What do you think?
Rate this book
Half Wild
A stunningly original debut novel inspired by the life of Eugenia Falleni.
Sydney, 1938. After being hit by a car on Oxford Street, sixty-three-year-old Jean Ford lies in a coma in Sydney Hospital. Doctors talk across her body, nurses jab her in the arm with morphine, detectives arrive to take her fingerprints. She has £100 in her pocket, but no identification. Memories come back to her-a murder trial, a life in prison-but with each prick of the needle her memories begin to shift.
Wellington, 1885. Tally Ho doesn't need to go to school because she is going to be a fisherman or a cart driver or a butcher boy like Harry Crawford. Wellington is her town and she makes up the rules. Papà takes her fishing, Nonno teaches her how to jump fences on his horse Geronimo-life gallops on the way it should, until a brother, baby William, is born. 'Go and play with your sisters,' Papà says, but wearing dresses and sipping tea is not the life for Tally Ho. Taking the advice of her hero, Harry Crawford, she runs away.
Sydney, 1917. The burned body of a woman is discovered on the banks of the Lane Cove River. Was she a mad woman? A drunk who'd accidentally set herself on fire? Nobody knows, until-three years later-a tailor's apprentice tells police that his mother went missing that same weekend, and that his stepfather, Harry Crawford, is not who he seems to be. Who, then, is he?
Based on the true lives of Eugenia Falleni, Half Wild is Pip Smith's dazzling debut novel.
Sydney, 1938. After being hit by a car on Oxford Street, sixty-three-year-old Jean Ford lies in a coma in Sydney Hospital. Doctors talk across her body, nurses jab her in the arm with morphine, detectives arrive to take her fingerprints. She has £100 in her pocket, but no identification. Memories come back to her-a murder trial, a life in prison-but with each prick of the needle her memories begin to shift.
Wellington, 1885. Tally Ho doesn't need to go to school because she is going to be a fisherman or a cart driver or a butcher boy like Harry Crawford. Wellington is her town and she makes up the rules. Papà takes her fishing, Nonno teaches her how to jump fences on his horse Geronimo-life gallops on the way it should, until a brother, baby William, is born. 'Go and play with your sisters,' Papà says, but wearing dresses and sipping tea is not the life for Tally Ho. Taking the advice of her hero, Harry Crawford, she runs away.
Sydney, 1917. The burned body of a woman is discovered on the banks of the Lane Cove River. Was she a mad woman? A drunk who'd accidentally set herself on fire? Nobody knows, until-three years later-a tailor's apprentice tells police that his mother went missing that same weekend, and that his stepfather, Harry Crawford, is not who he seems to be. Who, then, is he?
Based on the true lives of Eugenia Falleni, Half Wild is Pip Smith's dazzling debut novel.
384 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2017
15 people are currently reading
331 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
October 1, 2017
Eugenia didn’t like her name and refused to answer to it when her grandparents addressed her that way. She was Nina, but thought of herself as Tally Ho; she was also unhappy at home now that her mother had had yet another baby. This time it was baby William – the first boy to survive and she knew she hated him. Wellington, New Zealand in 1885 and Tally Ho knew she wouldn’t need schooling – her life as a fisherman or butcher boy like her idol, Harry Crawford, was her lot in life. Escape from all she’d known was her goal…
In Sydney 1914, a young Harry was living with his mother and step-father Harry Crawford when his mother disappeared. He had known she was unhappy; he was too – but when he arrived home to find no sign of her, and the drunken ramblings of his step-father all he could hear, young Harry had no idea how his life would change in the next three years. His fear would eventually send him to beg his Aunt Lily for help.
And who was the elderly woman who’d been hit by the car in Sydney’s Oxford Street? With no identification and in a coma, the doctors and nurses were baffled.
Half Wild is the debut novel for Aussie author Pip Smith, and loosely based on the life of Eugenia Falleni. I’m afraid for me it wasn’t a smooth read, jumping around in time quite often, making it difficult to follow. The introduction of more and more characters also made it hard to keep up with. Half Wild is a historical fiction novel, filled with deception, lies and murder; I thoroughly enjoyed Tally Ho’s early life but then things began to get murky. I would still recommend it to fans of historical fiction.
In Sydney 1914, a young Harry was living with his mother and step-father Harry Crawford when his mother disappeared. He had known she was unhappy; he was too – but when he arrived home to find no sign of her, and the drunken ramblings of his step-father all he could hear, young Harry had no idea how his life would change in the next three years. His fear would eventually send him to beg his Aunt Lily for help.
And who was the elderly woman who’d been hit by the car in Sydney’s Oxford Street? With no identification and in a coma, the doctors and nurses were baffled.
Half Wild is the debut novel for Aussie author Pip Smith, and loosely based on the life of Eugenia Falleni. I’m afraid for me it wasn’t a smooth read, jumping around in time quite often, making it difficult to follow. The introduction of more and more characters also made it hard to keep up with. Half Wild is a historical fiction novel, filled with deception, lies and murder; I thoroughly enjoyed Tally Ho’s early life but then things began to get murky. I would still recommend it to fans of historical fiction.
November 6, 2017
This debut novel by Australian writer Pip Smith is a re-imagining of transgender Eugenia Falleni's life from the historical accounts that remain today. She gives us a range of perspectives from many different characters, some conflicting and certainly some unreliable, in an attempt to present what is known/imagined about Eugeni Falleni, sometime known as Harry Crawford or Jean Ford.
I think I would have found this a more difficult book to read if I hadn't previously read Mark Tedeschi's non fiction account of Eugenia Falleni, Eugenia. I enjoyed the first section of the book, vividly inventing Eugenia/Harry's childhood as "Tally-Ho" a horse riding tomboy and exploring her estrangement from her family. The second section, describing Harry's life in Sydney, his two wives and the disappearance and death of one of them, I found quite jumpy in time lines as various voices added observations to the depiction being built up of Harry. The final section on Eugenia/Harry's life in prison and subsequent release were handled sympathetically.
Although this debut book will not be to every reader's taste, Pip Smith has shown that she is a fine writer and has completed a thorough amount of research in bringing together what is recorded, written and supposed about the life of Eugenia Falleni.
I think I would have found this a more difficult book to read if I hadn't previously read Mark Tedeschi's non fiction account of Eugenia Falleni, Eugenia. I enjoyed the first section of the book, vividly inventing Eugenia/Harry's childhood as "Tally-Ho" a horse riding tomboy and exploring her estrangement from her family. The second section, describing Harry's life in Sydney, his two wives and the disappearance and death of one of them, I found quite jumpy in time lines as various voices added observations to the depiction being built up of Harry. The final section on Eugenia/Harry's life in prison and subsequent release were handled sympathetically.
Although this debut book will not be to every reader's taste, Pip Smith has shown that she is a fine writer and has completed a thorough amount of research in bringing together what is recorded, written and supposed about the life of Eugenia Falleni.
October 17, 2018
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
With the stark and confronting front cover image of a sharp pair of scissors, accompanying a smattering of freshly snipped hair, the reader is immediately intrigued by Half Wild. Pip Smith’s debut makes quite the impression, is an intricately woven historical fiction come mystery novel, that has plenty to remark on in regards to identity, gender roles, acceptance and social codes in Australia in the early 1900’s. It uses a captivating subject, Eugenia Falleni, a woman posing as a transgender man, who becomes caught up in one of the most baffling murder cases in Sydney’s history.
Half Wild has been on my radar for quite a stretch of time. The positive reviews Half Wild has collected for over a year now convinced me to make room in my schedule to read this mesmerising novel. Historical fiction that is based on known fact is my preferred style of novel and Half Wild, being set in both New Zealand and Australia pleased me greatly. I always look forward to an author’s note contained at the back of book, it is sweetener when I have finished a really good book that I didn’t want to end. In Half Wild’s case, I loved discovering the reason why Pip Smith was inspired to write this book. Her trip to Sydney’s Justice and Police Museum, which at the time of Smith’s visit in 2005, an exhibition of City of Shadows was being held, which presented police photographs of subjects from the early twentieth century. One mug shot stood out for the author of Half Wild, Pip Smith, that of the haunted image of Harry Crawford, a hotel cleaner, arrested for the murder of his wife three years earlier. Harry is in fact Eugenia Falleni, both a wife and mother, who had been passing herself off as a man since 1889. What fascinating ground to base a novel on!
Pip Smith takes an alternative route to format to her story. The book is divided into parts, ranging from Eugenia’s life in early New Zealand as a child, through to her passage and new life in Sydney, through to the murder trial and eventual final moments of life as ‘Jean Ford’. Filtered through these parts are the voices of many characters that have a part to play in Eugenia’s life at some stage. It is a little hard at times to grasp all these voices, but the persistence is well worth your time. Along with this vast array of character figures is the inclusion of pertinent fragments of literature that give further shading to Eugenia’s colourful life. These include press reports, court proceedings, sketches and photographs. Each medium adds another layer to this intriguing tale.
Throughout Half Wild I felt incredibly curious about Eugenia. This curiosity factor, along with the central mystery over whether Eugenia killed her wife or not, enticed me to stay with this book until the bitter end. The overwhelming puzzle as to how Eugenia fooled so many, especially those close to her into believing she was in fact a man, draws the reader further into Half Wild. For me personally, the highlight of this tale was the early sequences detailing Eugenia’s formative years in New Zealand. I appreciated gaining a glimpse into early settlement life in New Zealand, the migrant experience and the early struggles Eugenia had with her identity confusion. The prose in this area was delicate and enlightening.
Much praise must be directed Pip Smith’s way for composing such a stand out piece of historical and literary fiction. The research is faultless, the approach passionate and the story that emerges is a remarkable commentary on gender, identity, acceptance and belonging. The vivid reproduction of early Sydney alone makes Half Wild something incredibly special. Half Wild is a book that will hold expansive appeal and it comes with a full endorsement from this reader.
Half Wild, is book #126 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
With the stark and confronting front cover image of a sharp pair of scissors, accompanying a smattering of freshly snipped hair, the reader is immediately intrigued by Half Wild. Pip Smith’s debut makes quite the impression, is an intricately woven historical fiction come mystery novel, that has plenty to remark on in regards to identity, gender roles, acceptance and social codes in Australia in the early 1900’s. It uses a captivating subject, Eugenia Falleni, a woman posing as a transgender man, who becomes caught up in one of the most baffling murder cases in Sydney’s history.
Half Wild has been on my radar for quite a stretch of time. The positive reviews Half Wild has collected for over a year now convinced me to make room in my schedule to read this mesmerising novel. Historical fiction that is based on known fact is my preferred style of novel and Half Wild, being set in both New Zealand and Australia pleased me greatly. I always look forward to an author’s note contained at the back of book, it is sweetener when I have finished a really good book that I didn’t want to end. In Half Wild’s case, I loved discovering the reason why Pip Smith was inspired to write this book. Her trip to Sydney’s Justice and Police Museum, which at the time of Smith’s visit in 2005, an exhibition of City of Shadows was being held, which presented police photographs of subjects from the early twentieth century. One mug shot stood out for the author of Half Wild, Pip Smith, that of the haunted image of Harry Crawford, a hotel cleaner, arrested for the murder of his wife three years earlier. Harry is in fact Eugenia Falleni, both a wife and mother, who had been passing herself off as a man since 1889. What fascinating ground to base a novel on!
Pip Smith takes an alternative route to format to her story. The book is divided into parts, ranging from Eugenia’s life in early New Zealand as a child, through to her passage and new life in Sydney, through to the murder trial and eventual final moments of life as ‘Jean Ford’. Filtered through these parts are the voices of many characters that have a part to play in Eugenia’s life at some stage. It is a little hard at times to grasp all these voices, but the persistence is well worth your time. Along with this vast array of character figures is the inclusion of pertinent fragments of literature that give further shading to Eugenia’s colourful life. These include press reports, court proceedings, sketches and photographs. Each medium adds another layer to this intriguing tale.
Throughout Half Wild I felt incredibly curious about Eugenia. This curiosity factor, along with the central mystery over whether Eugenia killed her wife or not, enticed me to stay with this book until the bitter end. The overwhelming puzzle as to how Eugenia fooled so many, especially those close to her into believing she was in fact a man, draws the reader further into Half Wild. For me personally, the highlight of this tale was the early sequences detailing Eugenia’s formative years in New Zealand. I appreciated gaining a glimpse into early settlement life in New Zealand, the migrant experience and the early struggles Eugenia had with her identity confusion. The prose in this area was delicate and enlightening.
Much praise must be directed Pip Smith’s way for composing such a stand out piece of historical and literary fiction. The research is faultless, the approach passionate and the story that emerges is a remarkable commentary on gender, identity, acceptance and belonging. The vivid reproduction of early Sydney alone makes Half Wild something incredibly special. Half Wild is a book that will hold expansive appeal and it comes with a full endorsement from this reader.
Half Wild, is book #126 of the Australian Women Writers Challenge
August 25, 2017
A brilliant reimagining of a fascinating story from Australian history. Smith tells the story of Eugenia Falleni, who reinvented herself and lived as a man for a period doing the early 20th Century in Australia. The story jumps around in time a bit and works in tons of research alongside beautifully imagined details. It's a fascinating read, meditating on identity, uncertainty and providing no easy answers to the multiple perspectives that have been weaved together.
August 22, 2017
Good historical fiction. It seems to be a popular trend with publishers at the moment. Just found it jumped around with styles a little too much. Will appeal to people who loved Burial Rites.
September 23, 2017
Pip Smith's debut novel based on the true story of Eugenia Falleni whose life begins in Wellington, NZ, and moves to Sydney, Australia. Known in childhood as TallyHo/Nina, she wanted to be a butcher boy, a fisherman like her father, wear trousers rather than a dress, never felt she fitted in and wanted to escape. She assumed an alias, got a job on a ship ending up in Sydney. During her time in Australia she had several aliases, and would eventually be charged and found guilty of a crime she maintained she didn't commit. There has always been some uncertainty around the crime, and appropriately, Smith has recreated that uncertainty in this work of fiction.
Well structured putting the reader right into the character of Eugenia, and living outside the accepted norms of gender in that time. Also highlights the lack of opportunities between men and women, as well as rich and poor.
Excellent read and recommended.
Well structured putting the reader right into the character of Eugenia, and living outside the accepted norms of gender in that time. Also highlights the lack of opportunities between men and women, as well as rich and poor.
Excellent read and recommended.
July 6, 2017
Half Wild is a rollicking historical adventure presented in an entirely unique way. It’s that perfect blend of historical fact with fiction, immersing you into early 20th century Australia, yet never once making you think you are on the receiving end of a fantastic history lesson. Yet, you are! Pip Smith is a truly gifted story teller, possessed with an ability to sprinkle history anecdotally throughout a story, using facts to enhance, rather than weigh down or inform, she highlights the most incidental and interesting parts of our bygone society, the most cringe-worthy and delicious, the gross as well as the beautiful; I was captivated by Half Wild from the moment I picked it up until the moment I put it down. What a wonderful debut!
I love the inspiration behind this novel, and it’s worth sharing here to give context to my appreciation for Half Wild. Pip Smith attended the 2005 Sydney Justice and Police Museum exhibition, which was titled ‘City of Shadows’.
The exhibition was made up of early 20th century police photographs that had been recovered from a flooded warehouse. The accompanying files were lost, so the photos on display were mostly selected for their provocative compositions, the half-stories they told and the eerie, alter-Sydney they invoked. – Author’s Note, Half Wild, Pip Smith, 2017.
It was here that she viewed a photograph of a man, a mugshot, and found herself drawn in by the melancholy evident in his expression. Pip states:
He seemed to be performing his normality, not his criminality, and only just managing to hold himself together.
The footnote for the photo noted that it was of a ‘Harry Leon Crawford’ who upon being arrested and charged with the murder of his wife, was discovered to be Eugenie Falleni, a woman who had been passing as a male since 1899. And from this, the story of Half Wild was born to Pip Smith. This is what I love most about reading historical fiction, that germination of an idea born out of fact. Utterly fascinating, and it brings parts of history, that many of us would remain ignorant of, right into our hands in the most accessible manner.
Pip writes with a wit that stands out right from the first sentence. It doesn’t really matter which character she is writing, the voice feels right, it’s entertaining, easy to read and slip into, although I will point out that she wrote her main character, Nina, utterly perfect. This is particularly evident when you see the age progression, from 10-year-old child through to aged and dying in a haze of confusion. No small feat, to age a voice so well. When we are with Nina as a child, there are some truly funny lines and scenes, it was most entertaining.
The arrangement of this novel was very interesting. For the most part, it tells the story of Eugenie Falleni fairly chronologically, but only up to a certain point. When it veers from this, it’s through necessity, to enhance the overall picture that was Eugenie’s life, as interpreted and devised by Pip. While we can’t forget that this is fiction born out of fact, there is a fair deal of research and primary sources used throughout the novel to lend it credibility. And anyway, in the end, the facts remain the same; how the end was met is possibly incidental. I liked how Pip set this novel up, using other characters to tell key parts of the story, particularly during the hearing and trial of Eugenie. I also like how Sydney, the town, had its own voice from time to time. That was very inventive. The entire novel had a refreshingly Australian feel to it that was comforting to immerse yourself into.
I admire this novel, and Pip Smith for conceiving it. It’s a remarkable achievement and very well done. It deserves the highest of praise and I wish her every success with it.
Thanks is extended to Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of Half Wild for review. Half Wild is book 41 in my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
I love the inspiration behind this novel, and it’s worth sharing here to give context to my appreciation for Half Wild. Pip Smith attended the 2005 Sydney Justice and Police Museum exhibition, which was titled ‘City of Shadows’.
The exhibition was made up of early 20th century police photographs that had been recovered from a flooded warehouse. The accompanying files were lost, so the photos on display were mostly selected for their provocative compositions, the half-stories they told and the eerie, alter-Sydney they invoked. – Author’s Note, Half Wild, Pip Smith, 2017.
It was here that she viewed a photograph of a man, a mugshot, and found herself drawn in by the melancholy evident in his expression. Pip states:
He seemed to be performing his normality, not his criminality, and only just managing to hold himself together.
The footnote for the photo noted that it was of a ‘Harry Leon Crawford’ who upon being arrested and charged with the murder of his wife, was discovered to be Eugenie Falleni, a woman who had been passing as a male since 1899. And from this, the story of Half Wild was born to Pip Smith. This is what I love most about reading historical fiction, that germination of an idea born out of fact. Utterly fascinating, and it brings parts of history, that many of us would remain ignorant of, right into our hands in the most accessible manner.
Pip writes with a wit that stands out right from the first sentence. It doesn’t really matter which character she is writing, the voice feels right, it’s entertaining, easy to read and slip into, although I will point out that she wrote her main character, Nina, utterly perfect. This is particularly evident when you see the age progression, from 10-year-old child through to aged and dying in a haze of confusion. No small feat, to age a voice so well. When we are with Nina as a child, there are some truly funny lines and scenes, it was most entertaining.
The arrangement of this novel was very interesting. For the most part, it tells the story of Eugenie Falleni fairly chronologically, but only up to a certain point. When it veers from this, it’s through necessity, to enhance the overall picture that was Eugenie’s life, as interpreted and devised by Pip. While we can’t forget that this is fiction born out of fact, there is a fair deal of research and primary sources used throughout the novel to lend it credibility. And anyway, in the end, the facts remain the same; how the end was met is possibly incidental. I liked how Pip set this novel up, using other characters to tell key parts of the story, particularly during the hearing and trial of Eugenie. I also like how Sydney, the town, had its own voice from time to time. That was very inventive. The entire novel had a refreshingly Australian feel to it that was comforting to immerse yourself into.
I admire this novel, and Pip Smith for conceiving it. It’s a remarkable achievement and very well done. It deserves the highest of praise and I wish her every success with it.
Thanks is extended to Allen and Unwin for providing me with a copy of Half Wild for review. Half Wild is book 41 in my 2017 Australian Women Writers Challenge.
August 4, 2017
‘You see, the great thing about cities is, the more people you have in them, the more you’re left alone. Or the more you find yourself alone in them at least.’
In 1938, a woman is hit by a car on Oxford Street in Sydney. She’s taken to Sydney Hospital where, comatose but aware, injected with morphine, memories come flooding back to her. These memories are disjointed, and it is difficult to know what might be real. The woman, eventually identified as Jean Ford, has £100 in her pocket. She also has memories of being found guilty of murder and sent to Long Bay:
‘What was it – almost twenty years ago now? – I was sent to die under a different name. I travelled to Long Bay Penitentiary like a celebrity, on a tram with tinted windows, ..’
From this beginning, Pip Smith writes a novel about the different and varied lives of Eugenia Falleni. Part of the story is told by Jean Ford in the first person, other parts are presented chronologically, interspersed with what may (or may not) be accurate reportage from the time. The first part of the novel presents a life of the young Eugenia, a life which makes some of her later choices understandable. If a girl had little power in the late nineteenth century, then a man surely did. Eugenia Falleni spent over twenty years living as a man named Harry Crawford. And as a man, Crawford married two women and (possibly) murdered one of them.
‘She was just a half-wild creature who felt herself apart and different, who had grown cunning and furtive, hiding her secret and satisfying her needs.’
So many questions. So few definitive answers. Much of Eugenia Falleni/Harry Crawford/Jean Ford’s life remains a mystery. Ms Smith’s novel provides possibilities to consider: just how fixed is identity, how mutable might it be? And how very difficult it was (and still is for many) to live outside accepted, defined and prescribed gender roles. The many different characters who appear in the novel each provide a different perspective, another aspect of Eugenia Falleni/ Harry Crawford’s life to consider.
I found this novel unsettling. I’ve previously read Mark Tedeschi’s true crime account ‘Eugenia: A True Story of Adversity, Tragedy, Crime and Courage’, but this is the first novel I’ve read based on Eugenia Falleni’s life. I was intrigued to read that it was seeing a police mugshot of ‘Harry Leon Crawford’ who after being arrested for the murder of his wife was discovered to be Eugenia Falleni, a woman who had been passing as a man since 1899 which provided Ms Smith with the starting point for her novel. I’ve seen the same mugshot, and wondered about the lives, about the experiences, behind the eyes. In this accomplished debut novel, Ms Smith provides some possibilities to consider.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
In 1938, a woman is hit by a car on Oxford Street in Sydney. She’s taken to Sydney Hospital where, comatose but aware, injected with morphine, memories come flooding back to her. These memories are disjointed, and it is difficult to know what might be real. The woman, eventually identified as Jean Ford, has £100 in her pocket. She also has memories of being found guilty of murder and sent to Long Bay:
‘What was it – almost twenty years ago now? – I was sent to die under a different name. I travelled to Long Bay Penitentiary like a celebrity, on a tram with tinted windows, ..’
From this beginning, Pip Smith writes a novel about the different and varied lives of Eugenia Falleni. Part of the story is told by Jean Ford in the first person, other parts are presented chronologically, interspersed with what may (or may not) be accurate reportage from the time. The first part of the novel presents a life of the young Eugenia, a life which makes some of her later choices understandable. If a girl had little power in the late nineteenth century, then a man surely did. Eugenia Falleni spent over twenty years living as a man named Harry Crawford. And as a man, Crawford married two women and (possibly) murdered one of them.
‘She was just a half-wild creature who felt herself apart and different, who had grown cunning and furtive, hiding her secret and satisfying her needs.’
So many questions. So few definitive answers. Much of Eugenia Falleni/Harry Crawford/Jean Ford’s life remains a mystery. Ms Smith’s novel provides possibilities to consider: just how fixed is identity, how mutable might it be? And how very difficult it was (and still is for many) to live outside accepted, defined and prescribed gender roles. The many different characters who appear in the novel each provide a different perspective, another aspect of Eugenia Falleni/ Harry Crawford’s life to consider.
I found this novel unsettling. I’ve previously read Mark Tedeschi’s true crime account ‘Eugenia: A True Story of Adversity, Tragedy, Crime and Courage’, but this is the first novel I’ve read based on Eugenia Falleni’s life. I was intrigued to read that it was seeing a police mugshot of ‘Harry Leon Crawford’ who after being arrested for the murder of his wife was discovered to be Eugenia Falleni, a woman who had been passing as a man since 1899 which provided Ms Smith with the starting point for her novel. I’ve seen the same mugshot, and wondered about the lives, about the experiences, behind the eyes. In this accomplished debut novel, Ms Smith provides some possibilities to consider.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
June 21, 2018
I wanted to love this bc historical fiction based on an actual Australian woman who lived as a man for years should have been so compelling and queer but honestly it was so disjointed in terms of narrative style and I felt like it barely touched on queer experience in any way. Super disappointing tbh.
June 17, 2017
Extremely well written for a debut. Novel. This will have you in and hook you for more. Perfect reading for the lovers of mid century topics and will appeal to many others. This could be in the running for a major prize
July 4, 2020
Bookclub selection. Interesting main protagonist being a woman living as a man during colonial times in Australia.
Our bookclub had some diverse perspectives but mostly agreed that the topic was interesting however the disjointed multi/same perspective angle didn’t add to the story. The story would have held with just one or two perspectives.
Some unresolved discussion points included (and feel free to pitch in here):
To what extent did Eugenia live as a man for the lifestyle or the satisfaction of it?
Did the second marriage end due to the wife’s pregnancy announcement because ‘Harry’ thought she was unfaithful? If not, why?
Did she do it or was she a victim of the media and circumstancial evidence? If so, what about the victim’s son?
Did any of Harry’s lovers ‘know that...’.
So it made an interesting bookclub discussion and the author did well to leave things open to interpretation.
Ratings were: 3, 3, 2.5, 2.5, 2.
Our bookclub had some diverse perspectives but mostly agreed that the topic was interesting however the disjointed multi/same perspective angle didn’t add to the story. The story would have held with just one or two perspectives.
Some unresolved discussion points included (and feel free to pitch in here):
To what extent did Eugenia live as a man for the lifestyle or the satisfaction of it?
Did the second marriage end due to the wife’s pregnancy announcement because ‘Harry’ thought she was unfaithful? If not, why?
Did she do it or was she a victim of the media and circumstancial evidence? If so, what about the victim’s son?
Did any of Harry’s lovers ‘know that...’.
So it made an interesting bookclub discussion and the author did well to leave things open to interpretation.
Ratings were: 3, 3, 2.5, 2.5, 2.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 29, 2017
4.786276623 stars
I love Sydney's crime history, it's super interesting (until you get to the gangs and bikies and whatever like who cares) but there's so little fiction about it so whenever I come across a new one I need to get on it asap. Eugene Falleni's story is super interesting but painful if you read about the trial specifically (ugh Archibald WHY) and Half Wild told it so differently and well. So glad Friend Samuel pushed me to read it sooner rather than later even though it's been on my radar since before it was published.
I love Sydney's crime history, it's super interesting (until you get to the gangs and bikies and whatever like who cares) but there's so little fiction about it so whenever I come across a new one I need to get on it asap. Eugene Falleni's story is super interesting but painful if you read about the trial specifically (ugh Archibald WHY) and Half Wild told it so differently and well. So glad Friend Samuel pushed me to read it sooner rather than later even though it's been on my radar since before it was published.
August 17, 2017
Thank you Allen and Unwin for the ARC!
A vivid fictionalised telling of the life of Eugenia Falleni set in a backdrop of a society who fears what they don't understand and live according to specific norms while expecting others to do so as well. It also highlights the imbalance in opportunities for men/women and rich/poor.
An enjoyable read with snippets of articles, landmarks and interviews to complete the compelling story.
A vivid fictionalised telling of the life of Eugenia Falleni set in a backdrop of a society who fears what they don't understand and live according to specific norms while expecting others to do so as well. It also highlights the imbalance in opportunities for men/women and rich/poor.
An enjoyable read with snippets of articles, landmarks and interviews to complete the compelling story.
October 20, 2017
This story was too all over the place. Back and forth with time lines; introduction of lots of characters to which I had difficulty finding connections. Just not my cup of tea.
December 29, 2019
I liked the idea behind telling her story but didn't enjoy the writing. Not the author for me
January 10, 2018
I found this a compelling read. It tells the life of a young person who fails to meet the expectations of being a woman so instead takes on the identity of a man in early 20th century Australia. Based on a true story, the novel shares multiple perspectives to explore the story and the intrigue around their life. Fascinating.
January 13, 2018
I’m not sure what to make of this book. It’s written from so many different perspectives, some from the same person, that it can be difficult to keep track of the story. Having seen a documentary about the case this is based on helped to a certain degree, helped to give me a sense of the main players in this drama, though to how much this is fiction not fact, can be argued.
February 19, 2023
I highly recommend reading about Eugenia falleni before reading the book. I was quite confused at first but once I realised the novel was based upon the one person. It actually ended up being really good once I got into it so highly recommended read
June 27, 2017
I received an ARC of this book for free in a goodreads giveaway. Historical fiction is not my usual thing, but I had a pretty good time with this. It's messy and polyphonic and delightfully inconclusive. Sprawling while being less than four hundred pages. Far more linear than the blurb would have you believe--I don't think I ever lost track of things, ignoring the dates at the tops of chapters like I always do because I am terrible with dates. Didn't need them anyway, as it turns out.
What I also liked are the jumps not between times but within times. Huge events are leaped over, sequences ignored as we careen in a mostly forwards direction, on with the tale. A tale that I increasingly found myself dragged through at great speed, despite a general understanding of where we were headed, dragged on by the multitude of engaging voices, and the boiling undercurrents of secrets and misunderstandings.
What I also liked are the jumps not between times but within times. Huge events are leaped over, sequences ignored as we careen in a mostly forwards direction, on with the tale. A tale that I increasingly found myself dragged through at great speed, despite a general understanding of where we were headed, dragged on by the multitude of engaging voices, and the boiling undercurrents of secrets and misunderstandings.
August 6, 2017
In 1938, Jean Ford lies in hospital, the victim of a car accident. Fragments of memory keep coming back to her, the splinters of the lives she’s lived. 1885 in Wellington, the girl who wants to escape, to be anything that’s not a wife and mother. 1917 in Sydney, the man watching and fleeing as the burnt body of a woman is discovered, the trial that follows.
Half Wild is Pip Smith’s debut novel about the lives of Eugenia Falleni. It’s hard to put into words just who Eugenia Falleni was, but she is best known to history for assuming the identity of a man and being found guilty of murdering her wife after a sensational trial.
Smith’s writing is confident and assured, she clearly knows what effect she’s going for and pursues it successfully. The structure of the novel is brilliant, allowing the reader to not only get into the head of Falleni, but see her how others may have seen her. Personally, I found the first section, detailing Falleni’s childhood, well written but off-putting. It was simply a matter of me not gelling with the point-of-view character, which I felt was sympathetic but also a bit grotesque. This wasn’t a problem that I had with the remainder of the novel, though.
Like other novels detailing historical crimes, Smith shies away from the crime and the question of Falleni’s guilt. As I understand it, there is some uncertainty about happened and Falleni’s role in it and so it feels right that Smith recreates this uncertainty.
Half Wild is an impressive read and one hell of a debut.
Half Wild is Pip Smith’s debut novel about the lives of Eugenia Falleni. It’s hard to put into words just who Eugenia Falleni was, but she is best known to history for assuming the identity of a man and being found guilty of murdering her wife after a sensational trial.
Smith’s writing is confident and assured, she clearly knows what effect she’s going for and pursues it successfully. The structure of the novel is brilliant, allowing the reader to not only get into the head of Falleni, but see her how others may have seen her. Personally, I found the first section, detailing Falleni’s childhood, well written but off-putting. It was simply a matter of me not gelling with the point-of-view character, which I felt was sympathetic but also a bit grotesque. This wasn’t a problem that I had with the remainder of the novel, though.
Like other novels detailing historical crimes, Smith shies away from the crime and the question of Falleni’s guilt. As I understand it, there is some uncertainty about happened and Falleni’s role in it and so it feels right that Smith recreates this uncertainty.
Half Wild is an impressive read and one hell of a debut.
February 1, 2022
This would have to be one of the most difficult books I have read. The style jumps & changes from the first person to a large number of characters who reveal their own side of Eugenia Falleni’s story. Parts unfold in play like script & others in old typed newspaper reports. A cacophony of styles which were disjointed & fell into unintelligent ramblings. It was only after I googled the main character that light was shed on Eugenia Falleni. She was the daughter of Italian migrants who ran away from her home in New Zealand. She arrived in Australia & dressed as a man to earn a better wage. Assuming a completely male personality, she hid from the fact that she did have a daughter. She married twice & was convicted of killing her first wife.
I stand by the fact that sometimes you have to finish even a badly written or poorly told story to make judgements. The prose is neither dynamic or captivating. While she touches on universal qualities of displacement, gender & finding one’s place in the world, Smith’s fictional work lacks the development of empathy for Eugenia Falleni.
Would definitely NOT recommend.
I stand by the fact that sometimes you have to finish even a badly written or poorly told story to make judgements. The prose is neither dynamic or captivating. While she touches on universal qualities of displacement, gender & finding one’s place in the world, Smith’s fictional work lacks the development of empathy for Eugenia Falleni.
Would definitely NOT recommend.
August 11, 2017
Thanks to Allen and Unwin for the ARC. Vivid and compelling, Half Wild entangles the many lives of Eugenia Falleni, an "invert" who never quite managed to find her/his place in the world. Smith deftly builds a disorienting sense of confusion - what form will Falleni take now? - while surrounded by the fear and discontent of the lives she affects. At its heart, this novel shines a light on the treatment of women and society's fear-driven intolerances, while musing about both nature and nurture. Another strong Australian debut.
June 30, 2017
Half Wild by Pip Smith was a change of read for this reader. The synopsis sounded interesting and the story started okay. There were some eye-opening moments throughout the story, and, overall, Half Wild by Pip Smith was a down the line read for this reader.
Review copy received from Allen & Unwin Australia
Review copy received from Allen & Unwin Australia
January 15, 2018
Wonderfully inventive account of the life of Eugenia Falleni. Formally playful and rich in character, a real pleasure.
December 2, 2018
I thought long and hard before setting up my Gay/Lit LGBTQIA books category, because I like it when authors simply include LGBTQIA characters as part of the furniture, so to speak. If you’re writing about the modern world, then chances are that your characters ought to include some who are LGBTQIA because LGBTQIA people are everywhere. In rainbow families with or without kids; in schools, religious communities and the workplace; and lately, openly in our parliament. Which is all good, and as it should be, and so I shouldn’t really need a separate category. But it would be naïve to think that discrimination has gone away, or to imagine that some don’t suffer a crisis of identity, so there is also a place for books which explore issues of gender identity rather than treat diversity as a given. These books serve purposes both for those of us who seek to understand and those who relate to characters facing that kind of existential crisis.
Half Wild shows us the cruel consequences of a time when discrimination was so routine it was not even recognised as such. Sydney-based author Pip Smith has recreated what was a 20th century salacious scandal to bring to life the humanity of its central character. Eugenie Falleni was a real person who struggled with transgender identity, and Half Wild fictionalises the story of multiple lives: a childhood defined as a daughter; of an adolescent running away to live and work as a man; of two marriages where the wives did not know about the disguised sexuality of the person they had married; and ultimately of a stepfather —revealed before the courts to be a woman—charged with the murder of the first wife.
The novel is bookended with the memories of an elderly woman in hospital. Jean Ford was hit by a car in Oxford Street and is drifting in and out of coma. Her thoughts are incoherent, and then in a new chapter titled ‘Who She’d Like to Be, Wellington New Zealand, 1885-1896’, the story proper begins with the first person narrative of Tally Ho, baptised Eugenia and known to her bemused Italian parents as Nina. When she sees her mother having morning sickness once again, she declares that she doesn’t want to have babies…
School, as you can imagine, is torture, and not just because Nina struggles to learn to read. There is a Father Kelly who knows the difference between an insolent child and a child who was not meant for the schoolroom but as soon as Nina escapes from his efforts to help she bolts away, feeling good to have that stale school air squeezed out of [her] lungs so nothing but life could flood back in.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/12/02/h...
Half Wild shows us the cruel consequences of a time when discrimination was so routine it was not even recognised as such. Sydney-based author Pip Smith has recreated what was a 20th century salacious scandal to bring to life the humanity of its central character. Eugenie Falleni was a real person who struggled with transgender identity, and Half Wild fictionalises the story of multiple lives: a childhood defined as a daughter; of an adolescent running away to live and work as a man; of two marriages where the wives did not know about the disguised sexuality of the person they had married; and ultimately of a stepfather —revealed before the courts to be a woman—charged with the murder of the first wife.
The novel is bookended with the memories of an elderly woman in hospital. Jean Ford was hit by a car in Oxford Street and is drifting in and out of coma. Her thoughts are incoherent, and then in a new chapter titled ‘Who She’d Like to Be, Wellington New Zealand, 1885-1896’, the story proper begins with the first person narrative of Tally Ho, baptised Eugenia and known to her bemused Italian parents as Nina. When she sees her mother having morning sickness once again, she declares that she doesn’t want to have babies…
Her face went still like the refrigerated pigs I once saw in the bond store at Queen’s Wharf.
Well, what are you going to do? Mamma said. Be a nun?
No, I said. I’m going to be a sailor, or a driver down the West Coast called Tally Ho, or a butcher boy like Harry Crawford.
She ruffled my hair. She said I was a funny little joker. Then she said I’d better get my tally ho to school or she’d butcher me herself. (p.12)
School, as you can imagine, is torture, and not just because Nina struggles to learn to read. There is a Father Kelly who knows the difference between an insolent child and a child who was not meant for the schoolroom but as soon as Nina escapes from his efforts to help she bolts away, feeling good to have that stale school air squeezed out of [her] lungs so nothing but life could flood back in.
To read the rest of my review please visit https://anzlitlovers.com/2018/12/02/h...
June 21, 2017
2.5 Rounded up to 3 because while i didn't really enjoy the way it jumped around, by the end i could understand that it probably needed to be done that way.
I also like that it is loosely based on a real person.
Eugenia Falleni was from New Zealand, where she spent her childhood not fitting in, wanting to be a butcher boy like Harry Crawford or a fisherman like her father, rather than wearing a dress and sitting in school. She wants to escape the family and head for Australia.
Harry Crawford is making ends meet in Sydney, he is married and then his stepson tells the police he thinks Harry killed his mum.
Jean Ford has been hit by a car and is in a coma. Doctors are doing everything they can, but Jean isn't waking up. She is starting to remember bits and pieces about who she is but can't communicate.
If that sounds confusing, that's exactly how i felt for a chunk of the book. It jumped around in time a lot, it wasn't a smooth read and just isn't my thing. But if you like historical fiction, mystery and suspense this could definitely be for you.
I received this from a Goodreads Giveaway.
I also like that it is loosely based on a real person.
Eugenia Falleni was from New Zealand, where she spent her childhood not fitting in, wanting to be a butcher boy like Harry Crawford or a fisherman like her father, rather than wearing a dress and sitting in school. She wants to escape the family and head for Australia.
Harry Crawford is making ends meet in Sydney, he is married and then his stepson tells the police he thinks Harry killed his mum.
Jean Ford has been hit by a car and is in a coma. Doctors are doing everything they can, but Jean isn't waking up. She is starting to remember bits and pieces about who she is but can't communicate.
If that sounds confusing, that's exactly how i felt for a chunk of the book. It jumped around in time a lot, it wasn't a smooth read and just isn't my thing. But if you like historical fiction, mystery and suspense this could definitely be for you.
I received this from a Goodreads Giveaway.
September 14, 2019
Interesting, eye-opening, quite an experience.
I think I quite enjoyed this book. Being rather naive and ignorant to the lifestyles, needs and social outcastings of the transgender society of today, I really had no clue what this book was about when I stumbled across it at an op shop.
While at first, I found it a little hard to follow, by about a third in, I realized the writing style, and stuck with it.
By the time we met Harry in Sydney, I was hooked. I started to understand what the book was about, and where it was heading. In my mind, things were starting to fall into place.
I really enjoyed the loose facts being woven so intricately into fiction.
Written as if sitting in front of an open fire, listening to an animated wise elder spinning a yarn.
Really enjoyable (and rather educational) read.
I think I quite enjoyed this book. Being rather naive and ignorant to the lifestyles, needs and social outcastings of the transgender society of today, I really had no clue what this book was about when I stumbled across it at an op shop.
While at first, I found it a little hard to follow, by about a third in, I realized the writing style, and stuck with it.
By the time we met Harry in Sydney, I was hooked. I started to understand what the book was about, and where it was heading. In my mind, things were starting to fall into place.
I really enjoyed the loose facts being woven so intricately into fiction.
Written as if sitting in front of an open fire, listening to an animated wise elder spinning a yarn.
Really enjoyable (and rather educational) read.
August 20, 2017
I found this a very interesting read. Set in the beginning in Wellington NZ, in 1885. As pioneers make their new life in a new country.
Tally Ho is a bit of a tomboy and her life as a girl in not for her, so she runs away from home.
The story moves to Sydney in 1917. It is full of wonderful characters. There is mistrust, lies deceit, and murder. Another main character in the book is Harry Crawford who turns out not to be who you think he is. It is a story of hardship, struggles and prejudices in new communities in New Zealand and Sydney and a realisation how tough things were for the new settlers to both countries.
It is a no hold back story, raw in its story telling. A great read.
Tally Ho is a bit of a tomboy and her life as a girl in not for her, so she runs away from home.
The story moves to Sydney in 1917. It is full of wonderful characters. There is mistrust, lies deceit, and murder. Another main character in the book is Harry Crawford who turns out not to be who you think he is. It is a story of hardship, struggles and prejudices in new communities in New Zealand and Sydney and a realisation how tough things were for the new settlers to both countries.
It is a no hold back story, raw in its story telling. A great read.
December 30, 2018
A good read.
Nostalgia for a Sydney of old. Drummoyne, North Shore, CBD, the pubs. 1875-1938
The movement back and forward through time used cleverly to make you uncertain of character identity.
A woman rejecting her womanhood.
Action and behaviour make a social gender.
A mundane life interjected with wild episodes of change and upheaval.
The use of archival material in the trial I read as fiction. It was the original media capture of the story.
A retold history from a fresh angle.
Nostalgia for a Sydney of old. Drummoyne, North Shore, CBD, the pubs. 1875-1938
The movement back and forward through time used cleverly to make you uncertain of character identity.
A woman rejecting her womanhood.
Action and behaviour make a social gender.
A mundane life interjected with wild episodes of change and upheaval.
The use of archival material in the trial I read as fiction. It was the original media capture of the story.
A retold history from a fresh angle.
April 17, 2018
Great debut novel. Loved the complex person that was Crawford/ Falleni. I wont call the character by birth name nor will I gender pronouns describing them. Some people have no choice but to transcend the boundaries that society crams us into. Crawford coped the best that they could, with the hard work & strength of character you need to survive being forced to fit into Victorian, Edwardian and post War eras.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews