I Am Nannertgarrook

by Tasma Walton

Winner of the 2025 ARA Historical Novel Prize
Shortlisted for the 2025 NiB Literary Award

Based on the true story of Tasma Walton’s ancestor, a powerful, heart-wrenching novel about maternal love that endures against pitiless odds. Kidnapped by sealers and enslaved far from her homeland, Nannertgarrook has a spirit that refuses to bow …

From her idyllic life in sea country in Nerrm (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria), Nannertgarrook is abducted and taken to a slave market, leaving behind a husband, daughter and son. Pregnant when seized, she soon gives birth to another son, whom she raises with the children of her fellow captives.

Nannertgarrook is separated not only from her Boonwurrung family, but from her birthright – the ceremonies she once was so joyously part of, the majestic whales who are her totem, the land and sky and sea country and its creatures. All these things she loves as deeply as she does her blood kin.

But now, as her reality becomes profoundly different, she must keep that family and her old life alive in her mind. Their rich, pulsating elements sing to us through her beautiful voice, even while Nannertgarrook herself is subjected to the worst of humanity. This sweeping novel asks us to consider who, in colonial history, were the real savages, and what it truly means to be civilised.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Indigenous, Audiobook, Book Club

295 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 2, 2025

Reviews

[Viv · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Tasma Walton for her work I am Nannertgarrook.
This book isn’t for everybody, but it is for everybody. I felt the book was written like poetry. The author does a lot of “world building” in the sense of taking the reader right before Whites arrived and plundered the land ruthlessly without abandon.
There are some hard subjects to read such as the rampant abuse including rape of children and women. Women being forced to carry biracial babies, losing true identity , being forced to conform to another culture starkly different to their own and the pillaging of natural assets to make way for farming.
I am left with sadness for the Indigenous and the horror they faced.
If anything, towards the end I felt the story slowed down a little with a rushed ending.
That said, I was moved by Nannertgarrook’s story,

[Debi · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is near impossible to describe just how powerful this book is. I sobbed through the last two chapters and grieved for the lost lives of these courageous women. The book reminds me of the urgent need this country has for truth telling. Our history is such a shameful one and it’s about time we admitted it.

I need to add too just how beautiful the writing was. Descriptions of Country are beautifully lyrical and bring alive just how pristine our land was under the care of its original inhabitants. Once that was changed to ‘ownership’ the desecration set in. Thank you Tasma -it was a privilege seeing the land described through the eyes of her original people - how it once was,how it should still be.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

An important book, narrative of an indigenous Australian woman stolen by white slavers and her story of capture. There is a strong contrast of her life before capture and then her enslaved life. Difficult to read at times and an important book to help everyone understand the past and the impact it still has on life in Australia today. Should be compulsory school reading. Thank you to the author for what must have been a hard story to tell. Thank you to #netgalley and the publisher for an ARC.

[BlueFalkon95 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Stars
Personally this is a genre and story that I love and enjoy reading but unfortunately I was unable to capture the essence of the story. I understood the concept of the story yet found it difficult to grasp and failed to hold onto my attention. Even though I wasn’t able to fully understand or comprehend the story I still wrote this review to inform the author and publisher that it maybe a great story but not all readers might not be able to have a grasp of the story or being able to their attention held to finish reading the book. One day I will read the book again and update my review.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review of the book. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own thoughts, feelings and viewpoints of the book.


#IAmNannertgarrook #NetGalley.

[Belinda Carpenter · Rating 2 out of 5]

The book does not reach its potential

[Andrée · Rating 5 out of 5]

my pick for a 2026 Stella prize nomination. I am so glad this book exists. I learned so much.

[Craig and Phil · Rating 5 out of 5]

The darkness of history never seems to teach us a lesson.
Australia has a rich indigenous history that is smeared with brutal events and policies from the onset of colonisation.
White colonists took what and whoever from a land that had its own balance and rhythm.
Nannertgarrook and her family lived in Nerrm which is now known as the Port Phillip Bay Area.
A life not yet tampered with by the newly arrived white man.
The ocean providing a plentiful bounty and magical alliances with some its majestic creatures.
In an instant life changed for her as she was captured and sold into a world of slavery.
Witnessing humanity at its worst.
The treatment of the captives and the slaughter of millions of wildlife.
Forced to adapt she acquired skills to survive, endure and not lose hope.
A heart wrenching story that brings the past alive and holds it to account.
A strong woman at the centre who was not going to succumb to a regime that had no respect for her people and the animals that lived on land or the sea.
A moving tribute based on the truth.

[Melinda Mifsud · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me awhile to get into the story. I felt pulled to slow down to concentrate and almost connect with the land myself. To follow the story, the unfamiliar names, places and terms was challenging at the start but then the beauty at the start of the book unfolded. I fell in love with the people, the rituals, the country. I was all in.

But then the sharp contrast of what happens next is all the more profound. It was traumatic to read. But it had to be told and shared.

I can’t imagine how hard it would have been to research and retell this story in the most beautiful way possible but still no matter how much beauty and simple joys these women found in small things and their inner strength, this doesn’t make a dint in how hard this story is to hear.

It takes a courageous person to reshare such a sorry and a courageous person to read it.

I hope this story is read by many people. It’s important.

[Chrissie Bellbrae · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just finished I am Nannertgarrook by Tasma Walton and it was a fascinating but heart rending tale of her ancestor – an addictive but not easy read for many reasons. While it made me terribly ashamed of colonialist white man’s treatment of the indigenous peoples of this land I’m extremely grateful to Tasma for this story, and so glad I read it. I think it’s essential for us to acknowledge and accept all parts of our history.
I highly recommend this book - it's beautifully written with love of Country fierce and highly emotive. One thing you must be aware – you will need to refer to the extensive language glossary at the back to fully appreciate the text. I imagine reading on a device would prove a little more difficult!

[Mal · Rating 1 out of 5]

23 apr only 8 ratings, a whale on the cover, written by an actress I've never heard of and displayed prominently at big w for $18?? how could I not

7 may p93 so I'm just gunna edit as I go. god the style is boring. it's so melancholic and wordy you forget what the context is after they've described the backstory of every little thing. it's tedious. it's interesting how on the boat everyone is from a different land and they can't understand each other. I like language barriers so that's neat. yeah, boring

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tasma Walton, I Am Nannertgarrook, Simon & Schuster (Australia) | S&S Bundyi, April 2025.

Thank you, Net Galley, and Simon & Schuster, for providing me with this uncorrected proof for review.

Tasma Walton’s I Am Nannertgarrook is so far removed from my recall of her as the pleasant enough young police officer in Blue Heelers that I suffered elements of the dissonance that, at a level far beyond my experience, must impact indigenous Australians at levels unimaginable every day of their lives. It was a good way to begin reading this heartbreaking novel with its beautiful images of Nannertgarrook’s life in her own setting, where indeed she is Nannertgarrook, and the revulsion for a vastly different life after her captivity when her being is brutally questioned with her renaming as Eliza or no-one.

The first half of the book is a revelation that bears rereading. Walton’s rendition of indigenous life is beautifully woven, with women’s business in the forefront, but the coming together of families after their individual activities are completed, warm, loving, and full of humour. Walton draws us into lives that are complete with domestic and public tasks and events, together with the overarching world of Indigenous spirituality, the land and sea, and its inhabitants. On the outskirts of these lives, harmonious with the environment and with each other, hover the sealers. They bludgeon the seals with little concern for anything but their livelihood, and eventually bludgeon a mother and child, leaving their bodies for the Indigenous community to care for and mourn.

The second half of the book takes place in the sealers’ environment – brutal, uncaring, with values far removed from those experienced though Nannertgarrook’s early life. She and other women from her community are captured, enslaved, bear the sealers’ children and are given English names. Although I would have been satisfied with less of this period, its brutality being well described throughout Nannertgarrook’s lengthy life on various islands with her sealer captor. However, some of the detail provides valuable insight into the superior Indigenous hunting practices, their links with the land and their family and community feelings and beliefs. Records of the time, taken by an insensitive white researcher who appears on the island, provide yet more material about relationships between white and Indigenous people. Unsurprisingly, although outwardly benign in contrast with the sealers’ behaviour, they are brutal in their own way. Nannertgarrook’s eventual departure from the island when her captor falls ill is far from the return home she dreamed about, again demonstrating the benign brutality of white denial of her personhood.

There is a glossary of indigenous words, which is useful. However, the words become part of the reader’s language long before this. As awkward as I found this sometimes, the words being so far from my knowledge, they played a part in drawing me into the novel. After all, the Indigenous groups brought together on the sealers’ islands, being from different communities also had to communicate in unfamiliar language. They ached to understand each other well beyond any desire to be part of the language that would give them entry to the sealers’ world. Walton says that the next novel she writes will not be so harrowing, and I look forward to it. However, I feel privileged to have been invited into this one, with its mixture of beauty and suffering.

[Tessa Wooldridge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Boonwurrung woman, Tasma Walton, reimagines the story of her great-great-great grandmother, Nannertgarrook, a saltwater woman stolen from her people and Biik (country) by sealers in the 19th century.

‘Around March of 1833, a group of young women, girls and an boy were forcibly taken by sealers from a beach at Point Nepean … They were sold in a slave market to sealers … One of those girls was my ancestor.’ (Author’s note)

The novel’s early chapters focus on the day-to-day lives of the Burinyong-Balak clan in the area later named the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria. Nannertgarrook lives with her husband and two young children; she attends to women’s business; she learns elements of the ‘Lore and Ceremony’ of her people as befits her age and maturity.

The great sundering of this life comes with the arrival of the sealers. Nannertgarrook is taken first to islands off the coast of Tasmania, then to Kangaroo Island and lastly to Bald Island, not too far distant from the whaling station at Albany in Western Australia. In each of these places, she is sexually assaulted repeatedly and, over the ensuing decades, bears four children to her captors.

‘I am Nannertgarrook. And I am trapped … Forever chained. Forever stolen. Forever screaming my fury at the invaders who destroyed it all.’

Not only does Nannertgarrook lose her autonomy, her clan and her country, she loses the opportunity to complete her learning of women’s knowledge. The songs, stories and skills that would have been taught by her elders will never be revealed.

‘So many layers of yulendji [knowledge] I should have learned, knowledge nurtured and passed along to grow the next generation in the ways of our Old Ones. That unbroken line of women I am born from, so endless it stretches into the Time when memory first began.’

This is a painful story to read. It should be. Without recourse to graphic detail, Tasma Walton exposes a story of violence, of disregard for peoples and cultures, and of desecration of land. As a reader, I am grateful to Walton for her research and storytelling, and grateful to the generations of her family who have carried the memory of the story.

* * * * * * * * * *

In 2025, I Am Nannertgarrook won the ARA Historical Novel Prize and was shortlisted for the NiB Literary Award and the HNSA Historical Novel Prize (Adult category).

* * * * * * * * * *
You can find more book reflections on my blog, Thoughts from an Idle Hour.

[Anne Freeman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM NANNERTGARROOK is a meticulously researched historical fiction novel by Tasma Walton, based on a true story. It follows the unimaginable journey of Nannertgarrook, a mother, wife, and proud Boonwurrung woman, who is abducted from her home in Nerrm (Port Phillip Bay) by violent sealers who remain nameless throughout the novel—an act of activism in protest of their inhumanity.

Tasma expertly balances the harrowing brutality of Nannertgarrook's experience with her fierce love, unwavering sense of self, and deep connection to Country. Enslaved and forced to endure profound violations of her body, culture and liberties, Nannertgarrook’s despair and displacement are not just described—they are deeply felt by the reader, thanks to Tasma’s skilled storytelling.

At times, the empathy I felt for Nannertgarrook was overwhelming, and I had to step away. But what a gift this story is. Raw and harrowing, yes—but also rich with reverent depictions of kinship, culture, and an unbreakable bond with Country and clan. These are concepts that many modern, non-Indigenous Australians rarely experience or fully understand.

This novel doesn’t just illuminate what was stolen from First Nations people—it reveals the profound loss we all share. A loss of knowledge, wisdom, and a way of living that respected land, spirit, and connection. Imagine a nation where first settlers had sought to live in harmony and consultation with First Nations people. How much richer would our lives be, how healthier our environment? Instead, our shared history is marked by scars—fault lines that divide us between those who deny the past and those who empathise and advocate for truth telling.

I urge you to read this unforgettable novel. Whether your ancestry connects directly or not, we all live on stolen land. Acknowledging our bloody past, educating ourselves, and facing it with humility is our shared responsibility. Stories like I AM NANNERTGARROOK make that journey a privilege. This story changed me. How many can you say that about?

[Jackie McMillan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading Boonwurrung writer and Aboriginal actress, Tasma Walton's novel, I Am Nannertgarrook on National Sorry Day, felt especially poignant. It's about her ancestor's abduction from her idyllic seaside life in Nerrm (Port Phillip Bay, Victoria) by sealers. It emphasises the way Nannertgarrook is not just stolen from her immediate family, but also from the handing down of cultural knowledge and ceremonies, the country she knows so intimately, and her saltwater kin, like babayin betayil (mother whale). Seeing her robbed of these rich and enduring connections shows just how much we have to be sorry for.

With all the definitions at the back, it isn't the easiest novel to read on a Kindle, so suggest a paper copy, as there is a lot of community language in it. However, even without definitions, it's pretty apparent what is going on: "Men, white as the ochre of death, relentless slaughterers of the koormam. Sealers." Life before we came to this continent looked pretty idyllic: "Women and children going about their saltwater business, diving for abalone, fishing, gathering shells and kelp, holding their sacred ceremonies". What a mess we made of it.

Walton cleverly illustrates Indigenous ways of resource management throughout the novel: "Careful farming of Biik's abundant plains over many seasons means our murnong grow long and strong in family clusters, often bigger than a man's hand. As always, when we separate the yams from their family cluster, we make sure to put one back. This way she can sprout new babies for the next harvest, and the cycle sustains itself over again." By comparison through sealing, whaling, and even capturing birds and women, white men behave: "Like a toddler, they just grab what they want." There is rape, including child rape, death, and violence in this book, and it's sad, but Walton is a good storyteller, and the narrative pulls you through with yearning for Nannertgarrook to see her beloved Biik again.

With thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster (Australia) for sending me a copy to read.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a powerful novel, based on the author's ancestors story. The novel begins with Nannertgarrook waking with her daughter by her side and her young son nearby, both deep in slumber. They are living in their Biik (Country) of what is now called Port Phillip Bay. And for the first section of the book we learn a bit of their love of the land, the ceremonies and their connection with the other life around them including their sacred whales which Nannertgarrok has a strong connection. Of course this idyll is quckly shattered by the arrival of a boat with sealers aboard who kidnap several of the women and children, including Nannertgarrook, her daughter and cousin. She attempts to keep her dignity intact as well as the memory of her husband close to her heart as she gets raped by the sealer who claimed her. Her revulsion of the wongurrunin ngamudji (stupid white man) is strong, as he is unwashed, has alcohol breath as well as violent towards her and her kin. Once the sealers have slaughtered all the seals on Phillip Island, they move on to Wilson's Promontory where the scenes repeat, then to Gun Carriage Island and westward. The woman are forced to cook for the whites and then clean the skins of the animals. There are moments of peace, early in the morning and late in the evening when Nannertgarrok and her cousin and kids can fish by the beach and collect tucker for themselves and keep their stories alive in the evening. This is another powerful tale of Truth Telling. This story needs to be heard, especially by our politicians.

[Liisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

A powerful, deeply affecting novel that gives voice to the silenced.

In her second novel, Tasma Walton turns to personal history and cultural memory, drawing on fragmented archives, oral storytelling, and women’s lore to resurrect the life of her ancestor, Nannertgarrook. The result is a beautifully rendered, harrowing account of one woman’s survival in the face of brutal colonial violence.

Set initially on Boonwurrung/Woiworung Country, the novel celebrates pre-colonial life, community, and women’s connection to land and lore. Nannertgarrook is a mother, diver, teacher, and storyteller—her world is vibrant, spiritual, and steeped in tradition. Walton’s choice to write in the first person brings a raw intimacy that makes the eventual rupture all the more devastating.

The trauma Nannertgarrook endures—abduction, forced labour, cultural dislocation—is portrayed with clarity and restraint. Walton deliberately omits the name of her abductor, shifting focus away from colonial perpetrators and instead centring the strength, resilience, and agency of First Nations women.

This is not an easy read, nor should it be. It’s a confronting but vital piece of historical fiction that reckons with generational trauma while honouring survival and the power of ancestral knowledge. A necessary book for all Australians as we continue to reckon with truth and reconciliation.

Heartbreaking, evocative, and full of quiet strength. Highly recommend.

[Kt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Genre: fiction - historical fiction, based on a true story, Indigenous fiction.

Does the blurb reflect the plot: very much so

Sum it up: No matter what I write here, it will not come close to articulating how amazing this book is and how emotional I felt reading it. Based on a true story, Walton has taken the story of her great great great grandmother Nannertgarrook and turned it into a novel that is so powerful, yet so touching. The plot moves at a slow pace, but it’s not a slow burn by any stretch. Walton masters this clever way of writing, which so few authors can do well; and thus gives the reader the opportunity to see the injustice, hurt, culture and the love that Nannertgarrook carries in heart through her eyes. This lifts the book to a whole other level, making it one that you can simply read as a piece of historical fiction, but better yet; one which if read beyond the words on the page; will tell you a story like no other from a truly horrific time in Australia’s history. Long story short, I cannot recommend I Am Nannertgarrook highly enough. It’s a must read.

Who should read it: everyone.

I Am Nannertgarrook is my tenth read in #ktbookbingo. Category ‘Released in 2025’. To play along with my book bingo and to see what else I’m reading, go to #ktbookbingo or @peggyanne_readsandruns on Instagram.

[Marion Taffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I AM NANNERTGARROOK by Tasma Walton tells the story of the author's Boonwurrung ancestor who was stolen, enslaved by sealers and taken far from her home. I'm so glad this novel won the recent HNSA Prize for historical fiction (with joint winner Robbie Arnott for DUSK).
'I Am Nannertgarrook' is a tough read as Walton portrays the lifelong cellular-level yearning for stolen children, culture, land and people. But it is ultimately a book of courage, strength, hope and a deep connection to language and place.
Walton skillfully shows the richness of family life and Boonwurrung culture before the fateful day. This way, the reader can understand more deeply what has been lost.
I utterly loved the use of language and felt honoured that the author has trusted readers with these words - such an important part of story and the culture that the Nannertgarrook fought to keep alive. Each word is a precious gift. The poetic paired Prologue and Epilogue are beautiful, heartbreaking and enraging.
I can barely grasp the incredible personal toll that researching and writing this story must have taken on the author. It is incredibly powerful, generous and thoughtful storytelling.
Every Australian should read it.

[Nahtan Yehenara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Honestly, I was so desperate to read this book after seeing so many encouraging and positive reviews. I'm sorry to report that its floury language cannot hide the lack of substance, depth and research. The word 'Country' is overly mentioned throughout the book, yet little is explained. If the word 'Country' really meant something to the writer, then its history, boundry, complexity should have been described a lot more! Again, this kinda of cliff hanger keeps on and on. It's like being invited to a fancy dinner, only to discover that apart from the gorgeous dresses and outfits of the participants, all we are getting served is meat and three veg! What happened to the exciting and refreshing bush tucker that's meant to be the bloody main course?!!! Let me give you some examples. On page 28 line 11 "newly wedded bliss", what is this bliss? What's the form? What's in it? What does it look like? Is it reflected in an emotion? A change of behaviour? On page 29 line 24 "his body, his language, his skill", again, what's his body like? What's his language like? How do his language, body and skill differ from the other characters?.....TASMA, we need more from you! The 'Country' needs more from you! Give us MORE, PLEASE!!!!!

[Ella Birt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A beautiful and powerful story. Based on the story of Tasma's ancestors, I am Nannertgarrook follows the life of Nannertgarrook and her family from life and culture on Country, to her kidnapping by sealers and its ongoing affects across generations. The relationship with the land and sea that First Nations people hold, compared to the extractive relationship of the sealers/ other Europeans is front and centre throughout the book in a powerful and important way. The book creates links for the reader to connect what happened on the frontier to contemporary experiences in a very considered, first person way.

This will become my new top recommendation for people wanting to learn more about First Nations histories and cultures in Australia, who don't know where to start. Would recommend to all.

[Cel Jel · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that tells the tale of a fi
Rest nations woman taken from her tribe and land by whalers - white men, and set to work cleaning whale skins, possom skins, cooking and even meeting other 'needs'. She is sold on to another white man and lives on a remote land and learns to read the seasons of that place, creates her own songlines but knows she is missing the songlines that are of the islands first people. An amazing - well written and I hope will lead to the understanding of how we can move forward to live together and respect the position of the First Nations along side us on this land with their history and with our history, not ours over theirs.

[Tea the library lady · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't keen to read this. Didn't think it would be my speed at all. But I was so wrong. It was so fabulous. So well written. So sad but uplifting at the same time. I gained such an understanding of what country means. How deeply it's felt and the connections created by existing with country. not ruling over country. Of course, the tale is grim. And true. Walton used many historical documents and sources for her research.
This is my story too. My ancestor appears in this book. And the stories about her in the boom, are the ones I knew.

[Shaz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harrowing narrative based on truth when many First Nations women and children were kidnapped from Country by ruthless sealers and whalers in Australia.
Strong imagery that evokes empathy, anger and a deep sense of loss. With the text interspersed with Language of this particular First Nations group, it was frustrating to have to refer to the glossary many times; I don't know if the author intended to do this but it put me in a place of not understanding and empathy for the women.

[Maria Magdalena · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story of Nannertgarrook and her extended family is an incredible read. The writing is poetic and barbaric at the same time. Since I read it on my Kobo reader I objected to the constant use of native language being used (I could not quickly flip the page to the glossary of words). I understand it makes the story more 'realistic' - but if you decide to write a novel in English, than please, stick to English?

[Peter Langston · Rating 5 out of 5]

A powerfully moving story which dwarfs the much touted courage and resilience of Eliza Fraser or Jeanie Gunn. Nannertgarrook’s story should be retold to Australian children, regardless of cultural or ethnic background. It is truth telling. Resilience has a new definition … yet sadly, her story is clearly not the only untold harrowing tale which Australians must accept as their shared history.
My profound thanks to the author.

[Diana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. Superb, detailed descriptions took me to the different places in earlier times. The story helped me to gain a better understand of our First Nation people's deep spiritual connection to their country. Beautiful , poetic descriptions of the cycles of life based on the seasons, and long held traditions involving the native animals, sea creatures, birds and plants. Such a helpful book to get some sense of the enormous grief felt by those taken away/ stolen from their kin.

[Nonie Finlayson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a difficult but important read. Not difficult in the sense that it was beautifully written and so easy to identify with Nannertgarrook and her family, but maybe that is what makes it a hard read - to confront the truth of history and what colonialism ruined for this country is heartbreaking, over and over again in so many ways. Tasma makes you yearn for a more connected life on country, where community and caring are central to quality of life.

[Rowena Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

I commend Tasma for sharing her ancestors story in such a beautiful way, the treatment of the true custodians of this land is utterly shameful, sad, distressing and heartbreaking, and there were so many others treated in this torturous way. I believe these stories deserve to be told. I really enjoyed learning about how they lived in unison with the land and sea prior to the invasion of their home. Thank you Tasma.

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a hard read. Both in terms of what happens to the main characters and the other women in her life as they attempt to live and support themselves post capture by sealers. But also in terms of Walton’s writing with her complex sentences and so much contained in so few words. Not a book to read quickly. And one that needs breaks to reflect on the sorrows the women encounter in living those lives and their attempts to eventually return home.

[Georgia Carver · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to the e-Book version of this book whilst reading along with my physical copy... and I can undoubtedly say that this was the best way to consume this novel. 'I am Nannertgarrook' by Tasma Walton is a harrowing story - one that at times was beautiful and at others, horrifying. This is definitely a book that I would recommend to others.