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The Other Side of the World
In the tradition of Rachel Cusk's A Life's Work or Maggie O'Farrell's The Hand That First Held Mine comes a complex, tender and gorgeously written novel of parenthood, love and marriage that is impossible to put down.
Cambridge 1963. Charlotte struggles to reconnect with the woman she was before children, and to find the time and energy to paint. Her husband, Henry, cannot face the thought of another English winter. A brochure slipped through the letterbox gives him the answer: 'Australia brings out the best in you'.
Charlotte is too worn out to resist, and before she knows it is travelling to the other side of the world. But on their arrival in Perth, the southern sun shines a harsh light on both Henry and Charlotte and slowly reveals that their new life is not the answer either was hoping for. Charlotte is left wondering if there is anywhere she belongs, and how far she'll go to find her way home...
Cambridge 1963. Charlotte struggles to reconnect with the woman she was before children, and to find the time and energy to paint. Her husband, Henry, cannot face the thought of another English winter. A brochure slipped through the letterbox gives him the answer: 'Australia brings out the best in you'.
Charlotte is too worn out to resist, and before she knows it is travelling to the other side of the world. But on their arrival in Perth, the southern sun shines a harsh light on both Henry and Charlotte and slowly reveals that their new life is not the answer either was hoping for. Charlotte is left wondering if there is anywhere she belongs, and how far she'll go to find her way home...
352 pages, Paperback
First published June 30, 2015
75 people are currently reading
2835 people want to read
About the author
Stephanie Bishop
11 books132 followersStephanie Bishop is a widely acclaimed novelist and critic. She is the award-winning author of four novels, The Singing (2005), The Other Side of the World (2015), Man Out Of Time (2018) and The Anniversary (2023).
She is the recipient of multiple prizes, including The Readings Prize for New Australian Writing, the Literary Fiction Book of the Year Award, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (shortlisted), the Christina Stead Prize for fiction (shortlisted) and the Stella Prize (longlisted). Her work has been translated into four languages. In 2006 she was named one of the Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Novelists of the Year.
She has received fellowships to Yaddo, Tenjinyama Art Studio, Himachal Pradesh University, and Oxford University, where she was a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Life Writing and holds a PhD from Cambridge University.
Bishop’s essays and fiction have appeared in the London Review of Books, the Times Literary Supplement, The Monthly and the Sydney Review of Books, among other publications.
She is the recipient of multiple prizes, including The Readings Prize for New Australian Writing, the Literary Fiction Book of the Year Award, the Victorian Premier’s Literary Awards (shortlisted), the Christina Stead Prize for fiction (shortlisted) and the Stella Prize (longlisted). Her work has been translated into four languages. In 2006 she was named one of the Sydney Morning Herald’s Best Young Novelists of the Year.
She has received fellowships to Yaddo, Tenjinyama Art Studio, Himachal Pradesh University, and Oxford University, where she was a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Life Writing and holds a PhD from Cambridge University.
Bishop’s essays and fiction have appeared in the London Review of Books, the Times Literary Supplement, The Monthly and the Sydney Review of Books, among other publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 345 reviews
September 19, 2016
This is going to be a tough one. If I based me review solely on the prose, which was exceptional, or on the descriptions of life in England, Australia, and India, it would be a definite four. However, the story itself did not bowl me away. Charlotte, was not a likable character which isn't in and of itself a problem, but I could never figure out of I was supposed to feel sorry for her or understand her difficulties with post partum depression, her problems with relocating family to another continent, because I never felt any connection to this character at all. The writing and descriptions showed me how it was but the emotional depth was missing. The writing almost shrouded this, or so I felt. It surrounded this little family and I did feel for her husband, who really cared and tried so hard and her little daughters.
A novel of a woman in crisis, the problems of losing oneself in marriage and motherhood and the difficulties of adjusting to a relocation of ones life. Beautiful writing but the story never penetrated emotionally. This is however, an author, who can write and wrote well. Just didn't work to well for me.
ARC from Netgalley.
A novel of a woman in crisis, the problems of losing oneself in marriage and motherhood and the difficulties of adjusting to a relocation of ones life. Beautiful writing but the story never penetrated emotionally. This is however, an author, who can write and wrote well. Just didn't work to well for me.
ARC from Netgalley.
December 17, 2019
Charlotte is finding it difficult to do the things she once enjoyed before she had children, her husband, Henry is struggling with having to face another winter in England. When he comes across a leaflet in the letter-box, he decides this could be just what he and his family need. Going to Australia was going to be a big move, but one which Henry thought would be good for the whole family. Escaping those dreadfully cold winters and creating a fresh start for a warmer place like Perth could only be good or so Henry thought.
Not long after arriving in Perth it is clear to both Henry and Charlotte that moving to the other side of the world may not have been a good idea after all. Charlotte begins to wonder if she will ever feel like she belongs anywhere.
I was truly looking forward to reading this book, but unfortunately I didn’t connect with the story or the characters for that matter. Whilst reading about how Charlotte was feeling I was thinking I should be feeling sorry for her, but I didn’t and I just wanted her to get over it and move on so to speak. This book has been enjoyed by many, so don’t let my thoughts stop you from reading this book. Give it a go because you never know, you may just end up enjoying it. Recommended.
Not long after arriving in Perth it is clear to both Henry and Charlotte that moving to the other side of the world may not have been a good idea after all. Charlotte begins to wonder if she will ever feel like she belongs anywhere.
I was truly looking forward to reading this book, but unfortunately I didn’t connect with the story or the characters for that matter. Whilst reading about how Charlotte was feeling I was thinking I should be feeling sorry for her, but I didn’t and I just wanted her to get over it and move on so to speak. This book has been enjoyed by many, so don’t let my thoughts stop you from reading this book. Give it a go because you never know, you may just end up enjoying it. Recommended.
April 24, 2017
Absolutely beautiful, profound and painful.
Both characters affected me – Henry (He wonders what it would be like to belong somewhere and never doubt it. To not be constantly pestered by the knowledge of your own foreignness); Charlotte (I thought I had come home…But home is never the same once you have left it for any length of time and come back. Home is a secret world that closes its door in your absence and never lets you back in).
Here I am gushing about a book from the migrant point of view again. There’s so much more to this, though. Aching emptiness, post-partum depression, class, race, marriage, gender roles. Parts reminded me of Revolutionary Road – that quiet, desperate despair. It’s a time when the societal norms of men and women are definitively defined, and for Charlotte a life of cooking and cleaning in the suburbs kills her slowly, as it would many of us.
There’s a moment late in the book when Henry talks about not being from where you’re from - when your home country is not the country of your culture, so even though it’s home to you you’re always viewed as an outsider; yet, you’re ancestral country isn’t home either and a trip there is even more disconcerting. I first felt this in early childhood when my two mother-tongues had to move aside for English outside of the home – and then decades later as an adult migrating to yet another country and having no way to explain to these new people that you’re “not from where you’re from” even though you technically are. For Henry, as a mixed-raced British citizen inadvertently migrating to Australia in the midst of the White Australia policy, long before an employer could check out your LinkedIn picture, this issue takes on an entirely new and sinister angle.
You feel these people gradually heading for disaster and when the book climaxes it’s devastating and inevitable.
The low average rating is an insult. This is top-quality literature.
Both characters affected me – Henry (He wonders what it would be like to belong somewhere and never doubt it. To not be constantly pestered by the knowledge of your own foreignness); Charlotte (I thought I had come home…But home is never the same once you have left it for any length of time and come back. Home is a secret world that closes its door in your absence and never lets you back in).
Here I am gushing about a book from the migrant point of view again. There’s so much more to this, though. Aching emptiness, post-partum depression, class, race, marriage, gender roles. Parts reminded me of Revolutionary Road – that quiet, desperate despair. It’s a time when the societal norms of men and women are definitively defined, and for Charlotte a life of cooking and cleaning in the suburbs kills her slowly, as it would many of us.
There’s a moment late in the book when Henry talks about not being from where you’re from - when your home country is not the country of your culture, so even though it’s home to you you’re always viewed as an outsider; yet, you’re ancestral country isn’t home either and a trip there is even more disconcerting. I first felt this in early childhood when my two mother-tongues had to move aside for English outside of the home – and then decades later as an adult migrating to yet another country and having no way to explain to these new people that you’re “not from where you’re from” even though you technically are. For Henry, as a mixed-raced British citizen inadvertently migrating to Australia in the midst of the White Australia policy, long before an employer could check out your LinkedIn picture, this issue takes on an entirely new and sinister angle.
You feel these people gradually heading for disaster and when the book climaxes it’s devastating and inevitable.
The low average rating is an insult. This is top-quality literature.
July 8, 2015
Stephanie Bishop's novel, The Other Side of the World, is garnering much praise amongst critics and readers alike.
Exploring the themes of home, longing, identity and love Bishop presents the story of a Charlotte, a wife and new mother who reluctantly agrees to emigrate from England with her husband, Henry, a British Indian, in search of a fresh start in the sunny promise of Australia.
I admired Bishop's poetic descriptions of both the physical and emotional landscape experienced by her characters. The writing is lyrical and evocative creating a close atmosphere that envelops the reader.
But this is a character driven novel and I failed to connect with Charlotte in particular. Rather than developing empathy for her longing for England, or more honestly for the life she had before children, I was irritated by her self absorption, horrified by her behaviour towards her daughters, impatient with her self pity.
"But that is all she has; there is the brightness of the outside world and then the starved, dark space of her own consciousness"
I found Henry to be a more likeable and interesting character, his struggle with his identity, of his yearning to belong, well articulated.
"Once more no one knows quite who, or what he is meant to be. He experienced this in England, but it was worse here - with his Queen's English and his strange-coloured skin....his voice and appearance do not fit. Not here. Perhaps not anywhere."
Though I appreciate the elegance of Bishop's writing, the insightful exploration of themes, and finely wrought characterisation, I have to admit I didn't really enjoy The Other Side of The World.
July 7, 2018
Whilst I completely understand the praise this book has been receiving, it just didn't grab me as I had hoped it would.
The prose is beautiful and absorbing - the words create an unquestionable atmosphere that transports the reader, and I've no doubt that anyone who is/has been married and/or has children will feel a profound connection to the detailed intricacies. The driving theme of 'Home' will resonate with anyone who's lived more than one place, particularly those of a more mature age with a longer history to reflect on. This novel creates stunning scenery and is worthy of commendation.
However, for my own personal tastes, this was far too depressing a novel. I felt as drained as our protagonist, and a sense of relief upon finishing. An absorbing novel, but not a world I wished to be absorbed in.
The prose is beautiful and absorbing - the words create an unquestionable atmosphere that transports the reader, and I've no doubt that anyone who is/has been married and/or has children will feel a profound connection to the detailed intricacies. The driving theme of 'Home' will resonate with anyone who's lived more than one place, particularly those of a more mature age with a longer history to reflect on. This novel creates stunning scenery and is worthy of commendation.
However, for my own personal tastes, this was far too depressing a novel. I felt as drained as our protagonist, and a sense of relief upon finishing. An absorbing novel, but not a world I wished to be absorbed in.
September 10, 2016
This book had quite a profound effect on me. It’s the story of a married couple, Charlotte and Henry, who are living in England in the 1960’s. Charlotte is an artist, but when she begins to have children, she goes through a depressed period and has difficulty painting or dealing with life as a mother and wife. Henry, having been born in India and who has never liked English weather, decides that it would help their family to move to Australia and start a new life there. Charlotte has no desire at all to leave her beloved England behind but is so worn out that she gives in.
While there was a part of me that could certainly relate to Charlotte’s struggles, my main sympathy was for Henry, who tried so hard to make life better for his family, even throughout his own difficulties. I can understand Charlotte being homesick as I know I would be, too, if I left all that was familiar. But home is where the heart is and she had her “heart” with her – her husband and little girls – and I feel that she was almost trying not to adjust to the new country. Regardless of how I felt about the decisions that Charlotte makes, I also cared for her and so very much wanted the best for them all. The author developed her characters magnificently and had great insight into their lives.
This is such a beautifully written piece of literature. I truly loved it. Ms. Bishop has written an honest, no bars held masterpiece. She knows how to capture her readers’ attention and hearts. The ending is shocking and heartbreaking and literally took my breath away. Most highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
While there was a part of me that could certainly relate to Charlotte’s struggles, my main sympathy was for Henry, who tried so hard to make life better for his family, even throughout his own difficulties. I can understand Charlotte being homesick as I know I would be, too, if I left all that was familiar. But home is where the heart is and she had her “heart” with her – her husband and little girls – and I feel that she was almost trying not to adjust to the new country. Regardless of how I felt about the decisions that Charlotte makes, I also cared for her and so very much wanted the best for them all. The author developed her characters magnificently and had great insight into their lives.
This is such a beautifully written piece of literature. I truly loved it. Ms. Bishop has written an honest, no bars held masterpiece. She knows how to capture her readers’ attention and hearts. The ending is shocking and heartbreaking and literally took my breath away. Most highly recommended.
This book was given to me by the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
November 16, 2016
Inspired by the true story of Bishop’s grandparents’ move from England to Australia, this is a somber but compassionate account of one family’s dreams and mistakes. Bishop assuredly evokes Henry and Charlotte’s feelings of displacement and a failure to belong. As an expatriate, I could sympathize with these characters’ feelings of being unsettled. A new place doesn’t solve everything, the novel seems to be saying; after all, you take yourself and your relationship issues with you wherever you go. I expect the style of this novel won’t be for everyone. The omniscient narration includes a lot of reportage, descriptions, psychoanalyzing and rhetorical questions, which together take up some of the space that in other novels would be given over to dialogue and scenes. This means the book can at times feel dreamy and ungrounded. Ultimately I think that is Bishop’s goal, though: to make readers experience the uprooted life along with her characters.
April 8, 2016
Two and a half stars
This story set in the 1960s, starts in England. It tells the story of Charlotte who never wants to leave England and Henry, her Indian born husband, who wants to leave England which has been his home since a child. He wants to move to Australia. Anyone who has ever been homesick for another country or place, should be able to relate to some of Charlotte’s feelings. Added to the conflict over the move to Perth, Charlotte is struggling with being a mother. These days, Charlotte would no doubt be diagnosed with post-natal depression. A second child, May, coming while Lucie is still very young exacerbates the problem.
This is not a fast moving book. The prose is atmospheric and lyrical with some great descriptions of the landscape, whether that it is England, Australia or India. However detail of description is also part of the problem in that sometimes we just want the story to move on instead of becoming bogged down by descriptions of every little thing.
There is not a lot of plot as it is basically a description of days. It is more a character study and therein lies a problem. I found Charlotte a difficult character to like or relate too. The longer the story went one the more I struggled to understand Charlotte. For me there was too much introspection alternating with the writer telling us how the character felt rather than their actions letting them reveal it. The result was I felt distanced from the characters rather than involved. Then at times when Charlotte did show her feelings in actions, I was horrified. While I liked some aspects of the writing, the story did feel a little predictable and I wasn’t enamoured of the ending. Others have really liked the book so best to give it a go and see for yourself what you think.
This story set in the 1960s, starts in England. It tells the story of Charlotte who never wants to leave England and Henry, her Indian born husband, who wants to leave England which has been his home since a child. He wants to move to Australia. Anyone who has ever been homesick for another country or place, should be able to relate to some of Charlotte’s feelings. Added to the conflict over the move to Perth, Charlotte is struggling with being a mother. These days, Charlotte would no doubt be diagnosed with post-natal depression. A second child, May, coming while Lucie is still very young exacerbates the problem.
This is not a fast moving book. The prose is atmospheric and lyrical with some great descriptions of the landscape, whether that it is England, Australia or India. However detail of description is also part of the problem in that sometimes we just want the story to move on instead of becoming bogged down by descriptions of every little thing.
There is not a lot of plot as it is basically a description of days. It is more a character study and therein lies a problem. I found Charlotte a difficult character to like or relate too. The longer the story went one the more I struggled to understand Charlotte. For me there was too much introspection alternating with the writer telling us how the character felt rather than their actions letting them reveal it. The result was I felt distanced from the characters rather than involved. Then at times when Charlotte did show her feelings in actions, I was horrified. While I liked some aspects of the writing, the story did feel a little predictable and I wasn’t enamoured of the ending. Others have really liked the book so best to give it a go and see for yourself what you think.
July 30, 2015
I’m torn as to how to review this book. What I’m not torn on is my general dislike for it, despite it being lauded as the current ‘must read’.
The book is about Charlotte and Henry. They’re married with one child, with Charlotte just finding out she’s pregnant with number two at the beginning of the novel. I think it’s pretty obvious right from the start that Charlotte is suffering from postpartum depression, but as the book is set in the 60s, no one is going to do anything about it.
Henry blames the weather and England for all their unhappiness. He decides they need a fresh start, and wants them to immigrate to Australia. Henry is keen to emulate his childhood in India, and thinks Australia’s tropical setting will elicit that sense of belonging he's struggling with in England. He also points out that their daughter’s spate of ill health is only being exacerbated by that country's cold.
Charlotte is totally against the idea but during a weak moment, agrees to go. Under sufferance.
This is probably when I started to hate Charlotte and the book. Her displeasure at everything from the voyage over onwards got completely on my nerves. Okay, I understand, this was the 60s and they arrive during summer, but still… Even hating on our wildlife?
And basically, when it comes to plots, that’s it. Henry goes to work, Charlotte stays at home and does what every mother around the world does, only not particularly well most of the time. (Again, I supposed she had undiagnosed depression, but still…) Yes, it's boring in real life and boring in a book.
Somewhere in there she meets Nicholas, who is possibly the most boring man to grace the page. My eyes blurred over during nearly all their scenes together. (And can I just ask in what universe a woman can carry on with a man and her children *never* say anything about it to her husband? Like, not once, do we ever get the ‘Uncle Nick came over today’ scene.)
Henry is a much more interesting character. His back story is fantastic. I think Bishop would have been much wiser to have concentrated on him and his plot. Especially his lack of a real home or country of his own, and the racism he faces which goes along with that.
I have heard that this has an 'unexpected ending'. I’m not sure what they’re talking about. The ending was as ho-hum as the rest of it. I actually thought it was going to get exciting and Henry was going to kill Charlotte. I’m not marking this as a spoiler, because I’m not really sure how it ended because my eyes blurred so much in the last chapter from the convoluted prose style that could have been it, for all I know!
I did give the books 3 stars because of the descriptive prose, which Bishop really does do incredibly well. In fact, her style reminded me a little of Evie Wyld’s. The three central countries all get their time in her descriptive sun. I can see every aspect so clearly in my mind. And, like Wyld’s, the descriptions of everyday routines make the most interesting. Yes, in this sense, the book is quite beautiful.
Wyld had some ingredients in her prize winning novel that Bishop doesn’t, however. Plot, tension, and characterisation were the big three missing in my mind. If Bishop can add these next time, she’ll really have a ‘must read’. But, for me, The Other Side of the World isn’t it.
3/5
The book is about Charlotte and Henry. They’re married with one child, with Charlotte just finding out she’s pregnant with number two at the beginning of the novel. I think it’s pretty obvious right from the start that Charlotte is suffering from postpartum depression, but as the book is set in the 60s, no one is going to do anything about it.
Henry blames the weather and England for all their unhappiness. He decides they need a fresh start, and wants them to immigrate to Australia. Henry is keen to emulate his childhood in India, and thinks Australia’s tropical setting will elicit that sense of belonging he's struggling with in England. He also points out that their daughter’s spate of ill health is only being exacerbated by that country's cold.
Charlotte is totally against the idea but during a weak moment, agrees to go. Under sufferance.
This is probably when I started to hate Charlotte and the book. Her displeasure at everything from the voyage over onwards got completely on my nerves. Okay, I understand, this was the 60s and they arrive during summer, but still… Even hating on our wildlife?
And basically, when it comes to plots, that’s it. Henry goes to work, Charlotte stays at home and does what every mother around the world does, only not particularly well most of the time. (Again, I supposed she had undiagnosed depression, but still…) Yes, it's boring in real life and boring in a book.
Somewhere in there she meets Nicholas, who is possibly the most boring man to grace the page. My eyes blurred over during nearly all their scenes together. (And can I just ask in what universe a woman can carry on with a man and her children *never* say anything about it to her husband? Like, not once, do we ever get the ‘Uncle Nick came over today’ scene.)
Henry is a much more interesting character. His back story is fantastic. I think Bishop would have been much wiser to have concentrated on him and his plot. Especially his lack of a real home or country of his own, and the racism he faces which goes along with that.
I have heard that this has an 'unexpected ending'. I’m not sure what they’re talking about. The ending was as ho-hum as the rest of it. I actually thought it was going to get exciting and Henry was going to kill Charlotte. I’m not marking this as a spoiler, because I’m not really sure how it ended because my eyes blurred so much in the last chapter from the convoluted prose style that could have been it, for all I know!
I did give the books 3 stars because of the descriptive prose, which Bishop really does do incredibly well. In fact, her style reminded me a little of Evie Wyld’s. The three central countries all get their time in her descriptive sun. I can see every aspect so clearly in my mind. And, like Wyld’s, the descriptions of everyday routines make the most interesting. Yes, in this sense, the book is quite beautiful.
Wyld had some ingredients in her prize winning novel that Bishop doesn’t, however. Plot, tension, and characterisation were the big three missing in my mind. If Bishop can add these next time, she’ll really have a ‘must read’. But, for me, The Other Side of the World isn’t it.
3/5
May 14, 2015
I completely adored this beautifully written story. It was utterly spellbinding and I just revelled the delicious descriptive writing that just seemed to transport me to those places described on the pages. This is not a book full of great action, but rather it meanders along spilling heartfelt emotions and delivering beautifully drawn images and scenes.
Charlotte is a young married mother in Cambridge, exhausted and struggling to cope with motherhood. Her husband Henry, who was born in India, feels unable to cope with another cold damp English winter. It’s 1963 and a leaflet drops through the letterbox and seems to provide Henry with a solution for his family’s happiness. They will emigrate to Australia and find warmth, health and a new start.
Charlotte knows she will miss her home, the glorious English countryside and England’s changing seasons. She still reluctantly agrees to go, too tired to argue, and they find themselves on the other side of the world in Perth, Australia. However, things don’t work out as Henry had hoped and soon they are both lost, unhappy and feeling they don’t belong. Never was the saying ‘The grass is always greener’ more apt or appropriate.
Stephanie Bishop not only draws wonderfully vivid scenes but also deals brilliantly with emotions both male and female. The tensions and frustrations at the heart of the faltering marriage are honest, real and raw. The reader is treated to the perspectives of both Henry and Charlotte and is left torn by the experience.
I will however remember this book for the places described. I felt I was there as Charlotte walked in an English field at dawn or stood in the dry, bright heat of the Perth day. I felt the painful emotions of both Henry and Charlotte as they drifted apart confused and out of place. This is a memorable story while being an exceptionally real and beautifully sad novel. I am happy to recommend this to anyone who will listen.
July 24, 2015
Forgive me, but I may have just found a *new* best book of the year. I say that too often, but The Other Side of the World got me really worked up. I actually ended up rereading the last quarter of the book immediately after finishing, because it was just so haunting and beautiful and distressing, and I NEVER do that. Five stars, everyone should read immediately.
The story follows young mother Charlotte, and her family’s move from Cambridge to Perth in the early 1960s. Exploring themes such as motherhood, marriage, identity, travel and a sense of home, this is a complex yet gentle novel that is very, very sad.
The Other Side of the World broke my heart, and it is filled with so many incredible lines that really took my breath away. It is one of those novels that you need to take a break from every now and then, just so you can reflect.
This book is getting wonderful reviews everywhere, and it’s one that you just have to read for yourself to really get what we (those who have devoured it) are gushing about.
Read more on my blog: Middle Chapter
The story follows young mother Charlotte, and her family’s move from Cambridge to Perth in the early 1960s. Exploring themes such as motherhood, marriage, identity, travel and a sense of home, this is a complex yet gentle novel that is very, very sad.
The Other Side of the World broke my heart, and it is filled with so many incredible lines that really took my breath away. It is one of those novels that you need to take a break from every now and then, just so you can reflect.
This book is getting wonderful reviews everywhere, and it’s one that you just have to read for yourself to really get what we (those who have devoured it) are gushing about.
Read more on my blog: Middle Chapter
May 8, 2015
I did not finish "The Other Side of the World". I wanted to like this book, being partly set in Perth, around the Uni, where I'd lived. Yet, I didn't. It explores, in vivid detail a young women's life, around domesticity, mother hood and her relationship with her husband. But man, not enough happens!! Pages of descriptions of pushing a pram around the park, the sunlight on the trees, the heat, the cold, blah, blah.... One reviewer said the ending pulled a punch so maybe, I should have persevered.
February 6, 2017
Charlotte has just given birth to her first child and it has changed her world completely, leaving her absent-minded and distracted. Her husband, Henry, blames the cold misery of their home in England and uproots his family to move them to Western Australia with it's hot, dry heat. But despite superficial improvements to his life, Charlotte is still struggling. Things reach a head when Henry returns to his birthplace of India, leaving Charlotte alone with their two young children.
This is a strange book to think about. There's something precise and graceful about the prose, but it feels very deliberately done, like it's physically trying to hold the reader at a distance. The story is intensely emotional, but I never could immerse myself fully in it.
The diverse settings of England, Australia and India are vividly drawn, allowing the reader to feel the damp chill of England, the dry heat of Australia and the sweaty, riotous environment of India.
The characters are complex, but distant and somewhat nebulous. We might infer that Charlotte is suffering from post-partum depression, but it is never explicit. We only discover that is a novel about a woman abandoning her family on the very last page. I found Charlotte quite sympathetic and, sometimes, quite horrible. But I wanted to feel something a bit more concrete and real about her.
On the other hand, I spent a lot of time having very little patience for Henry, for his grim determination that he knows best and, thus, Charlotte must surrender to him, plus his expectations of her behaviour and the way he thinks moving his young family literally to the other side of the world will solve all their problems. Bishop, however, does a good job in capturing his isolation and struggles as an Anglo-Indian in a white-dominated society – easily something that could have been explored in more detail or even the subject of its own novel.
The ending is vague, so much so that I began to glaze over before I realised I had no idea what was happening and had to re-read it.
And this is the problem I had with the book, when it comes down to it. Bishop shows herself as a writer of great potential – beautiful prose, complex characters and a great conflict – but everything just feels a bit too nebulous and a bit too distant to truly sell it.
This is a strange book to think about. There's something precise and graceful about the prose, but it feels very deliberately done, like it's physically trying to hold the reader at a distance. The story is intensely emotional, but I never could immerse myself fully in it.
The diverse settings of England, Australia and India are vividly drawn, allowing the reader to feel the damp chill of England, the dry heat of Australia and the sweaty, riotous environment of India.
The characters are complex, but distant and somewhat nebulous. We might infer that Charlotte is suffering from post-partum depression, but it is never explicit. We only discover that is a novel about a woman abandoning her family on the very last page. I found Charlotte quite sympathetic and, sometimes, quite horrible. But I wanted to feel something a bit more concrete and real about her.
On the other hand, I spent a lot of time having very little patience for Henry, for his grim determination that he knows best and, thus, Charlotte must surrender to him, plus his expectations of her behaviour and the way he thinks moving his young family literally to the other side of the world will solve all their problems. Bishop, however, does a good job in capturing his isolation and struggles as an Anglo-Indian in a white-dominated society – easily something that could have been explored in more detail or even the subject of its own novel.
The ending is vague, so much so that I began to glaze over before I realised I had no idea what was happening and had to re-read it.
And this is the problem I had with the book, when it comes down to it. Bishop shows herself as a writer of great potential – beautiful prose, complex characters and a great conflict – but everything just feels a bit too nebulous and a bit too distant to truly sell it.
July 22, 2015
A precise, beautiful and sad book about motherhood, nostalgia, homesickness, race and love. Wonderfully written and achingly sad, this will surely be on the Stella Prize shortlist next year.
August 12, 2016
‘One day I will wake up and I will be there, she says to herself, over and over.’
This novel, set in the 1960s, tells the story of Charlotte and Henry, a young English couple who emigrate to Australia. They have two young daughters, May and Lucie, and like so many other emigrants, they are searching for a better life. Henry, who was born in India, is sure that Australia will be a better place for his family. Charlotte, overwhelmed and exhausted by motherhood, has agreed to emigrate, but is reluctant.
But when Charlotte and Henry arrive in Perth, where Henry has an academic position, it becomes apparent to the reader that Henry is of mixed race. In England, the colour of Henry’s skin has been less of an issue. In Australia, where Henry had not anticipated a problem, it seems much worse. His work life suffers as a consequence. As an Australian, I cringe.
‘For the first time he understands that in her eyes he is, or could be, that thing: a person others would call coloured.’
Charlotte does not adjust well to life in Perth, and longs to return home. Henry returns to India to visit his mother on her deathbed, and realises how little he remembers of India. But it is clear to Henry that in trying to give his daughters a better life, he is doing just what his mother tried to do for him.
‘His family had always been English, even in India. Especially in India.’
In this novel, Ms Bishop raises many questions about belonging, choices, identity, love and relationships. Can Charlotte find happiness and her own space in the world without destroying her family? Can Henry find a place where he feels he belongs? And what about May and Lucie?
Ms Bishop raises a number of difficult issues in this novel, and the choices made by both Henry and Charlotte are often uncomfortable. I finished the novel wondering about what the future held for Henry and Charlotte, as well as for those many other emigrants disappointed in their search for a better life. Ms Bishop’s writing held my attention, and while I didn’t particularly care for either of the main characters, I felt great empathy for their situation. It is possible to leave home, but I don’t think it is possible, really, to ever return.
‘I thought I had come home, she writes in her diary. But home is never the same once you have left it for any length of time and come back.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
This novel, set in the 1960s, tells the story of Charlotte and Henry, a young English couple who emigrate to Australia. They have two young daughters, May and Lucie, and like so many other emigrants, they are searching for a better life. Henry, who was born in India, is sure that Australia will be a better place for his family. Charlotte, overwhelmed and exhausted by motherhood, has agreed to emigrate, but is reluctant.
But when Charlotte and Henry arrive in Perth, where Henry has an academic position, it becomes apparent to the reader that Henry is of mixed race. In England, the colour of Henry’s skin has been less of an issue. In Australia, where Henry had not anticipated a problem, it seems much worse. His work life suffers as a consequence. As an Australian, I cringe.
‘For the first time he understands that in her eyes he is, or could be, that thing: a person others would call coloured.’
Charlotte does not adjust well to life in Perth, and longs to return home. Henry returns to India to visit his mother on her deathbed, and realises how little he remembers of India. But it is clear to Henry that in trying to give his daughters a better life, he is doing just what his mother tried to do for him.
‘His family had always been English, even in India. Especially in India.’
In this novel, Ms Bishop raises many questions about belonging, choices, identity, love and relationships. Can Charlotte find happiness and her own space in the world without destroying her family? Can Henry find a place where he feels he belongs? And what about May and Lucie?
Ms Bishop raises a number of difficult issues in this novel, and the choices made by both Henry and Charlotte are often uncomfortable. I finished the novel wondering about what the future held for Henry and Charlotte, as well as for those many other emigrants disappointed in their search for a better life. Ms Bishop’s writing held my attention, and while I didn’t particularly care for either of the main characters, I felt great empathy for their situation. It is possible to leave home, but I don’t think it is possible, really, to ever return.
‘I thought I had come home, she writes in her diary. But home is never the same once you have left it for any length of time and come back.’
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
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August 3, 20233* The Other Side of the World, Stephanie Bishop
Stephanie Bishop’s story of migration was originally published as, Dream England, a more layered and subtle title than, The Other Side of the World. Why was this changed? In fact, all through the novel, the sense of another hand at play suggests too much intrusion of things that don’t fit. Given the great list of those she thanks, it only adds to the feeling that she has been mislead by well meaning ‘others’ into writing a story that is not hers. She says she is influenced by her mother’s and grandmother’s experiences, and perhaps because of this, she is not writing the story only she can tell.
Maybe this is why the character of Charlotte is so unappealing. From the outset, she is self absorbed, unloving and an unadventurous whinger. Yes, she may have post-natal depression, but Henry is the one with my sympathy. You wonder how a woman/girl like Charlotte would have had the courage to marry a mixed race person in 1960s Cambridge. That was another thing that didn’t really gel. A number of plot devices were not thought through. For example, how did ten-pound-Poms suddenly have the money to fly around the world: Oh, I know, Charlotte can sell a painting. Really? What a writer writes does not have to be true. It is a made-up story after all. But the reader has to feel as though it is true.
The migrant experience is central to the novel, but this theme was not actually explored. Charlotte may wish to return to England, but it is not Perth that is causing her melancholia. She is unhappy within herself whether in Australia or England. Perth as setting was not convincing either. It didn’t feel as if Bishop or Charlotte had ever been there. Henry’s trip to India was more convincing and there were some very descriptive passages depicting his surroundings and the turmoil he felt for his mother who sent him away to school. These passages revealed the author’s talent.
Stephanie Bishop is a lyrical, and at times beautiful, writer. She explores big ideas and is capable of moving and evocative prose. Creative writing schools focus on the eight-point story arc. I think Stephanie Bishops should ignore this prescriptive approach and write her narrative from the heart.
Stephanie Bishop’s story of migration was originally published as, Dream England, a more layered and subtle title than, The Other Side of the World. Why was this changed? In fact, all through the novel, the sense of another hand at play suggests too much intrusion of things that don’t fit. Given the great list of those she thanks, it only adds to the feeling that she has been mislead by well meaning ‘others’ into writing a story that is not hers. She says she is influenced by her mother’s and grandmother’s experiences, and perhaps because of this, she is not writing the story only she can tell.
Maybe this is why the character of Charlotte is so unappealing. From the outset, she is self absorbed, unloving and an unadventurous whinger. Yes, she may have post-natal depression, but Henry is the one with my sympathy. You wonder how a woman/girl like Charlotte would have had the courage to marry a mixed race person in 1960s Cambridge. That was another thing that didn’t really gel. A number of plot devices were not thought through. For example, how did ten-pound-Poms suddenly have the money to fly around the world: Oh, I know, Charlotte can sell a painting. Really? What a writer writes does not have to be true. It is a made-up story after all. But the reader has to feel as though it is true.
The migrant experience is central to the novel, but this theme was not actually explored. Charlotte may wish to return to England, but it is not Perth that is causing her melancholia. She is unhappy within herself whether in Australia or England. Perth as setting was not convincing either. It didn’t feel as if Bishop or Charlotte had ever been there. Henry’s trip to India was more convincing and there were some very descriptive passages depicting his surroundings and the turmoil he felt for his mother who sent him away to school. These passages revealed the author’s talent.
Stephanie Bishop is a lyrical, and at times beautiful, writer. She explores big ideas and is capable of moving and evocative prose. Creative writing schools focus on the eight-point story arc. I think Stephanie Bishops should ignore this prescriptive approach and write her narrative from the heart.
December 27, 2015
Beautiful evocative prose. But I could not warm to Charlotte nor sympathize with her and that detracted greatly from my enjoyment of the book.
July 18, 2016
England, in the early 1960s. Anglo-Indian Henry Blackwood, sent off to England as a boy but never able to get used to its chill dampness, is a poet, a professor—and married to a painter, Charlotte, born and bred in England, with England coursing through her veins. Henry is aware of just how deeply attached to England his wife is, but when Charlotte begins to unravel after the birth of their daughter Lucie—followed, not long after, by her again getting pregnant—the stress starts building.
Their house is tiny. It’s always wet, always cold, always dank and miserable. Charlotte seems to be losing her memory, her mind; and Henry has had enough of it all. So, when a chance pamphlet arrives, advertising Australia as a destination—sunny, alluring, the land of hope—for Britishers wanting to emigrate, Henry decides they must go to Australia. Charlotte opposes the idea: England is her home, she cannot imagine another; but Henry, who has felt himself an alien both in England and (on the occasion he’s returned to India as an adult) in India, is stubborn: he sees Australia as a place he can finally call home. A place that will be best for his children.
So they travel, Charlotte unwillingly and resentfully, to Perth—and find, as the days and weeks and months pass, that this is not quite what they were looking for. It is bone dry, dusty, sandy. There are insects everywhere, and the sun is too hot. The children slowly settle in, Henry has his job at the university to keep him busy—but Charlotte finds herself caught in a spiral of anger and resentment and self-pity that will keep pulling her down until she cannot take any more.
I found The Other Side of the World unputdownable. Not because it’s very fast-paced or that very much happens, but because of Stephanie Bishop’s style of writing. She’s immensely readable, and her ability to perfectly describe everything—the depth and variety of emotions, the relationships, even the mundane everyday details of life (even, for instance, how dirt shows up and where in an otherwise clean-seeming house)—is breathtaking. I found myself nodding every now and then, agreeing with the words, relating to them.
My only crib about this book is the Indian aspect of it. As an Indian, and as somebody who’s lived in India (and specifically, Delhi) most of my life, I couldn’t help but cringe at the small but telling errors that creep in when it comes to India. Referring to Khan Market as merely Khan, for instance; or a ‘poor monsoon’ being qualified as one where it was constantly damp (no Indian in their right mind would call a lot of rain a ‘poor monsoon’—just the opposite, since a ‘poor monsoon’ means a lack of rain).
But that’s a minor niggle. Other than that, this was a book I liked a lot.
Their house is tiny. It’s always wet, always cold, always dank and miserable. Charlotte seems to be losing her memory, her mind; and Henry has had enough of it all. So, when a chance pamphlet arrives, advertising Australia as a destination—sunny, alluring, the land of hope—for Britishers wanting to emigrate, Henry decides they must go to Australia. Charlotte opposes the idea: England is her home, she cannot imagine another; but Henry, who has felt himself an alien both in England and (on the occasion he’s returned to India as an adult) in India, is stubborn: he sees Australia as a place he can finally call home. A place that will be best for his children.
So they travel, Charlotte unwillingly and resentfully, to Perth—and find, as the days and weeks and months pass, that this is not quite what they were looking for. It is bone dry, dusty, sandy. There are insects everywhere, and the sun is too hot. The children slowly settle in, Henry has his job at the university to keep him busy—but Charlotte finds herself caught in a spiral of anger and resentment and self-pity that will keep pulling her down until she cannot take any more.
I found The Other Side of the World unputdownable. Not because it’s very fast-paced or that very much happens, but because of Stephanie Bishop’s style of writing. She’s immensely readable, and her ability to perfectly describe everything—the depth and variety of emotions, the relationships, even the mundane everyday details of life (even, for instance, how dirt shows up and where in an otherwise clean-seeming house)—is breathtaking. I found myself nodding every now and then, agreeing with the words, relating to them.
My only crib about this book is the Indian aspect of it. As an Indian, and as somebody who’s lived in India (and specifically, Delhi) most of my life, I couldn’t help but cringe at the small but telling errors that creep in when it comes to India. Referring to Khan Market as merely Khan, for instance; or a ‘poor monsoon’ being qualified as one where it was constantly damp (no Indian in their right mind would call a lot of rain a ‘poor monsoon’—just the opposite, since a ‘poor monsoon’ means a lack of rain).
But that’s a minor niggle. Other than that, this was a book I liked a lot.
September 29, 2015
I read this very quickly, not because it was gripping and held my attention, but because it's a short relatively easy read.
Set in the 1960's, the story revolves around Charlotte, her husband Henry, and their two small children. Charlotte doesn't seem to recognise the fact that she is suffering from post-natal depression, as she struggles to cope in a tiny cottage in rural Cambridge. Henry cannot bear the thought of enduring another English winter in the cold, damp cottage and so when leaflet arrives, extolling the virtues of a sun-kissed life in Australia he grabs the idea of assisted emigration with both hands. Charlotte eventually, reluctantly, agrees. And so, off they go. Unfortunately their new life does not pan out the way Henry had hoped. Charlotte has no enthusiasm for anything – her children, her husband, her new life, or rekindling her career as an artist. She flails around aimlessly , disinterested in everything.
Having emigrated myself, in the 1980's, with a small child, I thought I would empathise and sympathise with Charlotte, but I didn't. She comes across as a cold fish who wants their life in Australia to fail so that she can return to the England of her memories.
Although well written, evoking beautiful images of the fens in East Anglia, and the sights and smells of their surroundings in Australia, the story lacks pace and punch. It has to be said it is more character driven than plot, but as neither Charlotte nor Henry is particularly interesting the book fell flat. I can only take so much descriptive narrative if Something Interesting is going to happen – but it doesn't. The author conveys the feelings of nostalgia and homesickness very well – feelings I recognise - but that was not enough for me to recommend this book.
Once again the blurb. Although brief, states
“One of the most exciting literary releases of 2015”
“A talent you'll remember”
“A story you'll never forget”
This is over-hype.
A beautifully written book is not necessarily a good book, and sadly this is the case for me.
I read this specifically to review for Amazon Vine
Set in the 1960's, the story revolves around Charlotte, her husband Henry, and their two small children. Charlotte doesn't seem to recognise the fact that she is suffering from post-natal depression, as she struggles to cope in a tiny cottage in rural Cambridge. Henry cannot bear the thought of enduring another English winter in the cold, damp cottage and so when leaflet arrives, extolling the virtues of a sun-kissed life in Australia he grabs the idea of assisted emigration with both hands. Charlotte eventually, reluctantly, agrees. And so, off they go. Unfortunately their new life does not pan out the way Henry had hoped. Charlotte has no enthusiasm for anything – her children, her husband, her new life, or rekindling her career as an artist. She flails around aimlessly , disinterested in everything.
Having emigrated myself, in the 1980's, with a small child, I thought I would empathise and sympathise with Charlotte, but I didn't. She comes across as a cold fish who wants their life in Australia to fail so that she can return to the England of her memories.
Although well written, evoking beautiful images of the fens in East Anglia, and the sights and smells of their surroundings in Australia, the story lacks pace and punch. It has to be said it is more character driven than plot, but as neither Charlotte nor Henry is particularly interesting the book fell flat. I can only take so much descriptive narrative if Something Interesting is going to happen – but it doesn't. The author conveys the feelings of nostalgia and homesickness very well – feelings I recognise - but that was not enough for me to recommend this book.
Once again the blurb. Although brief, states
“One of the most exciting literary releases of 2015”
“A talent you'll remember”
“A story you'll never forget”
This is over-hype.
A beautifully written book is not necessarily a good book, and sadly this is the case for me.
I read this specifically to review for Amazon Vine
January 20, 2016
From the blurb for this second novel from Sydney writer Stephanie Bishop, I had thought I might identify with the protagonists, a Cambridge couple who migrate to Australia in the 1960s. But no, while this is an absorbing meditation on belonging, nostalgia, and motherhood, I found the central character Charlotte to be, as my mother would say, a bit of a misery and weak and selfish into the bargain. I might be selfish sometimes, as we all are, but this character’s way of dealing with her own unhappiness is on a scale that I have no patience with at all.
I don’t need to ‘like’ a character to admire a book, but I suspect that some to whom this book is marketed will focus on Charlotte’s deficiencies as a human being and perhaps overlook the fine writing, the carefully-paced structure and the occasional striking metaphor. (Women in armoured bathing suits… yes, so evocative of the middle 60s!) The Other Side of the World reminded me of Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach in the way that the small domestic tragedy derives from the failure of the characters to communicate with each other. Charlotte and Henry say they love each other and there are numerous touching moments of intimacy, but they don’t ever discuss their inner demons, their desires or ambitions, and it is left to Henry to blunder about trying to make decisions ‘for the best’ for his family – without ever having any understanding of his wife’s unhappiness.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2015/08/15/th...
I don’t need to ‘like’ a character to admire a book, but I suspect that some to whom this book is marketed will focus on Charlotte’s deficiencies as a human being and perhaps overlook the fine writing, the carefully-paced structure and the occasional striking metaphor. (Women in armoured bathing suits… yes, so evocative of the middle 60s!) The Other Side of the World reminded me of Ian McEwan’s On Chesil Beach in the way that the small domestic tragedy derives from the failure of the characters to communicate with each other. Charlotte and Henry say they love each other and there are numerous touching moments of intimacy, but they don’t ever discuss their inner demons, their desires or ambitions, and it is left to Henry to blunder about trying to make decisions ‘for the best’ for his family – without ever having any understanding of his wife’s unhappiness.
To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2015/08/15/th...
September 6, 2020
This is the type of book that I like to read, where language and plot are interwoven into a rich sequence that carries the reader along. Stephanie Bishop's novel is as much a meditation on the effects of migration as it is about one's sense of place.
This gentle novel inspires a mood of melancholy. As the first group choice for my book club this year, it provoked a mixed reaction and many thought that the long meditative passages that dominated the novel slowed down the plot and were too much of an exercise in creative writing. I enjoyed it very much though, as much for the mixed feelings of loss and nostalgia that I still feel for my homeland as for the beauty and strangeness of my adopted one. Read ‘The End of the World’ with an open mind to make the most of its many charms.
This gentle novel inspires a mood of melancholy. As the first group choice for my book club this year, it provoked a mixed reaction and many thought that the long meditative passages that dominated the novel slowed down the plot and were too much of an exercise in creative writing. I enjoyed it very much though, as much for the mixed feelings of loss and nostalgia that I still feel for my homeland as for the beauty and strangeness of my adopted one. Read ‘The End of the World’ with an open mind to make the most of its many charms.
November 2, 2015
I was looking forward to reading this book, as it had received a fair amount of advanced praise. Unfortunately it did not live up to expectations despite being a very well crafted storyline.
The author uses beautiful prose throughout, but failed to connect me to the characters and their emotional turmoil sufficiently, whichever made it a frustrating rather than an enjoyable read. There is lots to praise in terms of historical accuracy and the theme was an interesting one - emigration viewed from 'the other side' for a change. A gutsy theme, but sadly not my cup of tea
The author uses beautiful prose throughout, but failed to connect me to the characters and their emotional turmoil sufficiently, whichever made it a frustrating rather than an enjoyable read. There is lots to praise in terms of historical accuracy and the theme was an interesting one - emigration viewed from 'the other side' for a change. A gutsy theme, but sadly not my cup of tea
June 26, 2018
Look, a 2 Star is probably a bit harsh but a 3 star is kinda too much ?? So it’s 2.5
|||READ FOR SCHOOL|||
I’m gonna start off this amazing review by saying ; this was not AT ALL written for my age group , if the author wanted us to identify with it at least ... so a lot of these opinions are based around that slight predicament. I’m gonna write this with all my random 1 am agro thoughts so I can use it for study later HA HA HA .
What did I think ??? I extremely extremely disliked it . :/ . Every single second was a drag. I cannot name one redeemable thing about any of this book , nothing enjoyable. Seriously .
It’s all about this ray of sunshine named charlotte who ’s, just , the worst .
She’s a passive main character . What does that mean you ask ? It means ‘things’ just happen to her, she never really makes anything happen to herself .. not really . A main character is meant to be the person the reader follows that propels a story forward ( if there was even a story in this hehe ) and Charlotte is not that . She moved to Australia because of the Husband- her only Friend Carol forces her to make friends by initiating friendship first-Nicholas gives her the money she needs to go back to Australia .... and so on . This makes for a) a boring character and b) an un interesting story (tbhitsalsolowkeylazywrittenwithjusttoolongdrawnoutdescriptionsthataresoonthenosewithitssymbolism) .
This main character also seems to have ONE emotion , always . Idk maybe the writers goal was to shed light on marriage and motherhood and how it’s just ... always miserable ect BUT NOT ONCE does Charlotte over come anything , she learns ABSOLUTELY NOTHING . Aside from supposedly being a painter , THiS chick just mopes around all day . Given the passiveness , she makes 0 effort on any of the SPOON FED opportunities she’s given . Crikey . Also she’s a terrible Mother ( also the point of the book but it seems Lowkey titf ?? Like seriously ) CHARLOTTES character then takes a giant swerve from little to no build up . She just has sex with Nicholas , dumps her kids and leaves for Perth . Like it truly wasn’t really built up at all , we don’t see any of her thoughts leading to this , we get like one sentence after the sex scene and then she’s packing. It’s so sudden and it’s just a roller coaster of a whirlwind from there , I’ll get into that later ....
Here we go , now here’s some word on the Husband. After finishing a court of mist and fury , we have a bit of a chanel vs Walmart situation. It’s almost cruel to compare our fave bub rhysand to Henry , but that’s the risk of choosing what book to read next after ACOMAF. hahahah blessup
Henry is ,, something . He forces his family to move across to Australia , cool . And yes it’s the 60s and he’s English with Indian ethnicity, we love diversity !!! But that’s only addressed like once , subtly, its not a huge driving part of the story since we need to make sure we keep checking back to Charlotte’s wonderful mood so often. It’s a complicated thought to unpack but really , when you’re writing a book you make creative choices that serve purpose to the narrative, and you really could have swapped Henry to be of any ethnic background and it really wouldn’t have mattered that much, aside from very randomly chucked in scenes from India which really were just there to justify the choice of Henry. It’s tough to express but yeah , divesity for the sake of diversity Perhaps??? I think this would have been a personal choice? maybe to justify 'the why' behind the time period idk i just vibe that. Anyway, He’s a writer but never gets anything done ... same. And yeah he only mentions that his mother is dying in Delhi in the last like 70 pages, so that was a bit of an obvious ran out of ideas thing OR it’s the cliche of , ‘once the Husband is gin, the Wife can finally cheat!1!!!!!11’ . The Mother is not metioned even once before he runs off.. it’s all Very very sudden and abrupt. It disrupts the entire flow of the book and it spirals from there, yes more on this later . Henry is a bit controlling, very demanding and means well I suppose. They shouldn’t have married in the first place which is the point of the story , too many differences, the marriage was doomed from the start. Which I guess is intresting but its mostly irritating but again, the purpose of the book i guess :D
Now let me tell you . The . Ending . Was. SOMETHING . WOWIE. It just became a different book ?? It was so bad . In like 2 pages Charlotte just becomes a hotel cleaner? or at the universty??? And then Henry meets her at the hotel because she starts stealing his things ?? Sorry what ???? God this Charlotte chic is an absolute nightmare I mean , I feel no empathy for her at all . I know I should and the author wants me to because that’s her profound point ™️ but???? Like I felt nothing the entire book . Anyway so basically she becomes like some spy type thing and she goes to see the kids then leaves again and that’s the end . Like no closure, no answers there’s just an abrupt ending . I suppose you’re supposed to ponder ‘the hardships of marriage ‘ or ‘ the powerlessness of being a Mother ‘ or even ‘the purpose of home’ but look I feel like this isn’t Achieved well at all. LIEK throughout the whole thing I get what’s being put forward, I get the message , cool , but it’s not ??? Good ??? Like,, the book isn’t enjoyable.
-there’s little to no plot
-there was almost 0 point to writing this in the 60s , this couldn’t have taken place at any time anywhere , why have that time period ? It didn’t really impact any of the story except technology and means of travel
- Charlotte is unlikeable , no one is likeable
-I can’t name one scene that made me feel anything / was fun to read about
-Nicholas was random and was literally an ex macenna for when anything went sideways .
- carol did 0 for the plot
-there are a lot of scenes that just serve no purpose and add nothing to the story , maybe they’re suppose to build setting or express insightfulness , this doesn’t hit the mark really for me
- the need to move overseas to Australia was very random like no consequences of Australian life really mattered in the greater scheme of things , besides showing Charlotte that Henry is a dicky guy that will do as he pleases, but really it could have just as easily all taken place in England , and we’d wind up the same way in the end
- NOTHING REDEEMABLE , where is the enjoyment for anyone ???? Who would pick up this book ???? Maybe somebody with pregnancy experience might ? Maybe connect with what Charlotte feels buttheactualwritingofthebookdragssohard.
Look this book wasn’t for me at all , and I feel bad for bashing it but I just want to remember my thoughts for when exams roll around x cya later Charlotte it’s acowar time .
|||READ FOR SCHOOL|||
I’m gonna start off this amazing review by saying ; this was not AT ALL written for my age group , if the author wanted us to identify with it at least ... so a lot of these opinions are based around that slight predicament. I’m gonna write this with all my random 1 am agro thoughts so I can use it for study later HA HA HA .
What did I think ??? I extremely extremely disliked it . :/ . Every single second was a drag. I cannot name one redeemable thing about any of this book , nothing enjoyable. Seriously .
It’s all about this ray of sunshine named charlotte who ’s, just , the worst .
She’s a passive main character . What does that mean you ask ? It means ‘things’ just happen to her, she never really makes anything happen to herself .. not really . A main character is meant to be the person the reader follows that propels a story forward ( if there was even a story in this hehe ) and Charlotte is not that . She moved to Australia because of the Husband- her only Friend Carol forces her to make friends by initiating friendship first-Nicholas gives her the money she needs to go back to Australia .... and so on . This makes for a) a boring character and b) an un interesting story (tbhitsalsolowkeylazywrittenwithjusttoolongdrawnoutdescriptionsthataresoonthenosewithitssymbolism) .
This main character also seems to have ONE emotion , always . Idk maybe the writers goal was to shed light on marriage and motherhood and how it’s just ... always miserable ect BUT NOT ONCE does Charlotte over come anything , she learns ABSOLUTELY NOTHING . Aside from supposedly being a painter , THiS chick just mopes around all day . Given the passiveness , she makes 0 effort on any of the SPOON FED opportunities she’s given . Crikey . Also she’s a terrible Mother ( also the point of the book but it seems Lowkey titf ?? Like seriously ) CHARLOTTES character then takes a giant swerve from little to no build up . She just has sex with Nicholas , dumps her kids and leaves for Perth . Like it truly wasn’t really built up at all , we don’t see any of her thoughts leading to this , we get like one sentence after the sex scene and then she’s packing. It’s so sudden and it’s just a roller coaster of a whirlwind from there , I’ll get into that later ....
Here we go , now here’s some word on the Husband. After finishing a court of mist and fury , we have a bit of a chanel vs Walmart situation. It’s almost cruel to compare our fave bub rhysand to Henry , but that’s the risk of choosing what book to read next after ACOMAF. hahahah blessup
Henry is ,, something . He forces his family to move across to Australia , cool . And yes it’s the 60s and he’s English with Indian ethnicity, we love diversity !!! But that’s only addressed like once , subtly, its not a huge driving part of the story since we need to make sure we keep checking back to Charlotte’s wonderful mood so often. It’s a complicated thought to unpack but really , when you’re writing a book you make creative choices that serve purpose to the narrative, and you really could have swapped Henry to be of any ethnic background and it really wouldn’t have mattered that much, aside from very randomly chucked in scenes from India which really were just there to justify the choice of Henry. It’s tough to express but yeah , divesity for the sake of diversity Perhaps??? I think this would have been a personal choice? maybe to justify 'the why' behind the time period idk i just vibe that. Anyway, He’s a writer but never gets anything done ... same. And yeah he only mentions that his mother is dying in Delhi in the last like 70 pages, so that was a bit of an obvious ran out of ideas thing OR it’s the cliche of , ‘once the Husband is gin, the Wife can finally cheat!1!!!!!11’ . The Mother is not metioned even once before he runs off.. it’s all Very very sudden and abrupt. It disrupts the entire flow of the book and it spirals from there, yes more on this later . Henry is a bit controlling, very demanding and means well I suppose. They shouldn’t have married in the first place which is the point of the story , too many differences, the marriage was doomed from the start. Which I guess is intresting but its mostly irritating but again, the purpose of the book i guess :D
Now let me tell you . The . Ending . Was. SOMETHING . WOWIE. It just became a different book ?? It was so bad . In like 2 pages Charlotte just becomes a hotel cleaner? or at the universty??? And then Henry meets her at the hotel because she starts stealing his things ?? Sorry what ???? God this Charlotte chic is an absolute nightmare I mean , I feel no empathy for her at all . I know I should and the author wants me to because that’s her profound point ™️ but???? Like I felt nothing the entire book . Anyway so basically she becomes like some spy type thing and she goes to see the kids then leaves again and that’s the end . Like no closure, no answers there’s just an abrupt ending . I suppose you’re supposed to ponder ‘the hardships of marriage ‘ or ‘ the powerlessness of being a Mother ‘ or even ‘the purpose of home’ but look I feel like this isn’t Achieved well at all. LIEK throughout the whole thing I get what’s being put forward, I get the message , cool , but it’s not ??? Good ??? Like,, the book isn’t enjoyable.
-there’s little to no plot
-there was almost 0 point to writing this in the 60s , this couldn’t have taken place at any time anywhere , why have that time period ? It didn’t really impact any of the story except technology and means of travel
- Charlotte is unlikeable , no one is likeable
-I can’t name one scene that made me feel anything / was fun to read about
-Nicholas was random and was literally an ex macenna for when anything went sideways .
- carol did 0 for the plot
-there are a lot of scenes that just serve no purpose and add nothing to the story , maybe they’re suppose to build setting or express insightfulness , this doesn’t hit the mark really for me
- the need to move overseas to Australia was very random like no consequences of Australian life really mattered in the greater scheme of things , besides showing Charlotte that Henry is a dicky guy that will do as he pleases, but really it could have just as easily all taken place in England , and we’d wind up the same way in the end
- NOTHING REDEEMABLE , where is the enjoyment for anyone ???? Who would pick up this book ???? Maybe somebody with pregnancy experience might ? Maybe connect with what Charlotte feels buttheactualwritingofthebookdragssohard.
Look this book wasn’t for me at all , and I feel bad for bashing it but I just want to remember my thoughts for when exams roll around x cya later Charlotte it’s acowar time .
June 26, 2015
This book is one of those books that made my heart lurch about my chest, for many reasons. Not least is that it's the sort of book that sends fear through a blogger's head. Pure fear. The fear that as someone who is not a writer, but an avid reader and book lover, and a person who wants to shout about the books that I have loved, that I won't be able to find any words to describe the story.
Crikey this one is good. It's one of those 'hair stands up on the back of your neck' affairs. It's slow and gentle and lyrical and almost melodic.
Two people; Charlotte and Henry. Obviously in love despite their contrasting nature and opinions. The parents of two small children. Two little girls who drain Charlotte, who consume her every waking minute. She loves her children, but she yearns for her life as a painter, pre-children. She takes solace in the surrounding countryside, Traipsing the fields, delighting in the wildlife, the greenery, the silence, the open space.
Henry is also consumed. Consumed by his hatred of the cold English winter weather. Consumed by thoughts that he is not quite good enough. Aware that people treat him a little differently because of his mixed heritage. For this is 1960s Britain and despite mixing in the most cultured of company, he is aware of glances and comments. Henry is also consumed by the contents of a leaflet that describes a land on the other side of the world. The leaflet invites him to apply to emigrate to Australia - land of year-round sunshine, and warmth. A land that he is sure will accept him.
Charlotte does not want to leave the fields and the trees of England, but she is tired and she loves Henry and eventually they arrive in Australia.
Charlotte yearns. Henry realises. Australia is not the answer. It doesn't matter how many thousands of miles that you travel, you cannot leave yourself behind. Your problems, and beliefs will be there, as part of your checked-in baggage.
Stephanie Bishop writes with such apparent ease, her script flows effortlessly, taking the reader as passengers on Charlotte and Henry's journey. Her ability to describe landscapes and places is quite stunning. The cold, wild landscape of rural wintry England, to the cloudless skies and overwhelming heat of Australia; both of these settings come alive evoking such a sense of place that it can be quite startling when you look up from the book and find yourself in your own back garden, or lounge, or on the train.
This author also gets deep into the minds of her characters, both male and female. The reader is well aware of the character's failings and real issues long before they realise themselves.
There are so many strands to this story, with issues of culture and parenthood, relationships and honesty all addressed so beautifully.
A slow-moving, gently unfurling story that is sure to be a huge success for Stephanie Bishop .... oh, and that ending ......
I don't really like to compare authors, but if you love Maggie O Farrell's writing, then you are sure to love The Other Side of the World too.
Crikey this one is good. It's one of those 'hair stands up on the back of your neck' affairs. It's slow and gentle and lyrical and almost melodic.
Two people; Charlotte and Henry. Obviously in love despite their contrasting nature and opinions. The parents of two small children. Two little girls who drain Charlotte, who consume her every waking minute. She loves her children, but she yearns for her life as a painter, pre-children. She takes solace in the surrounding countryside, Traipsing the fields, delighting in the wildlife, the greenery, the silence, the open space.
Henry is also consumed. Consumed by his hatred of the cold English winter weather. Consumed by thoughts that he is not quite good enough. Aware that people treat him a little differently because of his mixed heritage. For this is 1960s Britain and despite mixing in the most cultured of company, he is aware of glances and comments. Henry is also consumed by the contents of a leaflet that describes a land on the other side of the world. The leaflet invites him to apply to emigrate to Australia - land of year-round sunshine, and warmth. A land that he is sure will accept him.
Charlotte does not want to leave the fields and the trees of England, but she is tired and she loves Henry and eventually they arrive in Australia.
Charlotte yearns. Henry realises. Australia is not the answer. It doesn't matter how many thousands of miles that you travel, you cannot leave yourself behind. Your problems, and beliefs will be there, as part of your checked-in baggage.
Stephanie Bishop writes with such apparent ease, her script flows effortlessly, taking the reader as passengers on Charlotte and Henry's journey. Her ability to describe landscapes and places is quite stunning. The cold, wild landscape of rural wintry England, to the cloudless skies and overwhelming heat of Australia; both of these settings come alive evoking such a sense of place that it can be quite startling when you look up from the book and find yourself in your own back garden, or lounge, or on the train.
This author also gets deep into the minds of her characters, both male and female. The reader is well aware of the character's failings and real issues long before they realise themselves.
There are so many strands to this story, with issues of culture and parenthood, relationships and honesty all addressed so beautifully.
A slow-moving, gently unfurling story that is sure to be a huge success for Stephanie Bishop .... oh, and that ending ......
I don't really like to compare authors, but if you love Maggie O Farrell's writing, then you are sure to love The Other Side of the World too.
July 1, 2016
It is cases like this that make me want to drop the star rating. There is no question that this is an exquisitely written novel. However, there was far too much meditation on landscape and gestures than on the internal worlds of the characters, and a disjuncture between the time spent describing the act of walking to the front yard, versus, how the couple negotiates something complex, time switches that felt so abrupt after pages of meandering prose about something beautiful yet ordinary?
I couldn't hold a steady interest, often the descriptions of the weather/landscape felt repetitive, and it felt like poetry being squeezed into a novel, without the right plotting to hold it up as a novel built on prose.
However, she is a beautiful writer, and I feel bad rating it lower than this, as its a personal taste thing obviously but this was a 2.5 for me.
I couldn't hold a steady interest, often the descriptions of the weather/landscape felt repetitive, and it felt like poetry being squeezed into a novel, without the right plotting to hold it up as a novel built on prose.
However, she is a beautiful writer, and I feel bad rating it lower than this, as its a personal taste thing obviously but this was a 2.5 for me.
May 14, 2015
Full review here: https://salboho.wordpress.com/2015/05...
'The brilliance of Bishop’s writing lies in the strong sense of place she creates through beautiful prose depicting the different climates and landscapes in Cambridge, Perth and India. The sensory detail included is enough to make you yearn for a duvet in the depths of an English winter or want to throw yourself in a deep, clear river to escape the intense dry heat of Australia. Bishop’s descriptions of setting give the story a measured tranquility that is absolutely transfixing.
Insightful, brave and elegantly written, The Other Side of the World is a captivating novel that is one of the best I’ve read this year.'
-Salboho-
'The brilliance of Bishop’s writing lies in the strong sense of place she creates through beautiful prose depicting the different climates and landscapes in Cambridge, Perth and India. The sensory detail included is enough to make you yearn for a duvet in the depths of an English winter or want to throw yourself in a deep, clear river to escape the intense dry heat of Australia. Bishop’s descriptions of setting give the story a measured tranquility that is absolutely transfixing.
Insightful, brave and elegantly written, The Other Side of the World is a captivating novel that is one of the best I’ve read this year.'
-Salboho-
August 21, 2015
The Other Side of the World is a story about finding your place in the world - what happens when you feel like you don't belong and what makes a place into a home.
This is a beautiful story, written with great tenderness. It takes you from England to Australia and India, showing the contrast between these locations in the 1960s. The vivid descriptions of each country tackle all of your senses - the sights, the aromas and the sounds all seeming very real.
Charlotte was an artist before she had children, but, exhausted and lonely, she is now struggling to cope with motherhood. Her academic husband Henry, who was born in India, doesn't feel comfortable in the cold damp English winters. So when an opportunity arises to move to Australia, he jumps at the chance. Although Charlotte is reluctant to give up her home, she gives in for an easy life, hoping that the move to Australia will lift her out of her current state of mind. But they both discover that the grass isn't always greener...
The Other Side of the World is a highly compelling story that makes you think. It's very sad and emotional. It moves along slowly but steadily, revealing each character's emotions and inner thoughts. Charlotte is on the edge of a breakdown, taking it out on her family, desperate to find something more in life. Henry is so self-absorbed at times, contemplating what it means to be British, that he doesn't see how much his marriage is in crisis. This isn't a book to race through - it's a book to be savoured and cherished.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
This is a beautiful story, written with great tenderness. It takes you from England to Australia and India, showing the contrast between these locations in the 1960s. The vivid descriptions of each country tackle all of your senses - the sights, the aromas and the sounds all seeming very real.
Charlotte was an artist before she had children, but, exhausted and lonely, she is now struggling to cope with motherhood. Her academic husband Henry, who was born in India, doesn't feel comfortable in the cold damp English winters. So when an opportunity arises to move to Australia, he jumps at the chance. Although Charlotte is reluctant to give up her home, she gives in for an easy life, hoping that the move to Australia will lift her out of her current state of mind. But they both discover that the grass isn't always greener...
The Other Side of the World is a highly compelling story that makes you think. It's very sad and emotional. It moves along slowly but steadily, revealing each character's emotions and inner thoughts. Charlotte is on the edge of a breakdown, taking it out on her family, desperate to find something more in life. Henry is so self-absorbed at times, contemplating what it means to be British, that he doesn't see how much his marriage is in crisis. This isn't a book to race through - it's a book to be savoured and cherished.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
December 25, 2016
I reserve my 5-star reviews for truly exceptional books; this is one. The prose is luminous and the places--Australia and Cambridge, England--become characters through Bishop's straightforward but sensual and immediate descriptions of the settings. Some readers may find the place descriptions overwhelming but I felt myself transported to the cold winter of England and the achingly hot summer in Australia. I love being taken over and transported by prose!
The book is essentially the biography of a marriage told from the alternating viewpoints of the spouses: Charlotte, who is viscerally connected to England and whose world disintegrates when her husband, Henry, moves the family to Australia in the early 1960s. He, too, has a complicated relationship with place as an Indian man sent to England early in his life.
This book is a testament to how little exterior action is required to build tension, maintain interest, and keep readers turning pages. To summarize the plot sounds simplistic: A family moves to Australia. The excitement comes in the interplay between the finely articulated characters, each fully realized and with conflicting dreams and desires.
The book is essentially the biography of a marriage told from the alternating viewpoints of the spouses: Charlotte, who is viscerally connected to England and whose world disintegrates when her husband, Henry, moves the family to Australia in the early 1960s. He, too, has a complicated relationship with place as an Indian man sent to England early in his life.
This book is a testament to how little exterior action is required to build tension, maintain interest, and keep readers turning pages. To summarize the plot sounds simplistic: A family moves to Australia. The excitement comes in the interplay between the finely articulated characters, each fully realized and with conflicting dreams and desires.
August 18, 2016
This beautiful novel is set in the 60s in England. Charlotte, young mother with a very fussy new baby just finds out that she is pregnant again. She is already having trouble coping with her first child and being pregnant again causes even more depression. Her husband Henry, an Indian, is fed up with life in England and decides that moving to Australia and a better climate will solve all of the family problems. Problems can't be left behind and things get even worse with their lives in Australia.
This was a beautiful and the author draws beautiful word pictures of the landscapes in England and Australia. To me, that was the best part of the novel. Don't read this book if you need a book with a lot of action and adventure. Instead read this book if you want to read about the inner workings of a couple trying to copy with life. I didn't love either of the main characters or some of their decisions but I was enthralled with their lives and their family.
Thanks to Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
This was a beautiful and the author draws beautiful word pictures of the landscapes in England and Australia. To me, that was the best part of the novel. Don't read this book if you need a book with a lot of action and adventure. Instead read this book if you want to read about the inner workings of a couple trying to copy with life. I didn't love either of the main characters or some of their decisions but I was enthralled with their lives and their family.
Thanks to Goodreads for a copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review.
December 28, 2015
A hundred pages in and I was rather disillusioned with both the prose (yet another tale of melancholic Australian stillness) and, unusually, an over population of semi colons homing in the text.
Two hundred pages in and both issues had dissipated. The melancholic stillness turned into mesmerizing wrongness and complexity (whilst the semi colons fell to disuse). I judged Charlotte harshly for her choices - and then my not so inner feminist judged my knee jerk reactions even harsher, and the picture muddied beautifully.
The novel is positioned as a tale of place and nostalgia. But it's also a tale of failing imposed expectations - be they imposed by society or ourselves, or a combination of factors. That angle - of a willing mother failing at being a mother, a willing wife failing as a wife, a British Indian failing at being British or Indian - was brilliantly explored.
Two hundred pages in and both issues had dissipated. The melancholic stillness turned into mesmerizing wrongness and complexity (whilst the semi colons fell to disuse). I judged Charlotte harshly for her choices - and then my not so inner feminist judged my knee jerk reactions even harsher, and the picture muddied beautifully.
The novel is positioned as a tale of place and nostalgia. But it's also a tale of failing imposed expectations - be they imposed by society or ourselves, or a combination of factors. That angle - of a willing mother failing at being a mother, a willing wife failing as a wife, a British Indian failing at being British or Indian - was brilliantly explored.
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