however, as uneasiness prevails.
Hard to read, hard to enjoy, but I guess that's the whole point of the novel. The title comes from a Kanye West song which renounces organised religion. Again, part of the message, not so much from the religious side of things, but more renouncing the 'organised' side of things. Interesting to read but overall not a favourite with me.
Thankyou to Beauty & Lace and Pan Macmillan Australia for the review copy.
February 7, 2025
While the topics tackled here are important ones, I had some misgivings about this novel set in a school in Flemington. The ambition is significant - Middleton has a sprawling cast of characters, many of whom have their own plotlines going on - and more than one overarching plot line to boot. The problem is less that this gets confusing as, confusingly, it tends to get boring, as few of these people and storylines have enough invested in them to make them stick. The main exceptions - a teacher spiralling into burnout and a cop who is nowhere near the nice guy he imagines himself as - are outsiders to the community Middleton is trying to center. The young character with most pagetime, Tyler, a skinhead too angry to survive, often feels more like an exemplar come to life than a rounded character. The tempo of the book also feels slightly off, with the book never quite delivering on the crescendo it promises earlier on.
The book has its strengths. A couple of the kids, Walid a young man trying to get on with his life, and Ali, a young musician who can think through beats, have real promise but don't get the space on the page to breathe. A story involving radicalisation and exclusion kept grabbing my attention as it flitted across the page.
Melbourne needs more literature set amid communities in public housing - hell, Melbourne needs more literature set outside the student, artist and community activist enclaves. It feels unfair to be overly critical one of the few authors trying to tell these stories, but that this is trying to do so much is largely symptomatic of how much needs to be done before we have the diversity of stories on the page that we have in the communities.
The book has its strengths. A couple of the kids, Walid a young man trying to get on with his life, and Ali, a young musician who can think through beats, have real promise but don't get the space on the page to breathe. A story involving radicalisation and exclusion kept grabbing my attention as it flitted across the page.
Melbourne needs more literature set amid communities in public housing - hell, Melbourne needs more literature set outside the student, artist and community activist enclaves. It feels unfair to be overly critical one of the few authors trying to tell these stories, but that this is trying to do so much is largely symptomatic of how much needs to be done before we have the diversity of stories on the page that we have in the communities.
May 27, 2024
This book was okay, I think it offers insight into a world that a lot of us are ignorant to, especially those of us growing up privileged in Australia. The difficulties faced migrants in countries like Australia is seminal yet often turned a blind eye to. What I appreciated about this book was that it provided an avenue for me to learn and think about the realities of the disparities that exist in my country.
The writing style of the book however felt more like a research paper with a slight attempt to create a novel. There were a lot of conversations/dialogue and I felt maybe the book needed more narration?
I also found it confusing as to who was speaking/narrating? Sometimes the author narrated like it was from the POV of that person but then he’d talk about them in 3rd person?
I also couldn’t work out the time period that it was meant to be set, whether it was now or 10 or 20 years ago.
Wouldn’t recommend because I didn’t enjoy the writing style/felt like there was no storyline. But if you’re wanting insight or to educate yourself about important issues faced by migrants, then it’s a pretty interesting way to source that information 😊
The writing style of the book however felt more like a research paper with a slight attempt to create a novel. There were a lot of conversations/dialogue and I felt maybe the book needed more narration?
I also found it confusing as to who was speaking/narrating? Sometimes the author narrated like it was from the POV of that person but then he’d talk about them in 3rd person?
I also couldn’t work out the time period that it was meant to be set, whether it was now or 10 or 20 years ago.
Wouldn’t recommend because I didn’t enjoy the writing style/felt like there was no storyline. But if you’re wanting insight or to educate yourself about important issues faced by migrants, then it’s a pretty interesting way to source that information 😊
April 25, 2024
3 well earned stars!
Really interesting perspective, particularly given it’s so local. It’s not just Australian and Melbourne based but deeply entrenched in our current/past neighbourhoods. An opening scene depicts a laksa restaurant - and everyone in bookclub (I believe) pictured the correct restaurant! I did live 200m from there several years ago, so very much enjoyed the tour around many well known establishments.
It explores the lives of the characters well - at least I assume so, having not lived in that specific situation.
Reading it you may dislike the characters, in fact I will be surprised if you gel with many of them. It’s a talent of the author to marry this unease with a connection that I felt to some of characters.
Heartbreaking and gloomy, but as the author shows - a lot of individuals have a season of this in their lives, regardless of their identity, be it gender, morals, heritage or employment.
I did feel like the choppiness of the writing was a little too jarring at times, and I struggled to differentiate the characters and follow their complicated relationships.
Really interesting perspective, particularly given it’s so local. It’s not just Australian and Melbourne based but deeply entrenched in our current/past neighbourhoods. An opening scene depicts a laksa restaurant - and everyone in bookclub (I believe) pictured the correct restaurant! I did live 200m from there several years ago, so very much enjoyed the tour around many well known establishments.
It explores the lives of the characters well - at least I assume so, having not lived in that specific situation.
Reading it you may dislike the characters, in fact I will be surprised if you gel with many of them. It’s a talent of the author to marry this unease with a connection that I felt to some of characters.
Heartbreaking and gloomy, but as the author shows - a lot of individuals have a season of this in their lives, regardless of their identity, be it gender, morals, heritage or employment.
I did feel like the choppiness of the writing was a little too jarring at times, and I struggled to differentiate the characters and follow their complicated relationships.
June 29, 2025
3.5/5
Had a really confronting and engaging storyline, premise was good and enjoyed how real this was. I enjoyed the different perspectives, and consequently, how each perspective viewed a single event. Lots of heart, empathy, and rawness in the characters. Tbh I loved all the kids from the flats even though Tyler sucked but obvs was a product of his environment.
Anyway was realllllyyy let down by how disjointed and messy it was at times. The problem with having so many storylines and perspectives was that it wasn't really able to capture all the important details that I thought were missed (e.g., Kadra, Michael, Walid's older brother all had so much backstory to offer and I wish that we'd learned more about them). So much build up to the Kokoda trail event itself and it didn't .. really ...... pay off? Because there were like 3 pages that were about the actual trail. But this also might have been the purpose?
ANYWAY still would recommend. ACAB.
Had a really confronting and engaging storyline, premise was good and enjoyed how real this was. I enjoyed the different perspectives, and consequently, how each perspective viewed a single event. Lots of heart, empathy, and rawness in the characters. Tbh I loved all the kids from the flats even though Tyler sucked but obvs was a product of his environment.
Anyway was realllllyyy let down by how disjointed and messy it was at times. The problem with having so many storylines and perspectives was that it wasn't really able to capture all the important details that I thought were missed (e.g., Kadra, Michael, Walid's older brother all had so much backstory to offer and I wish that we'd learned more about them). So much build up to the Kokoda trail event itself and it didn't .. really ...... pay off? Because there were like 3 pages that were about the actual trail. But this also might have been the purpose?
ANYWAY still would recommend. ACAB.
May 29, 2024
There were parts of this book that I really liked, and other parts I felt could have been missed and the narrative would still have held well.
Told from multiple perspectives, we follow a group of people getting ready to trek Kokoda, whilst navigating their lives around the high rises of Melbourne. Confronting issues of racism - from two viewpoints - we see the intricacies of teaching and living in a place where culture is an integral part of life and sometimes can't be separated from the acts of its people.
Anna was the most engaging character for me - as a teacher she walks a fine line between wanting to educate and support her students and keeping her sanity intact.
I found the end a little underwhelming, but it was a good overall read.
Told from multiple perspectives, we follow a group of people getting ready to trek Kokoda, whilst navigating their lives around the high rises of Melbourne. Confronting issues of racism - from two viewpoints - we see the intricacies of teaching and living in a place where culture is an integral part of life and sometimes can't be separated from the acts of its people.
Anna was the most engaging character for me - as a teacher she walks a fine line between wanting to educate and support her students and keeping her sanity intact.
I found the end a little underwhelming, but it was a good overall read.
April 25, 2024
I really liked the premise and idea of this book, however, there were a few things I would have changed, I thought the story was building up to cover more time on the school trip where they came together to hike the Kokoda trail, I felt it took way too long to build up to that, where it would have made a much better part of the story. I did feel like the portrayal of life in housing commission was quite accurate, as was the tensions between youth and police. I couldn’t imagine teaching in the environment that Anna did, it would be exceptionally difficult and you would have to love what they do to be able to manage those challenges.
May 27, 2024
Thanks to Beauty And Lace and Pan Macmillan for my copy to read and review.
I struggled with following this book with all the different characters and swapping to them throughout but by the end I got the hang of them.
It was a very thought provoking read, with many different topics covered such as racism, poverty and sexual abuse.
It showed poor people and just what they go through and how they are treated by society but also the strength the same people have to come out as good people despite the circumstances.
The flip of the coin is the ones who end up in jail because of their decisions.
Very interesting and different book for me that will stay with me.
I struggled with following this book with all the different characters and swapping to them throughout but by the end I got the hang of them.
It was a very thought provoking read, with many different topics covered such as racism, poverty and sexual abuse.
It showed poor people and just what they go through and how they are treated by society but also the strength the same people have to come out as good people despite the circumstances.
The flip of the coin is the ones who end up in jail because of their decisions.
Very interesting and different book for me that will stay with me.
August 3, 2024
I really loved this book but I think that’s only because it was based on a few things I’m really close to or interested in: Flemington and EAL students. It focused on students from the flats and their relationships with school and local police. Because it was set in the suburb I grew up in I knew every location they were referring to and there were profound statements peppered throughout this book with respect to ongoing and deeply embedded racism. As for the plot line, I’m not sure there was one? The students are training to go to Kokoda with their teachers and police and the book focuses on this but there’s only about 6 pages of when they are actually in Kokoda which felt quite rushed.
June 24, 2024
Set in the inner city suburbs of Melbourne, this novel had a great premise, but I also couldn't work out if it was supposed to be set in the early 2000s, the mid 2000s, or now. Hipsters and podcasts mixed with early model Nokia phones and the early years of Lenovo laptops. Also the Underbelly Series and Obama!! Some very unlikeable characters as well. Also, lots of generalisations of schools in these areas; nice kids and hard working teachers by the way, who would be mortified by the way they have been represented in this novel. It would have benefited from additional editing also.
August 1, 2024
This novel, although bleak, gives an accurate description of the misunderstood and misguided migrant youth of the North Melbourne high rise flats, as was several years ago. In some aspects their treatment has improved but friction still reigns mainly due to well meaning but badly implemented policy.
August 21, 2024
Started strong, but it lost me somewhere along the way. Can't quite put my finger on it, but something didn't quite work for me and by the end I was just going to get it done. But even then it felt like it finished half way through a thought.
That said, I wanted to know more about Michael and some of the other kids, and less about Paul and Anna.
That said, I wanted to know more about Michael and some of the other kids, and less about Paul and Anna.
December 7, 2024
This book is extremely relevant and touches on some very contemporary concerns. Perhaps missing something in the voice when covering so many characters but the key ideas and themes aren't diminished by this. Maybe covers too many concerns so doesn't delve into/prioritise any. Given this novel is dealing with poverty and equity, it does justify the high concentration of social concerns.
May 12, 2024
A gripping and important story from perspectives that we don't hear from enough. I was a little disappointed however that the kokoda trip was right at the end of the book and that we didn’t get to experience more from that, as the characters experienced it.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 18, 2024
Very readable with great characters and dialogue. The teens in particular were very interesting and i couldn’t help but love them wounds and all.
I was a little disappointed that there was not a greater focus on the walk as well.
I was a little disappointed that there was not a greater focus on the walk as well.
October 5, 2024
So compelling and honest. It does read like a movie, raw honest fast paced. Hard keeping up with who is who so much happening in and out of the classroom. The kakoda Trail leads into a sequel I think along with the abrupt ending. Would like to follow these characters a little longer.
May 12, 2025
About ten stories squeezed into one book. No need for spoiler alert because I don’t know what happened. There were fascinating characters worthy of development, but the stories of Ali, Funda, Musa and Walid disappeared in a relentless display of narrative cleverness and shifting perspectives.
April 22, 2024
Immersive story telling. The story moves quickly and I couldn’t put it down.
May 23, 2024
Lack of character arc and development. No interesting plot. Not worth the time.
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