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The Gulf
"A literary star is born." Australian Women's Weekly'He found an egg at the park so he incubated it and this tortoise hatched out.'Skye's sixteen, and her mum's got yet another new boyfriend. Trouble is, Jason's bad news. Really bad. Now mum's quit her job and they're all moving north to Port Flinders, population nobody.'That's a Southern Right Whale. They have the largest balls of any animal in the world.'She'd do anything to keep her ten-year-old brother safe. Things she can't even say out loud. And when Jason gets violent, Skye knows she has to take control. She's got to get Ben out and their mum's useless as. The train home to Adelaide leaves first thing each morning and they both need to be on it. Everything else can wait.'Ladybirds bleed from their knees when they're stressed.'The Gulf is an acute, moving and uplifting story from the inimitable, alchemical imagination of Anna Spargo-Ryan.MORE PRAISE FOR THE PAPER HOUSE"Magical ... In a novel singularly about loss, The Paper House dances through its subject, dealing intelligently with tragedy without becoming grim itself. Wildly imaginative." Sydney Morning Herald"Equally heartbreaking, uplifting and insightful." Sunday Herald SunPRAISE FOR THE GULF"Anna Spargo-Ryan is a rising star." Jo Case"Just a year after her debut novel The Paper House was released to enthusiastic reviews, Anna Spargo-Ryan returns with another impressive novel that will have readers feeling every emotion experienced by the beautifully written characters." Books+Publishing, 4 STARS"The brilliance in this novel is in the humour and believability of these characters combined with the tension as their lives unravel." The Australian
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 30, 2017
9 people are currently reading
593 people want to read
About the author
Anna Spargo-Ryan
10 books369 followersAnna Spargo-Ryan is an award-winning Melbourne writer. Her memoir, A KIND OF MAGIC, is about anxiety, learning to be a person, a bit of self-forgiveness, love, death-defying panic and generally trying to have a happy life.
Her novels are THE GULF and THE PAPER HOUSE.
Anna won the 2016 Horne Prize for her essay "The Suicide Gene". You can find her other work all around the internet.
Her novels are THE GULF and THE PAPER HOUSE.
Anna won the 2016 Horne Prize for her essay "The Suicide Gene". You can find her other work all around the internet.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
September 6, 2017
This is a beautifully written book about a teenage girl struggling to protect herself in the midst of an unstable family. Skye is 16 and her bother 10 when her single mother, Linda takes up with an aggressive man called Jason. He doesn't like kids and is not happy that Skye and Ben come as a package with Linda but moves the family from Adelaide to a small coastal town where he carries out his obviously shady 'business'. Skye narrates the story and becomes more and more desperate to escape as her mother becomes more disengaged with her children and Jason becomes more violent. Ben is portrayed as a delightful, bright and inquisitive 10 year old with a love of animals and facts and it is distressing to watch this lovely child and his sister slip between the cracks in society as so many children do through no fault of their own. When eventually Skye takes matters into her own hands, I felt like cheering for her and all the kids out there like her who are trying to escape violent and dysfunctional homes. I thought this was a careful and sensitive depiction of a difficult and unfortunately all too real situation. Bravo Anna Spargo-Ryan! 4.5★
January 8, 2019
Living in Adelaide, sixteen-year-old Skye was in high school, while her ten-year-old brother Ben was in primary. Their mum Linda worked at a bank and the three of them were a team. Until Jason moved in. Their mother gradually took more notice of him, and less notice of her children so in the end it was Skye making sure Ben was fed and ready for school each morning. But it was when the decision was made for the three of them to move to Port Flinders with Jason – who didn’t want the kids around and did his best not to have anything to do with them – that Skye and Ben’s lives deteriorated markedly.
The small, dusty and derelict town of Port Flinders was on the Gulf, so the ocean was always nearby. That was the only redeeming feature for Skye and Ben. School was horrible; home was worse – Skye knew she needed a plan. Finally Jason’s violence turned to Ben – Skye had to action her plan, admittedly earlier than she’d thought, but they couldn’t stay any longer…
I initially found The Gulf by Aussie author Anna Spargo-Ryan hard to get into – but once I was past the first stages I flew through the book in a matter of hours. Hard to read, although we know this sort of thing happens, I felt angry, frustrated – I wanted to help Skye and Ben, and shake some sense into their stupid mother. Down to earth, the poignancy is at times heartbreaking. A young adult novel which I recommend.
The small, dusty and derelict town of Port Flinders was on the Gulf, so the ocean was always nearby. That was the only redeeming feature for Skye and Ben. School was horrible; home was worse – Skye knew she needed a plan. Finally Jason’s violence turned to Ben – Skye had to action her plan, admittedly earlier than she’d thought, but they couldn’t stay any longer…
I initially found The Gulf by Aussie author Anna Spargo-Ryan hard to get into – but once I was past the first stages I flew through the book in a matter of hours. Hard to read, although we know this sort of thing happens, I felt angry, frustrated – I wanted to help Skye and Ben, and shake some sense into their stupid mother. Down to earth, the poignancy is at times heartbreaking. A young adult novel which I recommend.
July 25, 2021
The Gulf was so Australian and I loved it for capturing such a beautiful slice of it, the story follows siblings Skye and Ben in the midst of moving from Adelaide to a remote location on the Spencer Gulf. The sibling relationship is the main focus of this story and it really tugs at the heart strings. The tight family structure starts to fracture with the introduction of their Mothers new loser boyfriend, it doesn’t take long before Skye is taking on the responsibility and care of her little brother and shielding him from the horrible reality of their new lives. It’s a bittersweet story told wonderfully with lots of heart and tenderness, it’s all the little moments that make all the difference in this book, it’s got so much heart and I was a little taken by surprise by how much I ended up enjoying this book even though it made me sad for the majority of it.
January 9, 2019
Although I liked this book, I almost gave up on it a couple of times because I was finding it to be almost unrelentingly depressing. Almost. The saving grace was the relationship between 16yo Skye and her 10yo brother, Ben. Skye would (and does) do just about anything to protect her precious little brother. It made me think a lot about me and my own brother, also 6 years younger. But where Ben was an adorable little weirdo, my brother was just a pain in the backside!
I came to this from reading the author's debut novel, The Paper House about a year ago. While I found that book challenging and beautiful, this one was challenging in a different way and much more conventional in the storytelling. But still worth reading.
I came to this from reading the author's debut novel, The Paper House about a year ago. While I found that book challenging and beautiful, this one was challenging in a different way and much more conventional in the storytelling. But still worth reading.
June 22, 2017
A beautifully written book that deals with family violence and dysfunction with nuance, honesty and heart. The two central characters, Skye and Ben are children caught up in their mother's bad relationship and are drawn so perfectly that I keep catching myself wondering what they're up to now. The story unfolds gradually, with the dread and sadness ratcheting up, but the strength and love between the siblings stops this from becoming an utterly bleak experience. This is a really strong second book - Anna is a star.
June 6, 2017
I bought The Gulf as a pre-sale after finishing Anna Spargo-Ryan's first novel, The Paper House, in just a couple of days. I love how The Gulf has been written with such control and timing; although it's clear where the story is heading right from the beginning, it never verges on becoming cliche or melodramatic, which makes for compelling reading. Again, I got through this book very quickly.
I work with families like Skye's and I felt sick with recognition as I turned each page. All of the characters were beautifully developed; the lacklustre mother and her abusive boyfriend, wary, resourceful Skye, the colourful characters of Port Flinders, the tragic dog on a chain and of course bubbly Ben, who I'm sure will break many hearts. I appreciate the unforgiving lens through which the reader sees Skye's mother; I'm sure it would have been tempting to show her in a more positive light, but that would have taken away from Skye's strength and struggle. I am inspired by Skye, in no small part because I wish I saw more kids who share her tenacity and resilience (and that they too saw more depictions of young people they can relate to).
I'm really looking forward to reading what comes next from Anna Spargo-Ryan.
I work with families like Skye's and I felt sick with recognition as I turned each page. All of the characters were beautifully developed; the lacklustre mother and her abusive boyfriend, wary, resourceful Skye, the colourful characters of Port Flinders, the tragic dog on a chain and of course bubbly Ben, who I'm sure will break many hearts. I appreciate the unforgiving lens through which the reader sees Skye's mother; I'm sure it would have been tempting to show her in a more positive light, but that would have taken away from Skye's strength and struggle. I am inspired by Skye, in no small part because I wish I saw more kids who share her tenacity and resilience (and that they too saw more depictions of young people they can relate to).
I'm really looking forward to reading what comes next from Anna Spargo-Ryan.
July 5, 2017
Anna Spargo-Ryan, you have done it again! This latest novel is even better than The Paper House (my favourite book of 2016). In the few days it took to read (I would have finished in one sitting if I'd had time), I went to bed with a sickening worry for the little boy in the novel (I actually lost sleep over him) - that is how well Spargo writes her characters. Spargo never tells us about the characters, she shows them to us; so fleshed out and life-like that I wanted to pull the little boy from the story to feed him, cuddle him, and keep him safe. It's been years since a book has moved me this way.
The Gulf if my favourite book of 2017.
The Gulf if my favourite book of 2017.
July 5, 2017
Voice and character. Anna Spargo-Ryan just gets it. The Gulf is a tender, heartbreaking and sometimes scary story of siblings navigating their way through their mother's poor decisions. Skye is everything I remember about 16 and Ben is the epitome of a 10 year old boy (and I know, I have one).
Despite an emotive and distressing subject matter, the writing is just perfect, never veering into melodrama or sentimentality.
Don't ever stop writing Anna.
Despite an emotive and distressing subject matter, the writing is just perfect, never veering into melodrama or sentimentality.
Don't ever stop writing Anna.
August 31, 2017
It's hard not to love a novel written with so much heart and sensitivity - while managing not to step into sentimentality. It wasn't, at times, enjoyable, because the life some of the characters lived was a cruel one, but it was a good read probably because of this. I felt a real insight into what challenges some people face, and also how important it is to have some good people around (I shudder to think if there hadn't been). A worthy follow up to The Paper House.
June 26, 2017
The cover of Anna Spargo-Ryan’s new novel, The Gulf (Picador books Pan Macmillan Australia 2017) is instructive about what is inside its pages: a large, empty beach made out of torn, collaged paper, stuck together with sticky tape; on the shore, two impossibly tiny figures, holding hands, their shadows bigger than themselves. It is a close metaphor for the narrative: the two vulnerable siblings, Skye and Ben, holding their own against the vast emptiness of the lives surrounding them, all patched up with tape, dragging around shadows of themselves which are larger than their own small lives. And on the opening page of each chapter, a sketch of a tortoise, which gradually makes its way across the pages, until it finally disappears altogether about halfway through the book. Another visual metaphor for which the meaning is subsequently apparent.
This is a book told in the voice of adolescent Skye, 16 years old, and while it is not a YA novel, it could certainly be read by that age group. Skye lives with her mother, Linda, and her little brother, Ben, who is six. The children’s father is gone from the scene before the opening pages, and Linda comes across as a damaged woman who goes from one unsuitable boyfriend to the next, remaking herself to the liking of each of them. Her children come an unfortunate second. When Linda meets the unsavoury Jason, who quickly becomes manipulative, controlling and violent, Skye is determined to shield Ben from their mother’s moods and from Jason’s temper. The unsteady family unit has moved to Jason’s house in the small community of Port Flinders, so to top it off, Skye has to cope with a new school, new friends and a new job (complete with a creepy boss with wandering hands), as well as filling the role of mother to Ben. Linda gradually relinquishes her care of her children as her days become consumed by Jason and his nefarious ‘business deals’, and Skye finds herself more often not only cooking dinners and ensuring Ben gets to school on time, but saving money and planning for their inevitable escape. Their hope is to find their father’s father, their Nonno, of whom Skye has fond memories. But their grandfather, and their previous life, and a sheltered haven called Home all feel very far away from them, and like two inexperienced sailors in a small boat with no oars, they are trying to navigate their way to safety in a coalescing storm.
The two main characters in this book, Skye and Ben, are drawn with a keen eye for the nuance of language and the habits of children and adolescents. Ben constantly shares his endearing, encyclopaedic knowledge of animal facts; his fears and thought-patterns are age appropriate. Skye’s struggles with the usual adolescent angst of relationships, physical desire, friendships and self-esteem and identity issues are authentic, as are her responses to the obstacles in her way – the friction with her mother, her innate sense of foreboding about Jason, the way she freezes – both physically and emotionally – when confronted by certain traumatic events. However, while the children’s isolation was essential to their feelings of abandonment and loneliness, I did wonder why Skye didn’t keep in closer contact with her friends; it seemed like she could have used them.
There were a couple of instances throughout the book that felt implausible; small moments when I felt the actions were contrived, or that the outcomes were improbable. Occasionally I questioned the adult characters’ behaviour. But then I reminded myself that the story was being related by a teenager, and that all of the other characters’ reactions and responses were being filtered and viewed through Skye’s immature lens, without the benefit of life experience. There were several characters I wanted developed more fully, including Skye’s friend, Rafferty; the children’s absent father; and even Linda herself, with perhaps more background on how she came to be in the place she occupies. But, of course, a novel is a finite capture of time, and the story must begin and end someplace, with it left to us, as readers, to fill in what came before or after with our own imaginations.
On the whole, the story comes together with a tense plot that carries us forward with trepidation and dread as we worry about what will happen to these two kids, and with an ending that is realistic rather than saccharine or twee. This is a novel with a lot of heart.
This is a book told in the voice of adolescent Skye, 16 years old, and while it is not a YA novel, it could certainly be read by that age group. Skye lives with her mother, Linda, and her little brother, Ben, who is six. The children’s father is gone from the scene before the opening pages, and Linda comes across as a damaged woman who goes from one unsuitable boyfriend to the next, remaking herself to the liking of each of them. Her children come an unfortunate second. When Linda meets the unsavoury Jason, who quickly becomes manipulative, controlling and violent, Skye is determined to shield Ben from their mother’s moods and from Jason’s temper. The unsteady family unit has moved to Jason’s house in the small community of Port Flinders, so to top it off, Skye has to cope with a new school, new friends and a new job (complete with a creepy boss with wandering hands), as well as filling the role of mother to Ben. Linda gradually relinquishes her care of her children as her days become consumed by Jason and his nefarious ‘business deals’, and Skye finds herself more often not only cooking dinners and ensuring Ben gets to school on time, but saving money and planning for their inevitable escape. Their hope is to find their father’s father, their Nonno, of whom Skye has fond memories. But their grandfather, and their previous life, and a sheltered haven called Home all feel very far away from them, and like two inexperienced sailors in a small boat with no oars, they are trying to navigate their way to safety in a coalescing storm.
The two main characters in this book, Skye and Ben, are drawn with a keen eye for the nuance of language and the habits of children and adolescents. Ben constantly shares his endearing, encyclopaedic knowledge of animal facts; his fears and thought-patterns are age appropriate. Skye’s struggles with the usual adolescent angst of relationships, physical desire, friendships and self-esteem and identity issues are authentic, as are her responses to the obstacles in her way – the friction with her mother, her innate sense of foreboding about Jason, the way she freezes – both physically and emotionally – when confronted by certain traumatic events. However, while the children’s isolation was essential to their feelings of abandonment and loneliness, I did wonder why Skye didn’t keep in closer contact with her friends; it seemed like she could have used them.
There were a couple of instances throughout the book that felt implausible; small moments when I felt the actions were contrived, or that the outcomes were improbable. Occasionally I questioned the adult characters’ behaviour. But then I reminded myself that the story was being related by a teenager, and that all of the other characters’ reactions and responses were being filtered and viewed through Skye’s immature lens, without the benefit of life experience. There were several characters I wanted developed more fully, including Skye’s friend, Rafferty; the children’s absent father; and even Linda herself, with perhaps more background on how she came to be in the place she occupies. But, of course, a novel is a finite capture of time, and the story must begin and end someplace, with it left to us, as readers, to fill in what came before or after with our own imaginations.
On the whole, the story comes together with a tense plot that carries us forward with trepidation and dread as we worry about what will happen to these two kids, and with an ending that is realistic rather than saccharine or twee. This is a novel with a lot of heart.
did-not-finish
May 7, 2019While I quite enjoyed Spargo-Ryan’s debut, The Paper House, I couldn’t get into this one, narrated by a decidedly inarticulate teenage girl. I missed the gorgeous sentences and insights peppering the first novel. Bailed a third of the way in.
October 18, 2017
If there's a book you have to read this year, it's this one.
I haven't been this moved by a book in a long time. Anna Spargo-Ryan's depiction of the children inadvertently swept up in a dangerously dysfunctional family is achingly real, her writing flawless. I always find it interesting where adult fiction features teen protagonists, and here reading Skye's story as she does anything to protect her ten year-old brother Ben from their harsh reality was no exception. Though this novel deals with some heavy themes, the depth to the characters within it brought a tenderness which left me thinking about them days after I turned the last page.
*You can read my full review on my blog at Genie In A Book*
I haven't been this moved by a book in a long time. Anna Spargo-Ryan's depiction of the children inadvertently swept up in a dangerously dysfunctional family is achingly real, her writing flawless. I always find it interesting where adult fiction features teen protagonists, and here reading Skye's story as she does anything to protect her ten year-old brother Ben from their harsh reality was no exception. Though this novel deals with some heavy themes, the depth to the characters within it brought a tenderness which left me thinking about them days after I turned the last page.
*You can read my full review on my blog at Genie In A Book*
August 23, 2017
I meant to do a proper review of this, but I forgot and now the only thing I can think to say is how wondrously beautiful The Gulf was. I loved it.
June 12, 2017
A cracking read.
Sixteen-year-old Skye's mission to protect and care for her ten-year-old brother becomes increasingly fraught as their Mum takes them to live with an aggressive and unstable man. This book is carried by the delicate and rich portrayal of Ben, the little boy who loves reciting facts about animals. It's also a pleasure to read for anyone who grew up in the Australian suburbs: full of iconography like sausage sizzles, supermarket specials and footy at the local oval.
Anna Spargo-Ryan's restrained prose sings. Read it.
Sixteen-year-old Skye's mission to protect and care for her ten-year-old brother becomes increasingly fraught as their Mum takes them to live with an aggressive and unstable man. This book is carried by the delicate and rich portrayal of Ben, the little boy who loves reciting facts about animals. It's also a pleasure to read for anyone who grew up in the Australian suburbs: full of iconography like sausage sizzles, supermarket specials and footy at the local oval.
Anna Spargo-Ryan's restrained prose sings. Read it.
August 15, 2017
This felt like a story that the author must have experienced, such was the almost matter of fact way that the story unfurled. I wonder if it might become a reading text for senior students at some time . I enjoyed the book from the beginning especially the Australian content and the "tell it as it was" story. Sadly I'm sure a lot of kids have to endure similar situations and it made me grateful for my own upbringing.
July 10, 2017
The Gulf is just gorgeous. It is tough. The characters are really well constructed. I loved it.
Spargo-Ryan creates a sense of foreboding from the earliest chapters - in one scene, narrator Skye walks through a storm drain with her younger brother and his friend Amir. It was that scene that really hit me with a sense of dread, that something terrible was going to happen. And terrible things do happen, but not in the way that I expected them to. And, as much as anything, the book is about overcoming the terrible things because of the strong bonds between Skye & Ben.
Skye and Ben, the two central characters, were really beautifully done. Ben was charming. Skye felt real. Around them orbit other young people, and lots of adults. While this is a book from a teenager's perspective, unlike some YA novels the adult characters are nuanced and multi-dimensional. The relationships between Skey & Ben, Skye & Raf, and Skye & various adults were complex. And, most importantly, the plot felt earned by what we know about the characters - and I really did feel like I knew them, and was invested in what happened to them.
I am gushing a bit because I really loved this book and it hit me right in the emotions. Just read it.
Spargo-Ryan creates a sense of foreboding from the earliest chapters - in one scene, narrator Skye walks through a storm drain with her younger brother and his friend Amir. It was that scene that really hit me with a sense of dread, that something terrible was going to happen. And terrible things do happen, but not in the way that I expected them to. And, as much as anything, the book is about overcoming the terrible things because of the strong bonds between Skye & Ben.
Skye and Ben, the two central characters, were really beautifully done. Ben was charming. Skye felt real. Around them orbit other young people, and lots of adults. While this is a book from a teenager's perspective, unlike some YA novels the adult characters are nuanced and multi-dimensional. The relationships between Skey & Ben, Skye & Raf, and Skye & various adults were complex. And, most importantly, the plot felt earned by what we know about the characters - and I really did feel like I knew them, and was invested in what happened to them.
I am gushing a bit because I really loved this book and it hit me right in the emotions. Just read it.
October 3, 2020
Realised I hadn't rated this book yet. Another superb novel by Anna, this time taking on the insidious nature of domestic violence and abuse via the eye of the 16 year old narrator.
Don't be a genre snob and let the classification of Young Adult put you off reading this book, some of the best fiction in Australia today is happening in the YA genre and this is one of the best examples. 5 stars plus.
Don't be a genre snob and let the classification of Young Adult put you off reading this book, some of the best fiction in Australia today is happening in the YA genre and this is one of the best examples. 5 stars plus.
June 20, 2017
We all think we remember what it is like to be a teen … but the genius of Anna Spargo-Ryan is to climb into the mind of teen girl in desperate circumstances, and to give her a voice that is neither infantalised nor preternaturally mature. Equally skilled is the use of detailed descriptions of natural and built environments to evoke and deepen our sense of what the characters are experiencing, while people's true natures are revealed in a tiny gesture. This is quite a different tale from her first novel, The Paper House, which leaves me eagerly anticipating her third.
July 9, 2017
A newspaper review alleged that this was young adult fiction suitable for adults, but that same review also called the dog in this book "George" (his name is Murray), so take that as you will.
The Gulf is the story of a teenaged girl with a terrible mother and an eccentric younger brother straight from central casting. The audience is supposed to be more worldly than Skye, who knows that things in her freshly relocated life are wrong, but not precisely how wrong.
The Gulf is slightly unrealistic until it's not; when self-deception combines with a character's burgeoning consciousness, it clicks into place. There are some great moments of catharsis, and Spargo-Ryan narrowly swerves away from overdosing on Rural Australian Depression.
The Gulf is bittersweet Australiana that perhaps leans too heavily on the banal evil of small towns, but it's ultimately a short and satisfying enough read.
The Gulf is the story of a teenaged girl with a terrible mother and an eccentric younger brother straight from central casting. The audience is supposed to be more worldly than Skye, who knows that things in her freshly relocated life are wrong, but not precisely how wrong.
The Gulf is slightly unrealistic until it's not; when self-deception combines with a character's burgeoning consciousness, it clicks into place. There are some great moments of catharsis, and Spargo-Ryan narrowly swerves away from overdosing on Rural Australian Depression.
The Gulf is bittersweet Australiana that perhaps leans too heavily on the banal evil of small towns, but it's ultimately a short and satisfying enough read.
June 28, 2017
Another beautifully written book by Anna Spargo-Ryan that captured what it is to be a 16 year old girl - confused, powerless, everything so strongly felt. Remember those days?
The way Skye overcame the challenges she faced with such quiet determination driven by a keen sense of justice had me cheering her on. I loved her character so much; she was drawn so sparingly without diving into melancholy or self-obsession.
The Gulf also made me think deeply about my own parenting - how my actions (even just growling at people in traffic!) are being watched and processed by my kids. A sharp reminder never to underestimate the depth of their thoughts and feelings.
Highly recommend!
The way Skye overcame the challenges she faced with such quiet determination driven by a keen sense of justice had me cheering her on. I loved her character so much; she was drawn so sparingly without diving into melancholy or self-obsession.
The Gulf also made me think deeply about my own parenting - how my actions (even just growling at people in traffic!) are being watched and processed by my kids. A sharp reminder never to underestimate the depth of their thoughts and feelings.
Highly recommend!
June 29, 2017
I follow Spargo-Ryan on social media and know she writes openly about mental illness and often confronts life with no-holds barred brutal honesty… something reflected in this heart-wrenching and heart-warming book.
I was captivated from the opening sentence… bewitched by our delightful narrator Skye and her young brother Ben.
Spargo-Ryan isn’t fluffily descriptive (something I appreciate) but placed me firmly there… into their world, and she very cleverly used Skye’s often-impassive observations as a way of ‘showing’ we readers her world.
The book’s written in first person from Skye’s point of view and her outlook is dark. I was initially overcome with a sense of nostalgia. Skye’s life isn’t much but it’s almost idyllic in a bleak sort of way.
Things change – of course – once Jason comes into their lives and turns them upside down.
The book is essentially a snapshot into Skye and Ben’s life – capturing a short but pivotal point in time. I couldn’t help but wonder if Jason was the catalyst for a much-needed change or an interruption they could have done without.
The characters in particular are complex and I liked that Spargo-Ryan wasn’t tempted to have every possible terrible fate or circumstance befall Skye and Ben. There are silver linings, through Ben’s friends in Adelaide and Raf and his mother in Port Flinders and Skye’s work colleague. Even the brief scenes involving Raff’s ‘uncle’ offer a sense that there is good in the world. After all.
The book centres very much around relationships, focusing on broken families (and people, to an extent) and the impact they have on those involved. Because of that there’s also an underlying theme about belonging.
This book is beautifully written. Spargo-Ryan certainly has a way with words. Her writing is poignant, confronting and addictive. Her narrative – though Skye’s eyes – is achingly sad, but there’s almost a sense of wistfulness at times, amidst the bleak hopelessness.
4.5 stars
Read the full review on my site: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
I was captivated from the opening sentence… bewitched by our delightful narrator Skye and her young brother Ben.
Spargo-Ryan isn’t fluffily descriptive (something I appreciate) but placed me firmly there… into their world, and she very cleverly used Skye’s often-impassive observations as a way of ‘showing’ we readers her world.
The book’s written in first person from Skye’s point of view and her outlook is dark. I was initially overcome with a sense of nostalgia. Skye’s life isn’t much but it’s almost idyllic in a bleak sort of way.
Things change – of course – once Jason comes into their lives and turns them upside down.
The book is essentially a snapshot into Skye and Ben’s life – capturing a short but pivotal point in time. I couldn’t help but wonder if Jason was the catalyst for a much-needed change or an interruption they could have done without.
The characters in particular are complex and I liked that Spargo-Ryan wasn’t tempted to have every possible terrible fate or circumstance befall Skye and Ben. There are silver linings, through Ben’s friends in Adelaide and Raf and his mother in Port Flinders and Skye’s work colleague. Even the brief scenes involving Raff’s ‘uncle’ offer a sense that there is good in the world. After all.
The book centres very much around relationships, focusing on broken families (and people, to an extent) and the impact they have on those involved. Because of that there’s also an underlying theme about belonging.
This book is beautifully written. Spargo-Ryan certainly has a way with words. Her writing is poignant, confronting and addictive. Her narrative – though Skye’s eyes – is achingly sad, but there’s almost a sense of wistfulness at times, amidst the bleak hopelessness.
4.5 stars
Read the full review on my site: http://www.debbish.com/books-literatu...
August 6, 2017
I am so glad I chose to read this one by Spargo-Ryan (I hadn't loved her debut novel 'The Paper House' as much as everyone else seemed to love it) For me 'The Gulf' is a beautiful tale about the strength of the bond between siblings, about a family struggling to remain together and a tortoise... Spargo-Ryan has given us two rawly innocent characters in Skye and Ben, their story will seep into your heart and you will fight for them as they experience situations and make choices children should never have to make. Ben is so gorgeously factual and his need to share his knowledge of all things random-'That's a Southern Right Whale. They have the largest balls of any animal in the world'-resonates with me deeply, children like Ben (and Skye) need to be embraced and encouraged and Anna, you write about these very talented souls beautifully....
January 3, 2018
Oh wow, Anna has such a beautiful yet sparse way of writing and a real gift for creating characters. An intense but ultimately hopeful novel, at times devastating but always compelling. She slowly builds the suspense so I couldn’t put it down, and yet I was scared to keep reading because I was so invested in the two main characters, Skye and Ben.
Anna also nails the landscape and sense of the Gulf country in South Australia. Despite being NSW born and bred, the Yorke Peninsula is a special place for me and Anna’s description of those barren, scrubby flatlands and wheat fields is spot on. Special shout out for the happy(ish) interlude in Wallaroo - my grandmother’s home town where I’ve spent many school holidays exploring the jetty and North Beach.
Anna also nails the landscape and sense of the Gulf country in South Australia. Despite being NSW born and bred, the Yorke Peninsula is a special place for me and Anna’s description of those barren, scrubby flatlands and wheat fields is spot on. Special shout out for the happy(ish) interlude in Wallaroo - my grandmother’s home town where I’ve spent many school holidays exploring the jetty and North Beach.
August 16, 2017
What a beautiful and gentle book - it has been a long time that a book has got under my skin like this one. The description of the characters is just beautiful, the story line heartbreaking. I was living and breathing this book, one of those that stays with you all day and you dream about at night...I was Skye and Raf looked like a teenage Chris Hemsworth.
July 4, 2017
Like in The Paper House, Anna Spargo-Ryan has created a beautiful novel with poetic prose and very real, relatable characters. Ben, with his youth and inexhaustible facts, was the perfect contrast to Skye, weighed down by her mother's decisions and desperate to protect herself and her brother. I loved this!
March 20, 2018
As with The Paper House, The Gulf is incredibly written and moving, exploring the very real and difficult parts of life. I reread paragraphs and lines sometimes just because they were so beautifully formed, and can’t wait for Spargo-Ryan’s next work.
June 28, 2017
Absolutely beautiful
July 13, 2017
Nothing has ever captured the Australian voice so well as this. Love love love.
January 4, 2018
Great summer read, I'd give it 3.5 but no half ⭐️
July 25, 2017
Just an amazing book. So raw and genuine. I can't stop thinking about it.
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