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Saltwater
‘Everyone knows that some of those kids are innocent … your dilemma is not whether the kids are innocent, but which of the kids are innocent.’
When Cathy McLennan first steps into Townsville’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service as a young graduate she isn’t expecting a major murder case to land on her desk. The accused are four teenage boys whose family connections stretch across the water to Palm Island. As she battles to prove herself in the courtroom, Cathy realises that the truth is far more complex than she first thought. She starts to question who are the criminals and who are the victims.
Saltwater tells the compelling story of one lawyer’s fight for justice amongst the beauty and the violence of this tropical paradise.
When Cathy McLennan first steps into Townsville’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service as a young graduate she isn’t expecting a major murder case to land on her desk. The accused are four teenage boys whose family connections stretch across the water to Palm Island. As she battles to prove herself in the courtroom, Cathy realises that the truth is far more complex than she first thought. She starts to question who are the criminals and who are the victims.
Saltwater tells the compelling story of one lawyer’s fight for justice amongst the beauty and the violence of this tropical paradise.
328 pages, Paperback
First published August 10, 2016
16 people are currently reading
596 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
November 1, 2017
Growing up in Townsville Aboriginal people were part of the furniture. From the homeless winos under the bridge and parks to the sweet girls in the boarding school we all interacted with them at sometime or another but I'm sure we had little understanding of them and often less respect.
Palm island was talked about as both a terrifying yet magical place and we couldn't understand why many of them didn't want this island 'paradise'.
Family and friends have worked in the courts and the Bulletin would publish a stream of small stories but the general consensus was it didn't affect us so it wasn't our problem.
Looking back we were probably all unwittingly complicit for ignoring horrendous issues that began back when the white fellas first hit the sand. The statistics for child abuse, mortality and health continue to be appalling and as a nation we continue to do nothing about it.
I commend Cathy Mclelland for having the guts to write this book. Shes managed to capture all the characters, emotions and complexity in one short sharp read and has the background and credibility to pull it off.
Should be required reading by every Australian.
Palm island was talked about as both a terrifying yet magical place and we couldn't understand why many of them didn't want this island 'paradise'.
Family and friends have worked in the courts and the Bulletin would publish a stream of small stories but the general consensus was it didn't affect us so it wasn't our problem.
Looking back we were probably all unwittingly complicit for ignoring horrendous issues that began back when the white fellas first hit the sand. The statistics for child abuse, mortality and health continue to be appalling and as a nation we continue to do nothing about it.
I commend Cathy Mclelland for having the guts to write this book. Shes managed to capture all the characters, emotions and complexity in one short sharp read and has the background and credibility to pull it off.
Should be required reading by every Australian.
February 22, 2017
So readable, so affecting.
It you read one book this year, make it Saltwater.
It you read one book this year, make it Saltwater.
May 4, 2017
Read this last year while living on Magnetic Island. Cathy provides a realistic insight into a depraved existence suffered by a number of indigenous children. Her early career experience at Palm Island and Townsville, while working for Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Legal Affairs takes her into a world that is alien to most of us. Her book is an honest insight into confronting issues facing not only those involved in indigenous affairs and politics, but our society as a whole.
...a twelve year old boy is accused of murder...
A must read.
...a twelve year old boy is accused of murder...
A must read.
March 17, 2017
Well paced writing and a quick read, but by no means an easy read. You will be left with a heavy heart but a glimmer of hope that there are people such as McLennan fighting for justice. Thanks Caffey for the insight.
October 29, 2016
Saltwater is a harrowing read based on real events that took place in Northern Queensland, when the author, Cathy McLennan, was beginning her career as a lawyer. Fresh out of law school, she is given a case where four teenage boys are charged with murder. Stories of real indigenous children, such as 11 year old Olivia, are deeply disturbing, and force the reader to acknowledge the plight of socially and economically disenfranchised indigenous youth. The writer has claimed that she wanted the reading of the novel to be like viewing CCTV footage, and she has definitely achieved that aim. The writing is graphic and brutal, but also filled with compassion and hope. The writer has put a human face on the statistics we all too often hear surrounding Indigenous issues. Her passion, commitment, and anger resound throughout the pages as she implores us to listen to the stories she has bravely told.
November 7, 2017
This is an important book. McLennan deals with the complex and frightening circumstances that confront a young lawyer determined to uphold ethics and ideals in Townsville, Queensland. She is so lucid and unaffected in her style. A quietly powerful book. And her account of the legal and police system is revealing - dealing with both the good and the bad - but is never self-dramatising, unlike many contemporary memoirs. All the more impact is achieved by the writer's restraint and eye for detail.
February 15, 2017
A very readable memoir about some very interesting events. Difficult to put the book down, impossible to forget the story.
November 4, 2017
I loved this book. It was well written and informative. It's one of those stories that stays in your mind long after you've finished.
January 2, 2018
Saltwater is both a compelling and challenging book to read. Several times I had to put the book down because I wanted to throw it at the wall with frustration. We have a legal/social system that is failing but we keep persevering with it and expecting different outcomes.
November 4, 2016
Inspiring Book
After reading this book (in one sitting), I've felt energised and inspired to create a difference in the world. It's amazing what women can achieve if we set our minds to it!
This was a riveting read. I finished it in one sitting. I'd highly recommend it if it was fiction - the fact that it is non-fiction makes it even more intriguing. Wish I could find some more books by this author.
After reading this book (in one sitting), I've felt energised and inspired to create a difference in the world. It's amazing what women can achieve if we set our minds to it!
This was a riveting read. I finished it in one sitting. I'd highly recommend it if it was fiction - the fact that it is non-fiction makes it even more intriguing. Wish I could find some more books by this author.
December 2, 2016
Magistrate Cathy McLennan has taken on a highly-charged and difficult subject in her memoir of her time as a young graduate working as a barrister for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Legal Service in Townsville and Palm Island. Her debut book Saltwater, published by UQP, won the Unpublished Manuscript Award in the 2014 Queensland Literary Awards. The book is subtitled: An Epic Fight for Justice in the Tropics, and it is, indeed, a story of those who battle generations of entrenched trauma, violence, abuse, alcoholism and crime, to help the innocent individuals who are at the mercy of their circumstances - families unsupported, children raised without good role models, whole communities suffering, a legal system under siege, and a family support system that is under-resourced and struggling to cope.
This is an uncomfortable book. As it should be. It is uncomfortable because the failures of these various systems are exposed and the miserable bandaid solutions are laid bare.
It takes a certain amount of bravery to tell this story, and Cathy has faced her critics in the telling. But while there is much debate about the moral right of some to tell the story of others, I felt that this was Cathy's story, and that she was giving the details of what occurred from her perspective. Yes, she is blunt about the horrific circumstances of some Aboriginal communities, but she was also blatant in her criticism of the lacklustre response of those in authority (white Australians, police, child care workers, the judicial system). I believe that while she denounces the terrible living conditions and senseless crimes committed by these communities, and condemns the often horrific cases of child abuse and neglect that are all too common, she also attempts to shine a light on those individuals in the indigenous communities who are trying to rise above this legacy, those who are fighting to hold together shattered families, those who are trying to break the entrenched cycle of violence and abuse. And I believe that the book really does get across the message of how incredibly difficult this is - how hard it is for Aboriginal people suffering from poverty, low self-esteem and a lack of support to claw their way up from despair. She gives many examples of parents and children who really want to do better, but who are stymied at every turn by red tape and a system that doesn't really offer a solution other than incarceration.
The prologue in the book made me cringe. It is raw, desperate and hard to read. It is the beginning of the narrative threaded through the book, of four boys out 'joyriding' (although there is a distinct lack of joy) with a drunk, much older white man. The book follows the case of these boys (one a child of only 13), as Cathy tries to defend them against a subsequent case of murder. This aspect keeps the tension and pace in the book as we turn the pages, desperate to know what happens to these boys. Are they innocent? Is anyone really innocent? Or, as someone says, 'Everyone knows that some of those kids are innocent ... your dilemma is not whether the kids are innocent, but which of the kids are innocent.' And so it begins. The difficult task of untangling the truth from the lies, the facts from the deception. In this book, even the guilty sometimes have overwhelming reasons for their actions; even the behaviour of the very worst of the worst - the psychopaths - can be explained (although not justified) by their own terrible circumstances.
The book tells the stories of not only these four boys, but many other clients Cathy came across or represented in her time there. Tiny children as young as 11, subject to unbelievable and sickening sexual abuse and physical maltreatment, not to mention the complete absence of any emotional care. Is it any wonder, then, that this child steals? That she continues to reoffend? What possible resources or support does she have as ballast to prevent her from her life turning into a train wreck? Very few, very little, is the answer. Clients with psychiatric problems, with poor health, with disabilities as a result of a lack of medical care; perpetrators of crime who are also victims. Because once you begin to unravel someone's criminal history, and their background, you realise that in many cases, their criminal behaviour is the result of years and years of suffering their own trauma, and that separating the guilty from the innocent is not a simple exercise.
I felt that some aspects of the narrative failed to develop - for example, her romance with a court reporter doesn't resolve in a satisfying way. And while some of the writing appeared a little stilted, overall this is a fast-paced story that manages to keep the reader in suspense until the final pages. I imagine it was very difficult to use authentic language (which she achieves), to tell what is a very sensitive story (both culturally, and in terms of lawyer-client confidentiality), and to also maintain interest in the narrative from the point of view of it being a compelling story.
Cathy's retelling of the light-hearted humour of some of her clients balances the darker passages of the book; the resilience of some of the characters will make your heart break.
This story will resonate with those who have worked in the areas of child protection or indigenous health, or who have struggled in that seemingly black hole of Aboriginal incarceration and justice; they will recognise the uphill battle faced by both members of the indigenous community, and by the people (both black and white) employed to help them.
One of the most telling vignettes was the story of the group drinking in the park while the baby they were supposed to be caring for crawled around in broken glass. Of course she should have been removed - but there was nowhere for her to go. A lack of funding, a lack of cultural understanding and support, meant she would stay in that terrible situation. And in five years' time? or 10? or 15 years' time? She will most probably be in exactly the same position as the adults in that park, because she has had no chance or opportunity to become something better. This is the awful reality, not only for many indigenous people, but for all sections of society that are marginalised and disenfranchised due to poverty, discrimination and cultural starvation. Aboriginal people, in particular in some remote communities, have gone from a proud and self-reliant people to a culture that is misunderstood and unsupported. Their leaders massacred, their children stolen, their land appropriated, their culture and tradition belittled and denigrated ... it is really no surprise that massive personal and community problems result.
This is one person's view; her memoir seen through the prism of her own experience, and as such it should be read and considered. I wholeheartedly praise the rich and proud traditions of indigenous Australians, and their achievements and successes despite the odds. I cannot imagine the difficulties faced by young Aboriginal people of today as they try to save their cultural heritage, face discrimination, and surmount the hurdles with which they are faced just to even be on a level playing field with non-indigenous people. It is not my experience, and so it is difficult for me to comprehend. But I think that as writers, and as readers, we can do the most good by reading widely of the experience of others, and by writing down our perspectives from our own experience, so that others can hopefully gain a deeper understanding of the ingrained pain and trauma, the inherent difficulties, the many obstacles along the way. 'There but for the grace of God ...' - it is a simple act of the luck of the draw as to the family and circumstances into which we are born. We can only respect the battles of others we know nothing about, and do all we can to uplift and support those born into less fortunate circumstances.
This is an uncomfortable book. As it should be. It is uncomfortable because the failures of these various systems are exposed and the miserable bandaid solutions are laid bare.
It takes a certain amount of bravery to tell this story, and Cathy has faced her critics in the telling. But while there is much debate about the moral right of some to tell the story of others, I felt that this was Cathy's story, and that she was giving the details of what occurred from her perspective. Yes, she is blunt about the horrific circumstances of some Aboriginal communities, but she was also blatant in her criticism of the lacklustre response of those in authority (white Australians, police, child care workers, the judicial system). I believe that while she denounces the terrible living conditions and senseless crimes committed by these communities, and condemns the often horrific cases of child abuse and neglect that are all too common, she also attempts to shine a light on those individuals in the indigenous communities who are trying to rise above this legacy, those who are fighting to hold together shattered families, those who are trying to break the entrenched cycle of violence and abuse. And I believe that the book really does get across the message of how incredibly difficult this is - how hard it is for Aboriginal people suffering from poverty, low self-esteem and a lack of support to claw their way up from despair. She gives many examples of parents and children who really want to do better, but who are stymied at every turn by red tape and a system that doesn't really offer a solution other than incarceration.
The prologue in the book made me cringe. It is raw, desperate and hard to read. It is the beginning of the narrative threaded through the book, of four boys out 'joyriding' (although there is a distinct lack of joy) with a drunk, much older white man. The book follows the case of these boys (one a child of only 13), as Cathy tries to defend them against a subsequent case of murder. This aspect keeps the tension and pace in the book as we turn the pages, desperate to know what happens to these boys. Are they innocent? Is anyone really innocent? Or, as someone says, 'Everyone knows that some of those kids are innocent ... your dilemma is not whether the kids are innocent, but which of the kids are innocent.' And so it begins. The difficult task of untangling the truth from the lies, the facts from the deception. In this book, even the guilty sometimes have overwhelming reasons for their actions; even the behaviour of the very worst of the worst - the psychopaths - can be explained (although not justified) by their own terrible circumstances.
The book tells the stories of not only these four boys, but many other clients Cathy came across or represented in her time there. Tiny children as young as 11, subject to unbelievable and sickening sexual abuse and physical maltreatment, not to mention the complete absence of any emotional care. Is it any wonder, then, that this child steals? That she continues to reoffend? What possible resources or support does she have as ballast to prevent her from her life turning into a train wreck? Very few, very little, is the answer. Clients with psychiatric problems, with poor health, with disabilities as a result of a lack of medical care; perpetrators of crime who are also victims. Because once you begin to unravel someone's criminal history, and their background, you realise that in many cases, their criminal behaviour is the result of years and years of suffering their own trauma, and that separating the guilty from the innocent is not a simple exercise.
I felt that some aspects of the narrative failed to develop - for example, her romance with a court reporter doesn't resolve in a satisfying way. And while some of the writing appeared a little stilted, overall this is a fast-paced story that manages to keep the reader in suspense until the final pages. I imagine it was very difficult to use authentic language (which she achieves), to tell what is a very sensitive story (both culturally, and in terms of lawyer-client confidentiality), and to also maintain interest in the narrative from the point of view of it being a compelling story.
Cathy's retelling of the light-hearted humour of some of her clients balances the darker passages of the book; the resilience of some of the characters will make your heart break.
This story will resonate with those who have worked in the areas of child protection or indigenous health, or who have struggled in that seemingly black hole of Aboriginal incarceration and justice; they will recognise the uphill battle faced by both members of the indigenous community, and by the people (both black and white) employed to help them.
One of the most telling vignettes was the story of the group drinking in the park while the baby they were supposed to be caring for crawled around in broken glass. Of course she should have been removed - but there was nowhere for her to go. A lack of funding, a lack of cultural understanding and support, meant she would stay in that terrible situation. And in five years' time? or 10? or 15 years' time? She will most probably be in exactly the same position as the adults in that park, because she has had no chance or opportunity to become something better. This is the awful reality, not only for many indigenous people, but for all sections of society that are marginalised and disenfranchised due to poverty, discrimination and cultural starvation. Aboriginal people, in particular in some remote communities, have gone from a proud and self-reliant people to a culture that is misunderstood and unsupported. Their leaders massacred, their children stolen, their land appropriated, their culture and tradition belittled and denigrated ... it is really no surprise that massive personal and community problems result.
This is one person's view; her memoir seen through the prism of her own experience, and as such it should be read and considered. I wholeheartedly praise the rich and proud traditions of indigenous Australians, and their achievements and successes despite the odds. I cannot imagine the difficulties faced by young Aboriginal people of today as they try to save their cultural heritage, face discrimination, and surmount the hurdles with which they are faced just to even be on a level playing field with non-indigenous people. It is not my experience, and so it is difficult for me to comprehend. But I think that as writers, and as readers, we can do the most good by reading widely of the experience of others, and by writing down our perspectives from our own experience, so that others can hopefully gain a deeper understanding of the ingrained pain and trauma, the inherent difficulties, the many obstacles along the way. 'There but for the grace of God ...' - it is a simple act of the luck of the draw as to the family and circumstances into which we are born. We can only respect the battles of others we know nothing about, and do all we can to uplift and support those born into less fortunate circumstances.
October 28, 2018
This was a fantastic and illuminating read. I recognise the difficulty and complexity of writing about marginalised and disadvantaged groups in a sensitive manner. However, the author does a fantastic job in accurately narrating the challenges and social injustices Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders face against a 'white fella' system, and yet still recognising her privilege.
Well done to the author.
Well done to the author.
October 30, 2016
A heartbreakingly true account of indigenous affairs in Australia from the perspective of a lawyer trying to make change for the better. Some of the details make you grimace and wonder how could that possibly happen. A snapshot of our society largely undocumented.
July 13, 2017
I enjoyed this book. Interesting approach to non fiction with lots of dialogue and descriptions of day to day events. The power is in the stories of the children - they are harrowing. Reading for Reconciliation reading list.
February 1, 2017
Excellent. So good. Simply written. Extremely affecting.
November 27, 2018
Another gripping tale set in Australia, based on true occurrences. Incredible writing had me hooked.
October 1, 2018
Thought provoking, inspiring book. Very well written. Deserving of so many Queensland literary awards. I felt every moment of those young children's lives.
April 11, 2017
This book tackles some really big issues that need to be discussed. It's still as relevant now as it was in the 90s when these incidents take place. It's all very complex and heart wrenching. The writing is very easy to read even when the subject matter isn't.
October 26, 2016
Definitely worth reading
Heartbreaking
Frustrating..,
But I also can't get over just how naive the author/ lawyer Cathy is. Was she really as ignorant as she portrays herself?
Heartbreaking
Frustrating..,
But I also can't get over just how naive the author/ lawyer Cathy is. Was she really as ignorant as she portrays herself?
November 4, 2017
Page-turner. Couldn't put it down. Worth the money. Addresses sad issues with humour and tension.
June 18, 2019
This is such a brave book. It is a true story, I know that because I worked with McLennan at the Aboriginal Legal Service about this time. This is a true tale about real people who really lived.
Yes, the book does not offer solutions and just tells the story about what really happened in a compelling way. That's what makes it not only extremely readable but also valuable in the current debate. For some reason, that seems to be a major critical thread about the book. But hello - the author is honest! Lets face it, no one has solutions and we know that because things are getting worse, not better. The authors aim was to get the facts out there to try to help people come up with solutions based on an accurate portrayal of the issues, not based on some PC bullshit.
Oh, and FYI to the detractors, Olivia was a real child who grew up to have a real, though sad, life. She deserves to have her story told. Her life meant something important, not just to the author of this book but others who knew her. She found out about the book before she died and she was happy to have her story told in this way in the hope others might not have to suffer as she did (she died in Townsville of alcoholism and a broken jaw gone septic courtesy of her partner).
Yes, the book does not offer solutions and just tells the story about what really happened in a compelling way. That's what makes it not only extremely readable but also valuable in the current debate. For some reason, that seems to be a major critical thread about the book. But hello - the author is honest! Lets face it, no one has solutions and we know that because things are getting worse, not better. The authors aim was to get the facts out there to try to help people come up with solutions based on an accurate portrayal of the issues, not based on some PC bullshit.
Oh, and FYI to the detractors, Olivia was a real child who grew up to have a real, though sad, life. She deserves to have her story told. Her life meant something important, not just to the author of this book but others who knew her. She found out about the book before she died and she was happy to have her story told in this way in the hope others might not have to suffer as she did (she died in Townsville of alcoholism and a broken jaw gone septic courtesy of her partner).
June 25, 2019
This was my second reading of the book for my June book club. I loved it just as much the second time, although it was great to put aside the emotional aspects of the book that had me riding a roller coaster of emotion during my first read and just enjoy the prose and the writing. I was just as unable to put the book down during the second read as I was during the first.
I thought the characters were fleshed out and had many layers. They were actively engaged in everything that was going on around them and the events shaped and changed them. I can't think of one character that didn't come to life for me, from Caffey, the young lawyer whose story this is, to Roslyn and Aunty Arriet. I felt I came to know and love some of the children this book centres around, particularly Olivia.
Five stars for me.
I thought the characters were fleshed out and had many layers. They were actively engaged in everything that was going on around them and the events shaped and changed them. I can't think of one character that didn't come to life for me, from Caffey, the young lawyer whose story this is, to Roslyn and Aunty Arriet. I felt I came to know and love some of the children this book centres around, particularly Olivia.
Five stars for me.
August 21, 2016
Awesome, must read book
This is one of those books you want to read slowly and savour, but you just can't. And now I'm finished I just keep thinking about it. It's a great read AND its a true story. I've been looking online for forums so I can discuss it with people. Hopefully someone starts one here soon.
This is one of those books you want to read slowly and savour, but you just can't. And now I'm finished I just keep thinking about it. It's a great read AND its a true story. I've been looking online for forums so I can discuss it with people. Hopefully someone starts one here soon.
January 7, 2017
Buy it.
Read it.
Re-read it.
Loan it to a friend.
(Obviously I bought the paperback and its definately been money well spent
Read it.
Re-read it.
Loan it to a friend.
(Obviously I bought the paperback and its definately been money well spent
March 13, 2019
Well written interesting account of life at the coalface as a criminal lawyer. Gritty and fascinating. I couldn't put it down.
November 1, 2017
Finished: 01 November 2017
Title: Salt Water
Genre: memoir
Score: C
Review: This book is based on Mclennan's recollection of the facts about several court cases, her personal diaries, newspaper articles and judicial sentencing remarks.
Theme: McLennan highlights indigenous issues to give us a better understanding of the problems. McLennan reflected on her experience in the Australian justice system.
Salt Water won University of Queensland
Non-Fiction Book Award 2017.
I read the book based on this recommendation.
I admit that I was expecting something else.
As I read the book I kept waiting for it to develop. It didn’t.
I was looking for items often in memoirs:
turning point in the author’s life
role-models or mentors who inspired the author
world event that changed the author’s view on life.
This was just a different sort of memoir.
It did not leave a lasting impression on me.
It was just not my cup of tea, but others may enjoy the book!
Title: Salt Water
Genre: memoir
Score: C
Review: This book is based on Mclennan's recollection of the facts about several court cases, her personal diaries, newspaper articles and judicial sentencing remarks.
Theme: McLennan highlights indigenous issues to give us a better understanding of the problems. McLennan reflected on her experience in the Australian justice system.
Salt Water won University of Queensland
Non-Fiction Book Award 2017.
I read the book based on this recommendation.
I admit that I was expecting something else.
As I read the book I kept waiting for it to develop. It didn’t.
I was looking for items often in memoirs:
turning point in the author’s life
role-models or mentors who inspired the author
world event that changed the author’s view on life.
This was just a different sort of memoir.
It did not leave a lasting impression on me.
It was just not my cup of tea, but others may enjoy the book!
August 21, 2016
Incredible read. Book of the year
Gripping from start to finish. I couldn't put this book down. Raises so many questions I found myself thinking about the book during reading sessions. The author masterfully pens the book so it feels like a novel and this makes it all the more powerful to realise it is actually a TRUE STORY. I hope all Australians can read this book and hopefully we can start a conversation about how to help these kids.
Gripping from start to finish. I couldn't put this book down. Raises so many questions I found myself thinking about the book during reading sessions. The author masterfully pens the book so it feels like a novel and this makes it all the more powerful to realise it is actually a TRUE STORY. I hope all Australians can read this book and hopefully we can start a conversation about how to help these kids.
August 21, 2016
Highly recommended
If there's one book you read this year, make it Saltwater by McLennan. Awesome writing, I just couldn't put it down. The characters come alive and you feel every moment of the story. But that's what's so great about this book, because it's a true story. Oh my gosh, the ending is brilliant - the last courtroom scene. Such a satisfying book. No wonder it won awards before it was even published -it will definitely win more, if the critics can read that is.
If there's one book you read this year, make it Saltwater by McLennan. Awesome writing, I just couldn't put it down. The characters come alive and you feel every moment of the story. But that's what's so great about this book, because it's a true story. Oh my gosh, the ending is brilliant - the last courtroom scene. Such a satisfying book. No wonder it won awards before it was even published -it will definitely win more, if the critics can read that is.
August 22, 2016
Incredible read. Book of the year
A truly gripping read. This book had me from start to finish. Raises so many questions I found myself thinking about the book during reading sessions. The author masterfully pens the book so it feels like a novel and this makes it all the more powerful to realise it is actually a TRUE STORY. I hope all Australians can read this book and hopefully we can start a conversation about how to help these kids.
A truly gripping read. This book had me from start to finish. Raises so many questions I found myself thinking about the book during reading sessions. The author masterfully pens the book so it feels like a novel and this makes it all the more powerful to realise it is actually a TRUE STORY. I hope all Australians can read this book and hopefully we can start a conversation about how to help these kids.
June 20, 2019
Such an appalling book. I have no idea how this was even published in the current century? I also can't understand why so many people seem to like it: the story is just one white lawyer making lots of racialised comments and value judgements about a group of rootless Aboriginal people, and asking her clients why they did bad things so she can plead them guilty in court. There's no attempt to find out anything about the Bindal and Wulgurukaba peoples (or, on Palm Island, the Bwgcolman or Manbarra peoples) or their cultures, or even whether they speak language or Kriol or Aboriginal English or mostly English: readers who might not know much about the Townsville and Palm Island people would come away from this book thinking they are all just a bit simple. And the descriptions are just unbelievable. I haven't read white people describing Aboriginal people in these ways for decades. I get that the author doesn't think she's racist, but she's definitely reproducing a lot of the stereotypes of the past, and she even compares people to animals. A writer would have to be pretty ignorant of the history of race relations in Australia to be unknowingly or unwittingly stumbling into the comparisons with fauna. And some of the descriptions are just cheap, like the description of the (allegedly) psychopathic kid as a snake.
All I got from this book was that even though the author believed she was the only competent lawyer and the only one who could save the children she came across, the author's legal skills were pretty bad. And I'm not sure what the "epic fight for justice" was, apart from trying to get child welfare and police to intervene even more into the lives of her clients? She "solved" one of the biggest cases in the book by basically bullying a kid into pleading guilty.
I don't really know why the author would have wanted this published. It just makes her out to be a frustrated white saviour who can't see any solutions. She makes absolutely no effort to engage with the demands for Aboriginal self determination, but she undermines those demands by presenting Aboriginal leadership as inherently corrupt. I get she says she wants to make a difference somehow. But these stories are something like two decades old. The only way a reader would assume that they still have relevance would be to allow them to confirm their own assumptions about Aboriginal people now. That's just not helpful at all. If anything, I have a strong feeling this book is just feeding and confirming stereotypes non-Aboriginal people have about Aboriginal people. Maybe that's why it's so popular among white readers?
All I got from this book was that even though the author believed she was the only competent lawyer and the only one who could save the children she came across, the author's legal skills were pretty bad. And I'm not sure what the "epic fight for justice" was, apart from trying to get child welfare and police to intervene even more into the lives of her clients? She "solved" one of the biggest cases in the book by basically bullying a kid into pleading guilty.
I don't really know why the author would have wanted this published. It just makes her out to be a frustrated white saviour who can't see any solutions. She makes absolutely no effort to engage with the demands for Aboriginal self determination, but she undermines those demands by presenting Aboriginal leadership as inherently corrupt. I get she says she wants to make a difference somehow. But these stories are something like two decades old. The only way a reader would assume that they still have relevance would be to allow them to confirm their own assumptions about Aboriginal people now. That's just not helpful at all. If anything, I have a strong feeling this book is just feeding and confirming stereotypes non-Aboriginal people have about Aboriginal people. Maybe that's why it's so popular among white readers?
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