What do you think?
Rate this book
Clancy of the Undertow
We’re sitting there with matching milkshakes, Sasha and me, and somehow, things aren’t going like I always thought they would. We’re face to face under 24-hour fluorescents with the thoroughly unromantic buzz of aircon in our ears and endless flabby wedges of seated trucker’s arsecrack as our only visual stimulus.
In a dead-end town like Barwen a girl has only got to be a little different to feel like a freak. And Clancy, a typical sixteen-year-old misfit with a moderately dysfunctional family, a genuine interest in Nature Club and a major crush on the local hot girl, is packing a capital F.
As the summer begins, Clancy’s dad is involved in a road smash that kills two local teenagers. While the family is dealing with the reaction of a hostile town, Clancy meets someone who could possibly—at last—become a friend. Not only that, the unattainable Sasha starts to show what may be a romantic interest.
In short, this is the summer when Clancy has to figure out who the hell she is.
In a dead-end town like Barwen a girl has only got to be a little different to feel like a freak. And Clancy, a typical sixteen-year-old misfit with a moderately dysfunctional family, a genuine interest in Nature Club and a major crush on the local hot girl, is packing a capital F.
As the summer begins, Clancy’s dad is involved in a road smash that kills two local teenagers. While the family is dealing with the reaction of a hostile town, Clancy meets someone who could possibly—at last—become a friend. Not only that, the unattainable Sasha starts to show what may be a romantic interest.
In short, this is the summer when Clancy has to figure out who the hell she is.
282 pages, Paperback
First published November 16, 2015
4 people are currently reading
1023 people want to read
About the author
Christopher Currie
8 books21 followersI am a Brisbane-based writer, bookseller and blogger. My first YA novel, 'Clancy of the Undertow', will be in bookshops from November 16!
My first novel, 'The Ottoman Motel'was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards in 2012.
I am a slow-moving target.
My first novel, 'The Ottoman Motel'was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards in 2012.
I am a slow-moving target.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews
October 18, 2016
(I received a digital copy of this book for free. Thanks to Text Publishing and NetGalley.)
This was a YA contemporary story featuring a gay main character.
Clancy was an alright character but I didn’t really get her obsession with the town’s resident ‘hot’ girl Sasha, who she didn’t really know at all. The way she hung around the park so that she could watch her with her boyfriend was a little odd.
The storyline in this was about Clancy’s day-to-day life as she dealt with the fallout of a traffic accident that her father was involved in. We also had Clancy lusting after Sasha, going to nature club, going to work, trying to get a new bike, and making friends with a new girl in town called Nancy. I didn’t find the story all that gripping though, and I lost interest as the book went along.
The ending to this left quite a few things still hanging.
6 out of 10
“Your dad’s been involved in an accident,”
This was a YA contemporary story featuring a gay main character.
Clancy was an alright character but I didn’t really get her obsession with the town’s resident ‘hot’ girl Sasha, who she didn’t really know at all. The way she hung around the park so that she could watch her with her boyfriend was a little odd.
The storyline in this was about Clancy’s day-to-day life as she dealt with the fallout of a traffic accident that her father was involved in. We also had Clancy lusting after Sasha, going to nature club, going to work, trying to get a new bike, and making friends with a new girl in town called Nancy. I didn’t find the story all that gripping though, and I lost interest as the book went along.
The ending to this left quite a few things still hanging.
6 out of 10
January 20, 2016
Clancy is a remarkable young woman, the voice of the Australian teen who never quite feels as though she fits into our world. She's strong, sassy but also scared of her town finding out that she's gay, especially her judgmental peers who already see her as an anomaly. Her father works for the local council where his back injury has left him with the mundane position of directing traffic through roadworks. Until one night when two local teens run off the road in a fatal accident and Clancy's father is guilty before charged. I absolutely loved the Underhill family. They felt incredibly realistic and a real representation of our family unit. They love one another but live their own lives quite independent of one another, with their mother trying to maintain a sense of normalcy while the accident is being investigated.
Clancy isn't struggling with her sexuality, she's aware that she is in fact gay but feels as though she'll be judged and tormented by her peers. And sadly, it's probably a real representation of what can occur in small towns where gossip reins free. Older brother Angus was a lovable idiot. University drop out, layabout and looking at ways of making money by exploring conspiracies and tall stories. Their dynamic added a lighthearted element through banter and teasing one another the way only siblings can. As Clancy's father pulled away from his family, it seemed that Clancy's character could see the same isolation in her father that she also experiences. Listening to the Cricket in their shed and bonding over melted ice cream, their relationship was truly lovely. Seeing her father reconnect with his teen daughter in the face of adversity was beautifully poignant.
The most startling aspect is how Clancy's voice was captured. It felt as though the reader was thrown into Clancy's world of what could be seen as bogan culture and small town prejudice. For those who are unaware of what a bogan is, it's a uniquely Australian term which is described as an uncouth or unsophisticated person, regarded as being of low social status.
Christopher Currie has captured the spirit of an Australian teen struggling to find her feet within judgmental, small town prejudice. Anyone having grown up in Australia will see themselves within Clancy's plight. She's relatable, likable and an incredible young woman who lends her voice to the underdog of our nation. Or in Aussie slang... She's fucking unreal mate.
Clancy isn't struggling with her sexuality, she's aware that she is in fact gay but feels as though she'll be judged and tormented by her peers. And sadly, it's probably a real representation of what can occur in small towns where gossip reins free. Older brother Angus was a lovable idiot. University drop out, layabout and looking at ways of making money by exploring conspiracies and tall stories. Their dynamic added a lighthearted element through banter and teasing one another the way only siblings can. As Clancy's father pulled away from his family, it seemed that Clancy's character could see the same isolation in her father that she also experiences. Listening to the Cricket in their shed and bonding over melted ice cream, their relationship was truly lovely. Seeing her father reconnect with his teen daughter in the face of adversity was beautifully poignant.
The most startling aspect is how Clancy's voice was captured. It felt as though the reader was thrown into Clancy's world of what could be seen as bogan culture and small town prejudice. For those who are unaware of what a bogan is, it's a uniquely Australian term which is described as an uncouth or unsophisticated person, regarded as being of low social status.
Christopher Currie has captured the spirit of an Australian teen struggling to find her feet within judgmental, small town prejudice. Anyone having grown up in Australia will see themselves within Clancy's plight. She's relatable, likable and an incredible young woman who lends her voice to the underdog of our nation. Or in Aussie slang... She's fucking unreal mate.
November 22, 2015
Just like every night! I want to say, right before a raucous studio audience whoops and hollers and I stand there with my hands on my hips: the end of another successful episode of Sassy Smart Girl Who Actually Is a Big Hit in the Romance Department, Despite What You May Think.
Yassssss, contemporary story set in Australia with an LGBT protagonist? Sign me the fuck up.
Meet Clancy. She’s sixteen years old. A misfit. A daughter and a sister, both of the big and little variety. She’s having trouble figuring out where she fits in the world. Then, one fateful night, a couple of teens die in a car crash and the entire town lay the blame at her father’s feet. How rude.
I really liked all of the characters in this story. I thought Clancy was relatable, and an accurate representation of a teenage girl - or rather an Australian teenage girl. She is sassy as fuck, and frustrated as all hell.
Her relationship with her parents was heartwarming. This isn’t one of those YA novels where the teenager is running around doing god knows what while their parents are conspicuously missing. Oh no, Clancy’s parents are left, right and centre. And I love that. In particular there was one scene with Clancy and her dad that hit me in all the feels. UGH.
And then of course there’s Clancy’s relationship with her brothers. It was so fucking real, the way they would snip and hit each other, yet they’re there for each other when they need them. Again, the feels. I mean Angus, amirite?
Nancy was ridiculously adorable. She was fleshed out and well rounded. I really love every little thing about her character. It was great to get to know her more as the novel progressed.
The story itself wasn’t anything out of this world amazing, but it was super enjoyable. I read the entire thing in under 24 hours, which considering my current reading limbo is a feat of its own.
November 26, 2015
‘Clancy of the Undertow’ is a new contemporary YA novel from Australian author, Christopher Currie.
So strange that on the day I set aside to write my review of ‘Clancy’, I was getting all sorts of ping-alerts about this YA author Scott Bergstrom who had, advertently or inadvertently (but either way: stupidly), dissed the entire YA readership by claiming that his self-published YA novel (which recently had film rights bought by Jerry Bruckheimer) was more “morally complicated” than anything else in YA. A hashtag has since started up, with a whole bunch of authors and readers calling out Bergstrom’s self-absorbed, White Knight bullshit (and Chuck Wendig probably has the best response so far).
But it was amusing to me, because here I was trying to write a review of this book by Christopher Currie … a book with a lesbian protagonist, growing up in a rural small town whose already dysfunctional life is thrown into chaos when her father is involved in an accident that kills two local teens and the family suddenly finds themselves local enemies No.1
Yeah.
No moral complexity here AT ALL.
Move along.
The phone’s off the hook because some reporter from Brisbane got our number and Titch answered when she called. Mum ripped the cord and she was still shaking half an hour later. Kept saying, ‘Vultures,’ over and over. A news van came up to the top of the driveway one afternoon, a satellite dish poking out conspicuously from its roof. I was up in my room and I saw it creep up, stay for a moment, then drive away. Dad sleeps most of the day, goes out to the shed late in the afternoon and stays there until late at night to listen to the cricket. Angus is out most of the time. Probably up in the mountains or out at the observatory, who knows.
In the mornings I collect the paper and take it up to my room. Dad’s name is in there now, going from ‘a local man’ to ‘council worker Robert Underhill.’ They’re still not calling him a suspect, because they can’t, but it’s clear the town’s already made up its mind.
‘Clancy of the Undertow’ is a complex, slow unravelling … of a town, a girl and an investigation. There were parts that reminded me of Robert Drewe’s ‘The Shark Net’, and more than once I found myself quietly comparing Currie to Raymond Carver, particularly for his short story "So Much Water So Close to Home" (which the film ‘Jindabyne’ was based on).
Currie has written about his transition from an Adult author to a Young Adult one – and to some extent, I had this article of his in the back of my head while reading his book (not least because I loved this metaphor: “equivalent of Superman trying to write his memoirs with a Kryptonite pen”). He said he stumbled across his 15-year-old protagonist, and then didn’t stop writing once he found her … I was thinking about this because a plot like ‘Clancy’ has, about the death of two local teens and impact on the family of the accused local man, has such multi-faceted possibilities. But there’s real power and impact in 15-year-old Clancy to be the one telling this story.
Clancy has a crush on the local hot girl. Her family was already dysfunctional, long before her father became front-page local news and the eyes of the town turned on them … There’s a sense when reading Clancy’s turbulent year, that we’re witnessing a young woman being forged in flames here. The story certainly had lots of possibilities, but coming from Clancy’s first-person point of view heightens everything to a delicious, heart-sickening tension – that this huge and devastating event has happened right when Clancy’s in the middle of figuring herself and her world out, to suddenly have it all ripped away from her.
Morally complex YA, yo!
I’ve said Currie’s storytelling reminded me of Robert Drewe and Raymond Carver ... allow me to add one more; ‘Clancy of the Undertow’ also feels like it could be a Paul Kelly song – all Australian setting and moral questions, being told by a young woman stuck in the middle of her life. Currie may not have consciously set out to write a YA novel – but I’m glad he found 15-year-old Clancy, and I hope he comes back to this readership who will welcome any new words from him with open arms.
So strange that on the day I set aside to write my review of ‘Clancy’, I was getting all sorts of ping-alerts about this YA author Scott Bergstrom who had, advertently or inadvertently (but either way: stupidly), dissed the entire YA readership by claiming that his self-published YA novel (which recently had film rights bought by Jerry Bruckheimer) was more “morally complicated” than anything else in YA. A hashtag has since started up, with a whole bunch of authors and readers calling out Bergstrom’s self-absorbed, White Knight bullshit (and Chuck Wendig probably has the best response so far).
But it was amusing to me, because here I was trying to write a review of this book by Christopher Currie … a book with a lesbian protagonist, growing up in a rural small town whose already dysfunctional life is thrown into chaos when her father is involved in an accident that kills two local teens and the family suddenly finds themselves local enemies No.1
Yeah.
No moral complexity here AT ALL.
Move along.
The phone’s off the hook because some reporter from Brisbane got our number and Titch answered when she called. Mum ripped the cord and she was still shaking half an hour later. Kept saying, ‘Vultures,’ over and over. A news van came up to the top of the driveway one afternoon, a satellite dish poking out conspicuously from its roof. I was up in my room and I saw it creep up, stay for a moment, then drive away. Dad sleeps most of the day, goes out to the shed late in the afternoon and stays there until late at night to listen to the cricket. Angus is out most of the time. Probably up in the mountains or out at the observatory, who knows.
In the mornings I collect the paper and take it up to my room. Dad’s name is in there now, going from ‘a local man’ to ‘council worker Robert Underhill.’ They’re still not calling him a suspect, because they can’t, but it’s clear the town’s already made up its mind.
‘Clancy of the Undertow’ is a complex, slow unravelling … of a town, a girl and an investigation. There were parts that reminded me of Robert Drewe’s ‘The Shark Net’, and more than once I found myself quietly comparing Currie to Raymond Carver, particularly for his short story "So Much Water So Close to Home" (which the film ‘Jindabyne’ was based on).
Currie has written about his transition from an Adult author to a Young Adult one – and to some extent, I had this article of his in the back of my head while reading his book (not least because I loved this metaphor: “equivalent of Superman trying to write his memoirs with a Kryptonite pen”). He said he stumbled across his 15-year-old protagonist, and then didn’t stop writing once he found her … I was thinking about this because a plot like ‘Clancy’ has, about the death of two local teens and impact on the family of the accused local man, has such multi-faceted possibilities. But there’s real power and impact in 15-year-old Clancy to be the one telling this story.
Clancy has a crush on the local hot girl. Her family was already dysfunctional, long before her father became front-page local news and the eyes of the town turned on them … There’s a sense when reading Clancy’s turbulent year, that we’re witnessing a young woman being forged in flames here. The story certainly had lots of possibilities, but coming from Clancy’s first-person point of view heightens everything to a delicious, heart-sickening tension – that this huge and devastating event has happened right when Clancy’s in the middle of figuring herself and her world out, to suddenly have it all ripped away from her.
Morally complex YA, yo!
I’ve said Currie’s storytelling reminded me of Robert Drewe and Raymond Carver ... allow me to add one more; ‘Clancy of the Undertow’ also feels like it could be a Paul Kelly song – all Australian setting and moral questions, being told by a young woman stuck in the middle of her life. Currie may not have consciously set out to write a YA novel – but I’m glad he found 15-year-old Clancy, and I hope he comes back to this readership who will welcome any new words from him with open arms.
September 14, 2016
I can’t remember what drew me to this book when I requested it on NetGalley – I think it was one of those random requests based on cover and genre, and by the time I got around to reading it, I’d forgotten any small amount of info provided on the blurb and didn’t have the internet access to look it up again. (Oh, the joys of reading review copies while on holiday.) Thus, the whole thing was a surprise, but thankfully, a nice one.
The first thing I noticed about the book was that it’s very Australian. Talking to Cait @ Paper Fury meant I understood most of the words (and my brief Dance Academy obsession helped with some of the others), but there were still various bits of slang I highlighted to look up later if my Kindle dictionary couldn’t help me. Observation: Australians have never seen a word they didn’t want to shorten. Is “afternoon” really such a burden that it has to be shortened to “arvo”? Is “pm” not an adequate substitute? But really, it was refreshing to read something outside the usual US-dominated YA that crosses my path, as well as outside my immediate cultural circumstances. Though the setting wasn’t a huge part of the story itself, it gave it a fresh feel, made it a bit different to other contemporaries I’ve read recently.
Because I think this is a contemporary, even if Clancy’s brother is searching for a possibly legendary creature from a hideaway in the woods (in true cryptozoological fashion: it wouldn’t be hunting for beasties if you did it like a normal, non-sketchy person). This borderline supernatural element doesn’t play a major part in the story but for a catalyst and context for other events, and it’s never clear whether the creature actually exists. Instead, the book focuses on Clancy’s family, on her inability to form friendships, and on her sexuality, though she’s still pretty confused and closeted about all that.
I was intrigued by Clancy’s experiences as a lesbian in this particular town because in some ways, it seemed to me a little outdated. Well, no, that’s the wrong word. But while I don’t feel the town where I live is particularly progressive, I would be shocked if somebody used homophobic insults in public, or freaked out the way certain characters do when they learn the truth. It’s something I wouldn’t expect to see in 2016, which just goes to show how narrow my cultural understanding is – my suburban London experience is not universal, and this brought that to my attention.
However, I don’t want to sound like Clancy faces a relentless barrage of homophobic abuse, because it’s far more minor than that, and it would be misleading to say it’s the focus of the book.
It’s hard, in retrospect, to pin down exactly what is. Clancy’s family is struggling because of her dad’s involvement in an accident at work for which many townspeople blame him, so that’s definitely a major part of it. As well as that, there’s Clancy’s relationship with her brother Angus, and her tentative friendship with a girl from her science club – I liked that she was involved in that kind of thing, even if she’s slightly embarrassed of her own nerdiness.
The book also deals with class issues, and poverty (“povo”), and a whole ton of different themes, so it’s not easy to pick one out to say what the book’s about. But I guess it’s about learning to relate to and communicate with people, and learning to be honest about your feelings to yourself and to the people you care about.
It was an enjoyable read, on the whole. The dialogue’s witty, the narration moves quickly and was equally entertaining, and while I have no idea how the slang would read to someone from that part of Australia (sometimes I find British books cringey and unrealistic; obviously I can’t judge that when I’m unfamiliar with the colloquialisms), I found it grounded me in the setting and helped me get into the characters’ voices. There are both romantic and platonic elements to the relationships it explores, and they aren’t overshadowed by each other, although I have to say I thought there was potential for romance to develop between two characters and it didn’t, which almost disappointed me. (I like friendships. I also like happy f/f relationships…)
I was pretty impressed by how well the book saw into the mind of a teenage girl without diving into stereotypes, especially as it’s by a male author. Although Clancy’s a bit more butch than your average seventeen-year-old, she doesn’t feel unrealistically so, and she felt natural and believable. I had to double check the author bio before writing my review because my default was to assume it was a female writer, which just goes to show I’m not above falling into assumptions about gender – sorry! Kudos to Christopher Currie, though; I was impressed.
The plot isn’t a high-stakes high-action plot, in many ways, because it’s more a series of small events building up to cause drama than a single instant. However, there’s enough happening to keep my interest, and the humour definitely helped with that. Perhaps the lack of resolution in that one relationship was the reason the ending felt a little unsatisfying to me – I really thought it was going to go further than it did, and as a result it felt slightly unfinished – but it didn’t particularly mar my enjoyment of the book.
The first thing I noticed about the book was that it’s very Australian. Talking to Cait @ Paper Fury meant I understood most of the words (and my brief Dance Academy obsession helped with some of the others), but there were still various bits of slang I highlighted to look up later if my Kindle dictionary couldn’t help me. Observation: Australians have never seen a word they didn’t want to shorten. Is “afternoon” really such a burden that it has to be shortened to “arvo”? Is “pm” not an adequate substitute? But really, it was refreshing to read something outside the usual US-dominated YA that crosses my path, as well as outside my immediate cultural circumstances. Though the setting wasn’t a huge part of the story itself, it gave it a fresh feel, made it a bit different to other contemporaries I’ve read recently.
Because I think this is a contemporary, even if Clancy’s brother is searching for a possibly legendary creature from a hideaway in the woods (in true cryptozoological fashion: it wouldn’t be hunting for beasties if you did it like a normal, non-sketchy person). This borderline supernatural element doesn’t play a major part in the story but for a catalyst and context for other events, and it’s never clear whether the creature actually exists. Instead, the book focuses on Clancy’s family, on her inability to form friendships, and on her sexuality, though she’s still pretty confused and closeted about all that.
I was intrigued by Clancy’s experiences as a lesbian in this particular town because in some ways, it seemed to me a little outdated. Well, no, that’s the wrong word. But while I don’t feel the town where I live is particularly progressive, I would be shocked if somebody used homophobic insults in public, or freaked out the way certain characters do when they learn the truth. It’s something I wouldn’t expect to see in 2016, which just goes to show how narrow my cultural understanding is – my suburban London experience is not universal, and this brought that to my attention.
However, I don’t want to sound like Clancy faces a relentless barrage of homophobic abuse, because it’s far more minor than that, and it would be misleading to say it’s the focus of the book.
It’s hard, in retrospect, to pin down exactly what is. Clancy’s family is struggling because of her dad’s involvement in an accident at work for which many townspeople blame him, so that’s definitely a major part of it. As well as that, there’s Clancy’s relationship with her brother Angus, and her tentative friendship with a girl from her science club – I liked that she was involved in that kind of thing, even if she’s slightly embarrassed of her own nerdiness.
The book also deals with class issues, and poverty (“povo”), and a whole ton of different themes, so it’s not easy to pick one out to say what the book’s about. But I guess it’s about learning to relate to and communicate with people, and learning to be honest about your feelings to yourself and to the people you care about.
It was an enjoyable read, on the whole. The dialogue’s witty, the narration moves quickly and was equally entertaining, and while I have no idea how the slang would read to someone from that part of Australia (sometimes I find British books cringey and unrealistic; obviously I can’t judge that when I’m unfamiliar with the colloquialisms), I found it grounded me in the setting and helped me get into the characters’ voices. There are both romantic and platonic elements to the relationships it explores, and they aren’t overshadowed by each other, although I have to say I thought there was potential for romance to develop between two characters and it didn’t, which almost disappointed me. (I like friendships. I also like happy f/f relationships…)
I was pretty impressed by how well the book saw into the mind of a teenage girl without diving into stereotypes, especially as it’s by a male author. Although Clancy’s a bit more butch than your average seventeen-year-old, she doesn’t feel unrealistically so, and she felt natural and believable. I had to double check the author bio before writing my review because my default was to assume it was a female writer, which just goes to show I’m not above falling into assumptions about gender – sorry! Kudos to Christopher Currie, though; I was impressed.
The plot isn’t a high-stakes high-action plot, in many ways, because it’s more a series of small events building up to cause drama than a single instant. However, there’s enough happening to keep my interest, and the humour definitely helped with that. Perhaps the lack of resolution in that one relationship was the reason the ending felt a little unsatisfying to me – I really thought it was going to go further than it did, and as a result it felt slightly unfinished – but it didn’t particularly mar my enjoyment of the book.
May 23, 2016
This YA novel tackles some really sensitive themes and issues in an Australian small town setting. Clancy Underhill is a 15-year-old girl who quietly deals with feelings of being an outcast. Not only is she a member of the nature club, a fringe group regarded as nerds by more popular students, but she has secret homosexual leanings. Clancy has a crush on Sasha, the pretty girlfriend of Buggs, the town bully. Her problems are compounded when her father, a road worker who assists with traffic flow, finds himself on the scene of an horrific smash which kills two teenagers. Although Mr Underhill claims they were driving recklessly, many locals accuse him of negligence, making him responsible for their deaths. Now Clancy’s whole family, including her mother and two brothers, become targets of angry townsfolk bent on vengeance.
The highlight of this book is the strong characters. Clancy’s family is revealed as slightly dysfunctional, but strong and supportive enough of each other to weather storms. Her parents make excellent role models in standing by each other. Although Clancy gets irritated by her older brother Angus and younger brother Titch, it’s obvious that they are all bound by deep affection for each other.
Angus comes across as an interesting young man with a rebellious streak. He’s decided to leave university and set himself the eccentric task of tracking down the legendary Beast of Barwen, which may or may not exist. Another character who tugs readers’ heartstrings is Nancy DeRosa, the new girl in town who makes friendly overtures to Clancy. The plot reveals a heartbreaking history of bullying in Nancy’s past, forcing her and mother to want to make a fresh new start where nobody has heard of them. Nancy’s part of the story shows the deep scars bullying may leave on a person, no matter how far they run.
Possible plot spoilers.
I thought there were some inconclusive story lines.
But having said that, if there was ever to be a sequel I'd be happy to read it, to find out what happens to some of the characters. I'd be particularly interested to follow the paths of Clancy's brothers, and Nancy. Maybe I should mention that there's also quite a bit of strong language.
The highlight of this book is the strong characters. Clancy’s family is revealed as slightly dysfunctional, but strong and supportive enough of each other to weather storms. Her parents make excellent role models in standing by each other. Although Clancy gets irritated by her older brother Angus and younger brother Titch, it’s obvious that they are all bound by deep affection for each other.
Angus comes across as an interesting young man with a rebellious streak. He’s decided to leave university and set himself the eccentric task of tracking down the legendary Beast of Barwen, which may or may not exist. Another character who tugs readers’ heartstrings is Nancy DeRosa, the new girl in town who makes friendly overtures to Clancy. The plot reveals a heartbreaking history of bullying in Nancy’s past, forcing her and mother to want to make a fresh new start where nobody has heard of them. Nancy’s part of the story shows the deep scars bullying may leave on a person, no matter how far they run.
Possible plot spoilers.
I thought there were some inconclusive story lines.
But having said that, if there was ever to be a sequel I'd be happy to read it, to find out what happens to some of the characters. I'd be particularly interested to follow the paths of Clancy's brothers, and Nancy. Maybe I should mention that there's also quite a bit of strong language.
October 14, 2016
Got girls in your family or library, but this book. What a blimmin marvel it is. Strong girl characters and ballsy misfits, nothing not to love here. Clancy is in the middle of a family crisis, her Dad has been involved in the death of 2 teens who had a car crash, he is under huge stress, her mum is not coping well. Her older brother seems to have become a wastrel and a stray and her younger brother is obsessively playing video games. They haven't communicated in ages and this new thing hasn't helped. Tempers are frayed and it is best to be anywhere but home. They've become the town pariahs. To top it all off Clancy is deeply besotted with the coolest girl in town, even though she is going out with the guy who makes Clancy's life a misery on a daily basis.
This will take you back to what it was like to be 16 again. The conversation is sparkling and witty, clever wit, nothing lame here. A really fabulous book, anyone can relate to, peopled with real genuine characters. A bloody gem!
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this very cool book.
This will take you back to what it was like to be 16 again. The conversation is sparkling and witty, clever wit, nothing lame here. A really fabulous book, anyone can relate to, peopled with real genuine characters. A bloody gem!
Thanks Netgalley for the opportunity to read this very cool book.
July 23, 2016
What a brilliant read. Clancy of the Undertow (awesome title) is painful, beautiful and funny, and written with incredible wit and insight. It delivers the kind of raw honesty that makes Australian YA so real and relatable.
Yes, it features a teenage girl coming to terms with her sexuality - handled with remarkable sensitivity. It’s also a study of the complexity of friendship and family. I loved the changing dynamic between Clancy and her brother Angus (and their un-PC banter), and her frequently awkward friendship with Nancy.
Christopher Currie has a wonderful turn of phrase and his dialogue is pure gold. He also captures the insular attitudes and herd mentality that can pervade regional towns. This is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that offers hopes to everyone who feels like an outcast...at any age.
Yes, it features a teenage girl coming to terms with her sexuality - handled with remarkable sensitivity. It’s also a study of the complexity of friendship and family. I loved the changing dynamic between Clancy and her brother Angus (and their un-PC banter), and her frequently awkward friendship with Nancy.
Christopher Currie has a wonderful turn of phrase and his dialogue is pure gold. He also captures the insular attitudes and herd mentality that can pervade regional towns. This is a beautifully written coming-of-age story that offers hopes to everyone who feels like an outcast...at any age.
December 10, 2017
I don’t know why, but I really didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. And as I recall, I enjoyed it quite a bit. It was a bit unexpected, although I totally knew what the thing with Sasha was going to be. Honestly, I was just super pleased with it. Not everything in life turns out perfect, and not everyone in life will be kind or reasonable, even your idols. It’s hard to realize that sometimes, but it happens to everyone. Clancy had a very unique and interesting writing style, which definitely added to the atmosphere. I might reread this at some point to see if my feelings have changed at all.
August 7, 2016
I heard this mentioned at a YA event that I attended for work at the beginning of December, and was intrigued about it. I saw it at Dymocks on Monday and resisted, figuring that I'd just order a copy for work next year. But when I went back to Dymocks for something on Tuesday, it accidentally on purpose ended up in my pile of purchases and WHOOPS NOW I OWN IT.
So obviously, I was going to pick it up immediately.
First things first - I love the title and its play on Banjo Paterson's Clancy of the Overflow. It's so iconically Australian and totally perfect. Clancy's a very rough around the edges character, but I couldn't help but feel for her. The story ostensibly revolves around Clancy's father being involved in a fatal traffic accident and the entire town turning against them, but really it's a coming of age story in which Clancy struggles with family relationships, friendships, living in a small town, and her sexual orientation.
It's INCREDIBLY Australian, full of slang and daggy references and test cricket and Holden Monaros. It may be a little incomprehensible to international readers as a result, but for Aussies? It's pretty stinking great.
It's a fairly meandering story at times - there are a lot of threads involved - but I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't really want to put it down, which is why I was still awake at 2am last night reading it. There's a lot in it about learning to be yourself and having friends you're comfortable around, and it was kind of sort of brilliant and feelsy all at the same time.
So obviously, I was going to pick it up immediately.
First things first - I love the title and its play on Banjo Paterson's Clancy of the Overflow. It's so iconically Australian and totally perfect. Clancy's a very rough around the edges character, but I couldn't help but feel for her. The story ostensibly revolves around Clancy's father being involved in a fatal traffic accident and the entire town turning against them, but really it's a coming of age story in which Clancy struggles with family relationships, friendships, living in a small town, and her sexual orientation.
It's INCREDIBLY Australian, full of slang and daggy references and test cricket and Holden Monaros. It may be a little incomprehensible to international readers as a result, but for Aussies? It's pretty stinking great.
It's a fairly meandering story at times - there are a lot of threads involved - but I thoroughly enjoyed it and didn't really want to put it down, which is why I was still awake at 2am last night reading it. There's a lot in it about learning to be yourself and having friends you're comfortable around, and it was kind of sort of brilliant and feelsy all at the same time.
August 1, 2016
I've really enjoyed this book. Clancy is this adolescent girl who feels she doesn't fit, that she is a weirdo and that people might be whispering behind her back. And what's more: she is gay and doesn't know how to come to terms with it or talk about it.
Amidst all the drama of being an adolescent, she is worried about her dad as he was sort of involved in an accident where two adolescents died and the whole town is airing its opinion about it.
The pace of the book is great, and I loved this feeling of being an adolescent again, being unsure and not knowing how the world works or what to make of your feelings, insecurities, etc.
The plot is well devised and keeps you hooked... I couldn't put the book down! And it leaves you with a nice feeling and remembering those sweet fifteen...
Amidst all the drama of being an adolescent, she is worried about her dad as he was sort of involved in an accident where two adolescents died and the whole town is airing its opinion about it.
The pace of the book is great, and I loved this feeling of being an adolescent again, being unsure and not knowing how the world works or what to make of your feelings, insecurities, etc.
The plot is well devised and keeps you hooked... I couldn't put the book down! And it leaves you with a nice feeling and remembering those sweet fifteen...
November 6, 2016
I don’t know what to write about this book. It was an easy read with a good pace. I liked Clancy’s sarcastic notes and I wrote few of them down in hope to use them one day in my real life, haha.
I expected struggling about her sexual orientation or some lesbian action when this book comes under glbt theme but she was okay with it and except one kiss there wasn’t much to this theme. I would say the story is more about her family drama and friendship than glbt theme.
Oh, I love the cover.
***
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I expected struggling about her sexual orientation or some lesbian action when this book comes under glbt theme but she was okay with it and except one kiss there wasn’t much to this theme. I would say the story is more about her family drama and friendship than glbt theme.
Oh, I love the cover.
***
I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2017
Reminded me a lot of
The Flywheel
by Erin Gough, which is another Aussie YA novel with a lesbian protagonist.
I loved Clancy and her personality, as well as the sibling dynamic between her and Angus.
I didn't really understand what her dad's "situation" had to do with her being gay, as these two story arcs felt like they belonged to two separate books and the former stopped being relevant halfway through the novel, but whatever. Somehow Currie made it work, and it worked beautifully.
I loved Clancy and her personality, as well as the sibling dynamic between her and Angus.
I didn't really understand what her dad's "situation" had to do with her being gay, as these two story arcs felt like they belonged to two separate books and the former stopped being relevant halfway through the novel, but whatever. Somehow Currie made it work, and it worked beautifully.
October 18, 2016
(I received a copy from Netgalley, In exchange for an honest review.)
Actual rating - 2.75
I didn't love Clancy, but she was an okay character.
This bored me quite early on unfortunately, so it wasn't one I can say I really enjoyed. Any parts that managed to gain a bit more of my interest didn't last long, and the book dragged in areas for me because of it.
Overall, Not awful, but not a very enjoyable one for me.
Actual rating - 2.75
I didn't love Clancy, but she was an okay character.
This bored me quite early on unfortunately, so it wasn't one I can say I really enjoyed. Any parts that managed to gain a bit more of my interest didn't last long, and the book dragged in areas for me because of it.
Overall, Not awful, but not a very enjoyable one for me.
January 2, 2016
I really enjoyed this one! I related to Clancy on a number of different levels -- being gay in a fairly close-minded town, being poor but not poverty-stricken, and feeling completely and utterly helpless in a whirlwind of stuff she can't change. This was also a super Aussie read, which I loved, of course, and I really liked the threads of friendship underneath all the angst.
August 16, 2017
Loved this quirky Australian YA novel.
Update: Review has now been posted at Reading Time.
December 15, 2015
Life in small town Queensland has always been tough for sixteen-year-old Clancy Underhill. She’s a loner. Doesn’t fit. That she’s forced to get around on a bike several sizes too small and can’t afford to replace her one pair of ratty boots doesn’t help. Neither does having an older brother who’s dropped out of uni to track down the mythical Beast of Barwen. Or the fact that Clancy likes girls.
However, Clancy’s problems are overshadowed when her dad is involved in a car crash that leaves two teenagers dead. With the new school term fast approaching, the town turning against her family and two girls suddenly vying for her attention, Clancy has to answer some hard questions about who she is and where she belongs.
Clancy of the Undertow (Text Publishing, Nov. 2015) is a morally complex, heartfelt and (at times) achingly funny story of self-discovery and small town claustrophobia.
Currie’s first and (to date) only other novel, The Ottoman Motel (2012), was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards. Clancy of the Undertow is his first foray into Young Adult fiction, and I have to say, he’s nailed it. His sparky, whip-smart prose and Clancy herself had me smitten from page one, where she introduces herself with a comparison to her boss at the local beauty counter:
She’s thirty-two, voluptuous, perfect. I am sixteen, with the physique of a tree frog.
This is Clancy’s main problem: she doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations.
My whole life, pretty much, has been back to front. When I was little, I knew I was supposed to wear dresses and dream of princesses and run shrieking from boys in the playground, but I never wanted to. I remember being far more interested in things I wasn’t supposed to be interested in. I don’t think that’s really changed.
Later, she tells Nancy, the new girl in town: ‘…I’ve just always been, you know, the opposite. Of what I’m… supposed to be.’
Clancy is eager to escape her small Queensland hometown of Barwen. Because she doesn’t fit with her peers’ idea of what’s ‘normal’, Baren is a hostile place for her to navigate. It’s stifling and full of gossip. Currie reflects this hostility in the landscape itself. His story is set in the humid weeks of late summer, and Clancy has only her kid-sized BMX to help her get around, making every journey an odyssey:
I cycle back up the dirt path, not bothering to get up off my seat as I judder across the tiny stones. … I pedal furiously up the hill and cut in behind CityView Motel’s car park. Throw my bike over the fence and drag it up the cow paddock. As always, I can’t tell what’s a divot and what’s a cowpat but I plough on regardless. There’s a crowd of cockatoos dotting the grass white and they flap madly as I walk through them, flying up as a big swarm, circling one of the two huge eucalypts on each side of our house. Late summer is brimful with birdscreech until even after dark. Tich [Clancy’s younger brother] is there by the front steps standing in a puddle of water he’s made by letting the hose run.
There’s currently a big push towards depicting more diverse stories and experiences in YA, and it’s refreshing to see Currie run with an LGBT protagonist, particularly as he resists focusing the whole story on her sexuality. Rather, Clancy’s interest in girls is just one aspect of her character and her uncertainty in coming out numbers among the many challenges she faces.
Clancy is an endearing narrator, with a voice that’s wholly her own, and because both she and her situation are so multi-dimensional, I wanted to see a little more of her spark and complexity reflected in her story, namely the ending. In the first half, Currie establishes both moral complexity and tension with Clancy’s dad being questioned over his involvement in the fatal car crash. The town has already decided he’s guilty and, if he’s officially made accountable, there could be life-changing consequences for Clancy and her family. As the investigation unfolds, the family dynamic begins to shift, and the scenes between Clancy and her father are deeply moving. Meanwhile, Clancy is dealing with a number of her own issues and asking big questions about her identity. However, towards the end, Clancy faces a major crisis that essentially gives her a clean slate, following which all her problems are quickly and neatly resolved. It just feels a little too convenient.
The story’s strength is its characters and the shifting relationships between them. As mentioned, the scenes between Clancy and her dad had me all choked up. The banter between Clancy and her older brother, Angus, zings, and watching their sibling rivalry evolve into a complex and genuine friendship is one of the highlights of the book. Equally engaging is Clancy’s uneasy relationship with Nancy, the new girl in town who proves to be a far cry from the pampered private school snob Clancy imagines. The only relationship that doesn’t ring true is that between Clancy and Sasha. Clancy’s had a crush on Sasha seemingly forever, but Sasha’s older—she’s left school and works for her mother’s travel agency. She has a boyfriend, Buggs, and spends all her time with him and his friends. A self-professed high school loner like Clancy isn’t even on her radar. So when Sasha suddenly wants to hang out with Clancy, it’s fishy. Her key motivation appears to be allowing Currie to teach Clancy a lesson in worshiping false idols.
Overall, Clancy of the Undertow is a story of complex, compelling characters with a distinct Aussie flavour. Currie speaks fluent teenager, and I really hope he sticks with YA.
Thank you to Text Publishing for providing a copy of Clancy of the Undertow in exchange for an honest review.
my link text">Read more Lectito reviews.
However, Clancy’s problems are overshadowed when her dad is involved in a car crash that leaves two teenagers dead. With the new school term fast approaching, the town turning against her family and two girls suddenly vying for her attention, Clancy has to answer some hard questions about who she is and where she belongs.
Clancy of the Undertow (Text Publishing, Nov. 2015) is a morally complex, heartfelt and (at times) achingly funny story of self-discovery and small town claustrophobia.
Currie’s first and (to date) only other novel, The Ottoman Motel (2012), was shortlisted for the Commonwealth Book Prize and the Queensland Literary Awards. Clancy of the Undertow is his first foray into Young Adult fiction, and I have to say, he’s nailed it. His sparky, whip-smart prose and Clancy herself had me smitten from page one, where she introduces herself with a comparison to her boss at the local beauty counter:
She’s thirty-two, voluptuous, perfect. I am sixteen, with the physique of a tree frog.
This is Clancy’s main problem: she doesn’t fit anyone’s expectations.
My whole life, pretty much, has been back to front. When I was little, I knew I was supposed to wear dresses and dream of princesses and run shrieking from boys in the playground, but I never wanted to. I remember being far more interested in things I wasn’t supposed to be interested in. I don’t think that’s really changed.
Later, she tells Nancy, the new girl in town: ‘…I’ve just always been, you know, the opposite. Of what I’m… supposed to be.’
Clancy is eager to escape her small Queensland hometown of Barwen. Because she doesn’t fit with her peers’ idea of what’s ‘normal’, Baren is a hostile place for her to navigate. It’s stifling and full of gossip. Currie reflects this hostility in the landscape itself. His story is set in the humid weeks of late summer, and Clancy has only her kid-sized BMX to help her get around, making every journey an odyssey:
I cycle back up the dirt path, not bothering to get up off my seat as I judder across the tiny stones. … I pedal furiously up the hill and cut in behind CityView Motel’s car park. Throw my bike over the fence and drag it up the cow paddock. As always, I can’t tell what’s a divot and what’s a cowpat but I plough on regardless. There’s a crowd of cockatoos dotting the grass white and they flap madly as I walk through them, flying up as a big swarm, circling one of the two huge eucalypts on each side of our house. Late summer is brimful with birdscreech until even after dark. Tich [Clancy’s younger brother] is there by the front steps standing in a puddle of water he’s made by letting the hose run.
There’s currently a big push towards depicting more diverse stories and experiences in YA, and it’s refreshing to see Currie run with an LGBT protagonist, particularly as he resists focusing the whole story on her sexuality. Rather, Clancy’s interest in girls is just one aspect of her character and her uncertainty in coming out numbers among the many challenges she faces.
Clancy is an endearing narrator, with a voice that’s wholly her own, and because both she and her situation are so multi-dimensional, I wanted to see a little more of her spark and complexity reflected in her story, namely the ending. In the first half, Currie establishes both moral complexity and tension with Clancy’s dad being questioned over his involvement in the fatal car crash. The town has already decided he’s guilty and, if he’s officially made accountable, there could be life-changing consequences for Clancy and her family. As the investigation unfolds, the family dynamic begins to shift, and the scenes between Clancy and her father are deeply moving. Meanwhile, Clancy is dealing with a number of her own issues and asking big questions about her identity. However, towards the end, Clancy faces a major crisis that essentially gives her a clean slate, following which all her problems are quickly and neatly resolved. It just feels a little too convenient.
The story’s strength is its characters and the shifting relationships between them. As mentioned, the scenes between Clancy and her dad had me all choked up. The banter between Clancy and her older brother, Angus, zings, and watching their sibling rivalry evolve into a complex and genuine friendship is one of the highlights of the book. Equally engaging is Clancy’s uneasy relationship with Nancy, the new girl in town who proves to be a far cry from the pampered private school snob Clancy imagines. The only relationship that doesn’t ring true is that between Clancy and Sasha. Clancy’s had a crush on Sasha seemingly forever, but Sasha’s older—she’s left school and works for her mother’s travel agency. She has a boyfriend, Buggs, and spends all her time with him and his friends. A self-professed high school loner like Clancy isn’t even on her radar. So when Sasha suddenly wants to hang out with Clancy, it’s fishy. Her key motivation appears to be allowing Currie to teach Clancy a lesson in worshiping false idols.
Overall, Clancy of the Undertow is a story of complex, compelling characters with a distinct Aussie flavour. Currie speaks fluent teenager, and I really hope he sticks with YA.
Thank you to Text Publishing for providing a copy of Clancy of the Undertow in exchange for an honest review.
my link text">Read more Lectito reviews.
April 13, 2016
I really enjoyed this funny, quirky and beautifully written story about about a sixteen year old outsider fumbling her way out of the closet in a rural Australian backwater called Barwen. There are some gorgeous characterisations (every scene with Reeve, the security guard, and Eloise, the beauty salesperson at the local shopping centre, is a winner). And the complex family relationships - particularly with her conspiracy-theorist older brother - are evoked with great warmth and eye for detail. Four-and-a-half stars.
April 10, 2016
The "lonely-person-who-is-also-gay-with-a-pathetic-life-and-no-one-to-care-about-them" seems to be the theme of most YA novels these days.
All have the same content: their life is a great injustice and they seem to do nothing right. And ends with everything being fine, learning to appreciate their lives and learning a lesson out of the worst.
Frankly speaking, its too repetitive and dull.
The authors really need to bring something new on the market.
All have the same content: their life is a great injustice and they seem to do nothing right. And ends with everything being fine, learning to appreciate their lives and learning a lesson out of the worst.
Frankly speaking, its too repetitive and dull.
The authors really need to bring something new on the market.
September 28, 2017
Accomplished YA novel about a teenager coming to terms with her sexuality in a stifling country town.
April 4, 2021
Well, that was eventful.
I'm really impressed with this novel, it all came together in a neat bow and those endings really do it for me. I felt for Clancy and her situation. There is nothing worse then dealing with family issues and also your own personal struggles, however brief, at the same time so this makes it really relatable. But also, it good how the author only briefly mentions it rather then go on and on about it like some other authors do. So it's good to see a hint of it, rather then an explosion of it.
Although, the novel is short, we quickly get to know her and all of her friends and family. I particularly loved the father, who seemed deep and real. Their conversations gave us a lot of insight into his thoughts without having to explain it all. And I think that's the author's strong point. Being about to convey alot without saying it straight up.
It's also filled with Aussie humour, which I absolutely loved. It's good to read an Aussie novel and feel truely at home.
Read it in one day and glad to read more of this authors work.
I'm really impressed with this novel, it all came together in a neat bow and those endings really do it for me. I felt for Clancy and her situation. There is nothing worse then dealing with family issues and also your own personal struggles, however brief, at the same time so this makes it really relatable. But also, it good how the author only briefly mentions it rather then go on and on about it like some other authors do. So it's good to see a hint of it, rather then an explosion of it.
Although, the novel is short, we quickly get to know her and all of her friends and family. I particularly loved the father, who seemed deep and real. Their conversations gave us a lot of insight into his thoughts without having to explain it all. And I think that's the author's strong point. Being about to convey alot without saying it straight up.
It's also filled with Aussie humour, which I absolutely loved. It's good to read an Aussie novel and feel truely at home.
Read it in one day and glad to read more of this authors work.
March 11, 2017
This was an enjoyable read with the pace lifting for the final act. As part of the cannon of YA novels dealing with issues of diversity this work does not break any new ground. Its strength though can be found in appreciating the work as a fine example of literature that reflects the values,and experiences of young adults who are dealing with issues such as isolation,detachment and alienation. This work offers them the opportunity to identify with a young protagonist that is strong and determined. It gives young readers who are in a situation that mirror her own an opportunity to identify with the protagonist, and reflect upon their own experiences identifiable within the narrative. A well worthwhile read from an established Australian author venturing into YA fiction.
October 10, 2016
What a quick and easy read. It's a good book to read when you're feeling a little ill and just need something to do. Not to say that this book doesn't deserve to be read at other times, because it totally does.
Australian YA with a queer protagonist! How could anyone pass on it?
Clancy is sixteen, that angsty age where no one feels like they fit in. For Clancy, in some backwater Aussie town in Queensland, it's pretty true. The only thing she has going for her is the Nature Club, where she goes and hangs out with a bunch of kids as geeky as herself. On top of that, her brother, Angus, is into cryptozoology and is convinced he's going to find the big cat commonly believed to roam the hills near their town (total Aussie urban legend; Sydney's got the Penrith Panther), and her father was involved in a car accident that killed two teenagers, making them the pariahs of the town.
There are a few complex things going on in this book. The accident, which happens at the beginning of the novel pulls the reader into it, and is a thread running throughout. I have to say, I was interested in this plot, but it didn't deliver like I'd hoped. It seemed to be a whole lot of drama for very little reward. I can only say so much without spoiling the book, but it might have helped if things with the father turned out way worse than they did.
Then there's the plot with the girl Clancy likes. Nothing special. Not to say that it was bad. In fact, I really enjoyed certain aspects of it, like Clancy daydreaming about what their life might be like one day, or her trying to be subtle about her feelings. It's fun, and sometimes it's not. But it's all done in a way that's very familiar. There's not much there to make it stand out.
Nancy, Clancy's first real friend, is a great character. I wish we'd seen more of her. Instead they only really have a few scenes together, and most of them involve both of them spilling their guts to the other. Which is fine, but we never got to really see them be friends, in that casual way that friends are, and I reckon that's the biggest tragedy of this book.
In all, this is an alright book. Nothing amazing or special. Fun to read. I enjoyed it, and I loved that it was Australian. But I think it was far too short. It could have been amazing if some of the things were delved into a little deeper; the relationship with Nancy, the aftermath of Sasha, and the thing with Clancy's father all have the potential to be much more evolved than they are.
Also, the edition I have, for kindle really needs to be better. A couple of letters are cut off from the beginning of each chapter. And the spacing needs to be looked at. I don't know how they make things into mobi files for kindle, but I think something got messed up in the conversion, because often the same sentence was not all on the same line. It's distracting, and makes dialogue difficult to follow sometimes.
But would I recommend the novel? Sure, to anyone who has a hankering for Aussie queer YA, and then to some who don't.
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy.
Australian YA with a queer protagonist! How could anyone pass on it?
Clancy is sixteen, that angsty age where no one feels like they fit in. For Clancy, in some backwater Aussie town in Queensland, it's pretty true. The only thing she has going for her is the Nature Club, where she goes and hangs out with a bunch of kids as geeky as herself. On top of that, her brother, Angus, is into cryptozoology and is convinced he's going to find the big cat commonly believed to roam the hills near their town (total Aussie urban legend; Sydney's got the Penrith Panther), and her father was involved in a car accident that killed two teenagers, making them the pariahs of the town.
There are a few complex things going on in this book. The accident, which happens at the beginning of the novel pulls the reader into it, and is a thread running throughout. I have to say, I was interested in this plot, but it didn't deliver like I'd hoped. It seemed to be a whole lot of drama for very little reward. I can only say so much without spoiling the book, but it might have helped if things with the father turned out way worse than they did.
Then there's the plot with the girl Clancy likes. Nothing special. Not to say that it was bad. In fact, I really enjoyed certain aspects of it, like Clancy daydreaming about what their life might be like one day, or her trying to be subtle about her feelings. It's fun, and sometimes it's not. But it's all done in a way that's very familiar. There's not much there to make it stand out.
Nancy, Clancy's first real friend, is a great character. I wish we'd seen more of her. Instead they only really have a few scenes together, and most of them involve both of them spilling their guts to the other. Which is fine, but we never got to really see them be friends, in that casual way that friends are, and I reckon that's the biggest tragedy of this book.
In all, this is an alright book. Nothing amazing or special. Fun to read. I enjoyed it, and I loved that it was Australian. But I think it was far too short. It could have been amazing if some of the things were delved into a little deeper; the relationship with Nancy, the aftermath of Sasha, and the thing with Clancy's father all have the potential to be much more evolved than they are.
Also, the edition I have, for kindle really needs to be better. A couple of letters are cut off from the beginning of each chapter. And the spacing needs to be looked at. I don't know how they make things into mobi files for kindle, but I think something got messed up in the conversion, because often the same sentence was not all on the same line. It's distracting, and makes dialogue difficult to follow sometimes.
But would I recommend the novel? Sure, to anyone who has a hankering for Aussie queer YA, and then to some who don't.
Thanks to Netgalley for the copy.
November 14, 2016
I received this book from Text Publishing through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
SYNOPSIS:
Clancy is sixteen and lives in Barwen, where she is most commonly known as the misfit who also happens to have a ‘dysfunctional family’. Clancy is trying to figure out who she is and has a great interest in the town’s Nature Club and also has a big crush on the town’s local ‘popular’ girl, Sasha.
Just as summer begins, Clancy’s father is involved in a car accident that kills two well-known local teenagers. Clancy and her family deal in their own different ways but all have to face the rest of the town who blame her father. But whilst this is all under way, Clancy finds someone who would consider being her friend and also gets the attention from Sasha, who begins to show interest in her.
REVIEW:
This YA contemporary is a great LGBTQ Australian fiction and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this. I am really loving that more Australian authors are joining in on the LGBTQ theme, it is so great to see. There is no denying that I enjoyed this book, the story was easy to follow but also intriguing enough that I didn’t get bored or wander off in thought whilst reading. I found that it was a quick and easy read which left me wanting to read more. This book had a lot of different themes in it and I loved the family element in it and I also loved that it wasn’t just another cliché YA book which has a ton load of romance and I also loved that Clancy was a character that wasn’t ‘perfect’. It follows Clancy’s day-to-day life during her summer break and focuses on how she deals with her father’s traffic accident which involved two of the local teenagers.
As a character Clancy was very different to any other gay YA character that I have read about. I really liked that she wasn’t like the average YA character that we always see, she had flaws and she knew it and accepted it! I liked that we follow her through as she discovers who she is. In saying this though, there were a few elements which made her not that likeable. The other characters in the book are quite interesting, I really enjoyed reading about Clancy’s brother, and he was quite hilarious. I loved the normality of Clancy’s family, they were all different and were not perfect at all. I also really liked how one of the main events of the book (the road traffic accident) made the family come together when they normally would not.
Christopher Carrie has written Clancy’s voice in such a great way. She is completely sassy and hard to like at times but that is what makes her a fantastic and unusual character. Each chapter flowed and it was easy to pick back up after having a break.
All in all, this was a story which captures life in a small Australian town and is easy to relate to. I love reading about a strong, independent female protagonist. It was truly remarkable and I do not have a bad word to say about it at all!
This review will also appear on my blog https://loadsofbooksreviews.wordpress...
SYNOPSIS:
Clancy is sixteen and lives in Barwen, where she is most commonly known as the misfit who also happens to have a ‘dysfunctional family’. Clancy is trying to figure out who she is and has a great interest in the town’s Nature Club and also has a big crush on the town’s local ‘popular’ girl, Sasha.
Just as summer begins, Clancy’s father is involved in a car accident that kills two well-known local teenagers. Clancy and her family deal in their own different ways but all have to face the rest of the town who blame her father. But whilst this is all under way, Clancy finds someone who would consider being her friend and also gets the attention from Sasha, who begins to show interest in her.
REVIEW:
This YA contemporary is a great LGBTQ Australian fiction and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this. I am really loving that more Australian authors are joining in on the LGBTQ theme, it is so great to see. There is no denying that I enjoyed this book, the story was easy to follow but also intriguing enough that I didn’t get bored or wander off in thought whilst reading. I found that it was a quick and easy read which left me wanting to read more. This book had a lot of different themes in it and I loved the family element in it and I also loved that it wasn’t just another cliché YA book which has a ton load of romance and I also loved that Clancy was a character that wasn’t ‘perfect’. It follows Clancy’s day-to-day life during her summer break and focuses on how she deals with her father’s traffic accident which involved two of the local teenagers.
As a character Clancy was very different to any other gay YA character that I have read about. I really liked that she wasn’t like the average YA character that we always see, she had flaws and she knew it and accepted it! I liked that we follow her through as she discovers who she is. In saying this though, there were a few elements which made her not that likeable. The other characters in the book are quite interesting, I really enjoyed reading about Clancy’s brother, and he was quite hilarious. I loved the normality of Clancy’s family, they were all different and were not perfect at all. I also really liked how one of the main events of the book (the road traffic accident) made the family come together when they normally would not.
Christopher Carrie has written Clancy’s voice in such a great way. She is completely sassy and hard to like at times but that is what makes her a fantastic and unusual character. Each chapter flowed and it was easy to pick back up after having a break.
All in all, this was a story which captures life in a small Australian town and is easy to relate to. I love reading about a strong, independent female protagonist. It was truly remarkable and I do not have a bad word to say about it at all!
This review will also appear on my blog https://loadsofbooksreviews.wordpress...
October 17, 2016
(Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!)
This is a charming coming-of-age story with a unique Australian back-burner town as the backdrop.
Clancy is expecting this summer to be just like all other summers: she’ll work, avoid her family and long after the gorgeous cool-girl Sasha. But then her father plays a part in an accident that kills two teenagers, and Clancy’s world starts falling apart. Is this the kind of tragedy that will finally break her family? Or bring them closer together?
In the midst of this Clancy deals with the surprising, but blossoming friendship between her and the new girl in town, Nancy. As well as the sudden, but very welcome (and perhaps promising?) attention from Sasha. One moment the whole world is tumbling down, the next Clancy feels as though she’s finally figured it all out.
And Clancy is a wonderful character, who I identified with quite a lot. Her devotion to her family (though she might not admit to it), her love for her brothers, her occasional anger, doubts and fears. It all felt real. She felt real.
It’s not so much a novel about sexual identity, that part Clancy has pretty much figured out and boys are definitely not the solution, but rather a story of finding your place in the world. And realizing you might not have to do it alone.
The power of this novel comes from the constellation of relationships it gives us. They are all complex and nuanced, and they give this novel a beautiful emotional weight. No families are perfect, and it’s easy to disregard your own, to think of them as always a pain, always in the way, but this novel shows us all the beautiful, difficult things family can be. And the many ways in which they can save us.
My favorite thing was the friendship between Nancy and Clancy. Both nervous, socially awkward and bad at intimacy there’s a few bumps in the road, but the way they obviously cared for each other, the way they clearly wanted the other in their life, that made me very happy. I see my own friendships in theirs, and that is so important.
The novel could have been a little longer. I felt these relationships could’ve used a little more exploration, but as it is, it’s a wonderful book about being young, in love and discovering your place in the world. And the people who make that place worth holding on to.
I'm still not sure why it's called "Clancy of the Undertow"? As far as I recall, it's never mentioned in the novel. Is it a mash-up of her name Underhill and the character, Clancy of the Overflow, her parents named her after? In any case, I found it a little odd there wasn't anything about it.
This is a charming coming-of-age story with a unique Australian back-burner town as the backdrop.
Clancy is expecting this summer to be just like all other summers: she’ll work, avoid her family and long after the gorgeous cool-girl Sasha. But then her father plays a part in an accident that kills two teenagers, and Clancy’s world starts falling apart. Is this the kind of tragedy that will finally break her family? Or bring them closer together?
In the midst of this Clancy deals with the surprising, but blossoming friendship between her and the new girl in town, Nancy. As well as the sudden, but very welcome (and perhaps promising?) attention from Sasha. One moment the whole world is tumbling down, the next Clancy feels as though she’s finally figured it all out.
And Clancy is a wonderful character, who I identified with quite a lot. Her devotion to her family (though she might not admit to it), her love for her brothers, her occasional anger, doubts and fears. It all felt real. She felt real.
It’s not so much a novel about sexual identity, that part Clancy has pretty much figured out and boys are definitely not the solution, but rather a story of finding your place in the world. And realizing you might not have to do it alone.
The power of this novel comes from the constellation of relationships it gives us. They are all complex and nuanced, and they give this novel a beautiful emotional weight. No families are perfect, and it’s easy to disregard your own, to think of them as always a pain, always in the way, but this novel shows us all the beautiful, difficult things family can be. And the many ways in which they can save us.
My favorite thing was the friendship between Nancy and Clancy. Both nervous, socially awkward and bad at intimacy there’s a few bumps in the road, but the way they obviously cared for each other, the way they clearly wanted the other in their life, that made me very happy. I see my own friendships in theirs, and that is so important.
The novel could have been a little longer. I felt these relationships could’ve used a little more exploration, but as it is, it’s a wonderful book about being young, in love and discovering your place in the world. And the people who make that place worth holding on to.
I'm still not sure why it's called "Clancy of the Undertow"? As far as I recall, it's never mentioned in the novel. Is it a mash-up of her name Underhill and the character, Clancy of the Overflow, her parents named her after? In any case, I found it a little odd there wasn't anything about it.
May 26, 2016
On a recent Twitter chat #YAChat, the subject was friendship in books. A common theme in responses was that friendship in YA was equally important to romance. And I have to say that Currie pulls this off beautifully, in a book about a 16 year old loner.
Clancy feels like she can get nothing right in her life, especially not friendship or fashion. She lives in a small town, and she's not the only one who thinks her family is weird. Then her dad is involved in a road accident that may or may not be his fault - not even he can be sure - but most of the town makes up their minds pretty fast.
The characters are the driving force of this book, and you cannot help but want Clancy to win. I also loved the language, the Aussieness of it, in all its scabby weirdness. '...You think you're hot shit!' accuses her brother Angus at one point.
The townfolk are a great mix of narrow-minded bogans and unique characters who aren't afraid to stand up for others (yay Eloise!). Sasha was written perfectly, you can see what Clancy sees in her, while gradually seeing the emo veneer wear off to reveal... well, you'll just have to read the damn book!
I've given it 4.5 stars (too bad, Goodreads) because of a few oddities, like why on earth Clancy (who owns one sad pair of boots - not shoes, but boots) works at a shopping mall cosmetic booth; where did Angus get money for his equipment; why was the road crew still operating in rain of Biblical proportions towards the end of the book; and why the hell was Titch called Titch?
But weird shit happens in real life, so overall, I laughed out loud, adored Clancy, feared for her, and was absolutely moved by the aforesaid friendships - Clancy & Reeve, Clancy & Nancy (eventually), Clancy and her dad, and even between the girls' mums. Oh, and I loved the way Angus' 'Great Hunt' played out - we'll never really know just what was out there in the bush, but it was written spookily and beautifully.
As the girls say, there really needs to be a book on how to form friendships when you feel like a complete freak and social loser. Currie has this and much other detail spot-on, despite his odd choices in names ;) I can't wait for his next book, and I think he's up there with Vikki Wakefield for unique and memorable characters.
Clancy feels like she can get nothing right in her life, especially not friendship or fashion. She lives in a small town, and she's not the only one who thinks her family is weird. Then her dad is involved in a road accident that may or may not be his fault - not even he can be sure - but most of the town makes up their minds pretty fast.
The characters are the driving force of this book, and you cannot help but want Clancy to win. I also loved the language, the Aussieness of it, in all its scabby weirdness. '...You think you're hot shit!' accuses her brother Angus at one point.
The townfolk are a great mix of narrow-minded bogans and unique characters who aren't afraid to stand up for others (yay Eloise!). Sasha was written perfectly, you can see what Clancy sees in her, while gradually seeing the emo veneer wear off to reveal... well, you'll just have to read the damn book!
I've given it 4.5 stars (too bad, Goodreads) because of a few oddities, like why on earth Clancy (who owns one sad pair of boots - not shoes, but boots) works at a shopping mall cosmetic booth; where did Angus get money for his equipment; why was the road crew still operating in rain of Biblical proportions towards the end of the book; and why the hell was Titch called Titch?
But weird shit happens in real life, so overall, I laughed out loud, adored Clancy, feared for her, and was absolutely moved by the aforesaid friendships - Clancy & Reeve, Clancy & Nancy (eventually), Clancy and her dad, and even between the girls' mums. Oh, and I loved the way Angus' 'Great Hunt' played out - we'll never really know just what was out there in the bush, but it was written spookily and beautifully.
As the girls say, there really needs to be a book on how to form friendships when you feel like a complete freak and social loser. Currie has this and much other detail spot-on, despite his odd choices in names ;) I can't wait for his next book, and I think he's up there with Vikki Wakefield for unique and memorable characters.
April 16, 2016
Behind every story is another story. And my story behind this book is one of starting this book, questioning it, losing it and missing it.
Somehow during the palaver that is packing up from Christmas holiday camping, Clancy and I became separated. On my return home, I tipped every bag upside down, even unpacked the tents and packed them up again, in the off-chance Clancy was tucked away inside. No luck.
With great embarrassment and remorse, I fronted up to the library and fessed up. They gave me another month or two to continue my search. No luck.
So I went about my every day. Got another book out and got into that. All the while wondering what happened to Clancy and her family and friends (I lost the book with about 20 pages to go).
After paying to replace the book (and luckily no fine or banishment for being so tardy), I wondered what would be a decent period of time to wait, for the new book to be processed and to take it out again so I could finish it. Would they even let me take it out again?
Luckily, I never had to test that fate. Last weekend, my daughter retrieved the orange retro picnic suitcase from the garage to put some items away and lo and behold, inside was Clancy, and a pale blue silky woven bookmark given to me by a friend after a visit to Turkey. Happy, happy, happy me.
Last week, I finished Clancy. It was good. (Though, what was with that title btw? I get the play on words.. but not much else). Re the storyline, I was sceptical, a straight dude wrote the book. How believable would it be? I kept looking for clues. Searching for ways he Slipped Up. Besides tomboy Clancy working at a make-up counter and wearing make-up, it was pretty believable. The brother relationship was very believable, as was the admiring security guard, and the girls she didn't know how to behave around. Well played Mr Currie. You've obviously been a good listener/observer all these years.
This one-story-leads-to another business is funny. I won't think of the book losing (misplacing) camping incident and Clancy's story again without the other. The two are now linked.
Now to return the book to the library with a 'Ta Da!' post it note on the cover. I am sure Clancy and Mr Currie would approve.
Somehow during the palaver that is packing up from Christmas holiday camping, Clancy and I became separated. On my return home, I tipped every bag upside down, even unpacked the tents and packed them up again, in the off-chance Clancy was tucked away inside. No luck.
With great embarrassment and remorse, I fronted up to the library and fessed up. They gave me another month or two to continue my search. No luck.
So I went about my every day. Got another book out and got into that. All the while wondering what happened to Clancy and her family and friends (I lost the book with about 20 pages to go).
After paying to replace the book (and luckily no fine or banishment for being so tardy), I wondered what would be a decent period of time to wait, for the new book to be processed and to take it out again so I could finish it. Would they even let me take it out again?
Luckily, I never had to test that fate. Last weekend, my daughter retrieved the orange retro picnic suitcase from the garage to put some items away and lo and behold, inside was Clancy, and a pale blue silky woven bookmark given to me by a friend after a visit to Turkey. Happy, happy, happy me.
Last week, I finished Clancy. It was good. (Though, what was with that title btw? I get the play on words.. but not much else). Re the storyline, I was sceptical, a straight dude wrote the book. How believable would it be? I kept looking for clues. Searching for ways he Slipped Up. Besides tomboy Clancy working at a make-up counter and wearing make-up, it was pretty believable. The brother relationship was very believable, as was the admiring security guard, and the girls she didn't know how to behave around. Well played Mr Currie. You've obviously been a good listener/observer all these years.
This one-story-leads-to another business is funny. I won't think of the book losing (misplacing) camping incident and Clancy's story again without the other. The two are now linked.
Now to return the book to the library with a 'Ta Da!' post it note on the cover. I am sure Clancy and Mr Currie would approve.
January 12, 2026
This book wasn't what I expected, really. I thought it was going to be better... But what else can you expect from a book about a lesbian teenage girl that was written by a straight adult male?
It's not that I hated this book, I did like some bits of it. The character development that occurred almost at the end of the book was kind of cool .
I found Clancy, our MC, to be quite annoying at some points. I mean, there were tons of important things happening around her and all she did was worry about her bike and about Sasha. And that's another big problem I had with this book: the whole Sasha thing. It was an obsession, more than a crush. Clancy didn't even know Sasha yet she claimed to be "in love" with her and, to top it all off, Sasha was the town's bully girlfriend. So, yeah. Clancy was hanging out with the girlfriend of the dude that is always insulting her family.
Well, maybe the author exaggerated a bit this whole "teenage attitude". And I do know that teenagers don't make the best decisions sometimes, maybe coming off as shallow at times.
... This book had a lot to offer, but it didn't meet my expectations in that sense.
The family relationship within the Underhill household was portrayed in a very realistic way. What we saw in that family is the reality for many families of the actual world, so I think the author did a great job by portraying it as best as he could.
I would have loved to know more about Nancy, though. And I also think it was nice to have some insight to highschool bullying, anxiety, and depression within the plot.
Note: There were various Australian expressions/words I couldn't really understand. For example: doona, compo, povo, and arvo, to name a few.
It's not that I hated this book, I did like some bits of it. The character development that occurred almost at the end of the book was kind of cool .
I found Clancy, our MC, to be quite annoying at some points. I mean, there were tons of important things happening around her and all she did was worry about her bike and about Sasha. And that's another big problem I had with this book: the whole Sasha thing. It was an obsession, more than a crush. Clancy didn't even know Sasha yet she claimed to be "in love" with her and, to top it all off, Sasha was the town's bully girlfriend. So, yeah. Clancy was hanging out with the girlfriend of the dude that is always insulting her family.
Well, maybe the author exaggerated a bit this whole "teenage attitude". And I do know that teenagers don't make the best decisions sometimes, maybe coming off as shallow at times.
... This book had a lot to offer, but it didn't meet my expectations in that sense.
The family relationship within the Underhill household was portrayed in a very realistic way. What we saw in that family is the reality for many families of the actual world, so I think the author did a great job by portraying it as best as he could.
I would have loved to know more about Nancy, though. And I also think it was nice to have some insight to highschool bullying, anxiety, and depression within the plot.
Note: There were various Australian expressions/words I couldn't really understand. For example: doona, compo, povo, and arvo, to name a few.
Read
June 8, 2016I finished Clancy of The Undertow and I actually found it quite sad. I ended up feeling really bad for Clancy yet she somehow managed to be so relate able in her discovery to find herself. I found it really interesting to see how she dealt with all her set backs, her dad, Sasha, and just her journey of discovering what she values. Although the book was unrealistic in the sense that luckily I could not see myself in those positions, Currie's ability to hook me on until the end was due to the emotions and insights that Clancy gives us. I found I really interesting to learn about Clancy and about her trying to indenitfy the person both she and others wanted to be. My favourite part of the book would have been when she tries to drive the car but ends up crashing into the tree and nearly killing herself in the process! I found it also quite interesting about Clancy LGTBQI identity in which is quite refreshing an new in a teen novel. I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it to others
October 26, 2016
I'm going to be honest: when this book first came out, I was like, "A straight white guy writing a novel about a lesbian (with Indigenous ancestry)? That cannot possibly end well."
But then it started getting good reviews, including from people whose judgement I trust, and finally I cracked and got it from the library. And loved it.
It's not perfect -- Clancy's Indigenous heritage seems a bit pastede on (but what would I know, she asked, pointing to her own pasty white skin) -- but it captures the pain of being a queer introvert in a small Queensland town, the inability to get through a day without putting your foot in your mouth or accidentally offending someone -- and that's Clancy's life BEFORE her dad is involved in a serious accident that kills two popular teens.
It felt very real, breaking out of the inner-city-private-school-students rut that Australian YA sometimes falls into. I loved it, I'm probably going to buy it in paperback, I will absolutely recommend it to my friends.
But then it started getting good reviews, including from people whose judgement I trust, and finally I cracked and got it from the library. And loved it.
It's not perfect -- Clancy's Indigenous heritage seems a bit pastede on (but what would I know, she asked, pointing to her own pasty white skin) -- but it captures the pain of being a queer introvert in a small Queensland town, the inability to get through a day without putting your foot in your mouth or accidentally offending someone -- and that's Clancy's life BEFORE her dad is involved in a serious accident that kills two popular teens.
It felt very real, breaking out of the inner-city-private-school-students rut that Australian YA sometimes falls into. I loved it, I'm probably going to buy it in paperback, I will absolutely recommend it to my friends.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 106 reviews