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The Rip
A young woman living on the street has to keep her wits about her. Or her friends.... but when the drugs kick in that can be hard.
Anton has been looking out for her. She was safe with him. But then Steve came along.
He had something over Anton. Must have. But he had a flat they could crash in. And gear in his pocket. And she can't stop thinking about it. A good hit makes everything all right.
But the flat smells weird.
There's a lock on Steve's bedroom door.
And the guy is intense.
The problem is, sometimes you just don't know you are in too deep, until you are drowning.
Anton has been looking out for her. She was safe with him. But then Steve came along.
He had something over Anton. Must have. But he had a flat they could crash in. And gear in his pocket. And she can't stop thinking about it. A good hit makes everything all right.
But the flat smells weird.
There's a lock on Steve's bedroom door.
And the guy is intense.
The problem is, sometimes you just don't know you are in too deep, until you are drowning.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 26, 2019
109 people are currently reading
1173 people want to read
About the author
Mark Brandi
5 books304 followersMark Brandi's bestselling novel, Wimmera, won the coveted British Crime Writers' Association Debut Dagger, and was named Best Debut at the 2018 Australian Indie Book Awards. It was also shortlisted for the Australian Book Industry Awards Literary Fiction Book of the Year, the Matt Richell Award for New Writer of the Year, and the Ned Kelly Award for Best First Crime.
Mark's second novel, The Rip, was published to critical acclaim in 2019, and his third novel, The Others, was shortlisted for the Best Fiction prize in the 2022 Ned Kelly Awards. His fourth novel, Southern Aurora, was Highly Commended in the 2024 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. His fifth novel, Eden, was published in July 2025.
Mark's shorter work has appeared in The Guardian, The Age, The Big Issue, and is sometimes broadcast on ABC Radio National. Mark graduated with a criminal justice degree and worked in the justice system before changing direction and deciding to write. Originally from Italy, he grew up in rural Victoria. He now lives in Melbourne and is working on his next novel.
Mark's second novel, The Rip, was published to critical acclaim in 2019, and his third novel, The Others, was shortlisted for the Best Fiction prize in the 2022 Ned Kelly Awards. His fourth novel, Southern Aurora, was Highly Commended in the 2024 Victorian Premier's Literary Awards. His fifth novel, Eden, was published in July 2025.
Mark's shorter work has appeared in The Guardian, The Age, The Big Issue, and is sometimes broadcast on ABC Radio National. Mark graduated with a criminal justice degree and worked in the justice system before changing direction and deciding to write. Originally from Italy, he grew up in rural Victoria. He now lives in Melbourne and is working on his next novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 300 reviews
March 22, 2019
Not sure how I feel about the many unanswered questions at the end...
March 6, 2020
3.5☆ An Intense, Poignant and Gritty Read!
The Rip is an intense, poignant and gritty
account of a young girl called Dani who is homeless with her adorable Fur Baby Sunny. She quickly Befriends Anton who looks out for her and becomes like family to her.
But everything is about to change now Steve has rocked his way into the picture!
Steve is an acquaintance of Anton and he is a nasty bit of goods!
He gets Dani and Anton deeper into drugs meaning more begging and burglary to pay for the drugs and food.
But all is not what it seems with Steve and he's dangerous, but can Dani and Anton get out before something bad happens, or are they in to deep!
This book is not for the feint hearted, it features heavy drug use, reference to prostitution but it's a harsh reality into what it's like surviving on the streets.
I really enjoyed the story and the gritty and intense themes, however the ending I felt was rushed. After everything Dani endures I wanted to see the ending play out a bit better. Don't get me wrong it was a fitting ending but I felt it ended abruptly.
The Rip is a quick read, it's pacy, at times intense, but I really liked the characters especially Sunny who actually melted my heart, and thank you for not going into detail about his story ending. It was a stark reality into what drugs can do to you and the lengths you can go to get the next hit.
I really liked that the story was told from Dani's point of view, she had an air of innocence about her, a trusting nature which made me champion her even more to get well.
People find themselves living homeless for so many reasons and this book delves into some of them.
The Rip is a book that will have you Gripped to the end.
Thank you to Legend Press for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
The Rip is an intense, poignant and gritty
account of a young girl called Dani who is homeless with her adorable Fur Baby Sunny. She quickly Befriends Anton who looks out for her and becomes like family to her.
But everything is about to change now Steve has rocked his way into the picture!
Steve is an acquaintance of Anton and he is a nasty bit of goods!
He gets Dani and Anton deeper into drugs meaning more begging and burglary to pay for the drugs and food.
But all is not what it seems with Steve and he's dangerous, but can Dani and Anton get out before something bad happens, or are they in to deep!
This book is not for the feint hearted, it features heavy drug use, reference to prostitution but it's a harsh reality into what it's like surviving on the streets.
I really enjoyed the story and the gritty and intense themes, however the ending I felt was rushed. After everything Dani endures I wanted to see the ending play out a bit better. Don't get me wrong it was a fitting ending but I felt it ended abruptly.
The Rip is a quick read, it's pacy, at times intense, but I really liked the characters especially Sunny who actually melted my heart, and thank you for not going into detail about his story ending. It was a stark reality into what drugs can do to you and the lengths you can go to get the next hit.
I really liked that the story was told from Dani's point of view, she had an air of innocence about her, a trusting nature which made me champion her even more to get well.
People find themselves living homeless for so many reasons and this book delves into some of them.
The Rip is a book that will have you Gripped to the end.
Thank you to Legend Press for this copy which I reviewed honestly and voluntarily.
My Review is also on my Blog Website :-
https://dashfan81.blogspot.com/2020/0...
March 29, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.’
The Rip is a book that almost seems like it was begging to be written, and so it should. A recent trip to Perth city for me personally raised my awareness of the growth of those who are homeless, sleeping rough and begging to survive. It is a part of our social world and The Rip goes a long way in addressing the way of life of those who are less fortunate than us. Mark Brandi’s second novel is as powerful as his debut, it will make you squirm in places, it will break your heart, it will make you feel frustrated, angry and perhaps, petition for action.
An urban crime novel situated in contemporary Australia, The Rip follows the life of a young woman who calls the streets her home. With her sidekicks Anton and Sunny the dog, The Rip provides the reader with an insider’s view of surviving in a world governed by hard drugs, sex work, crime and uncertainty. When a figure named Steve begins to manipulate Anton, and the sanctity of a flat makes its welcome entrance, life changes. But soon the flat begins to reveal its hidden secrets. A missing person, drugs, burglary, a locked door and an unusual smell all have a part to play in this turn of circumstances. The truth may be too overwhelming, especially for a young woman who is already in strife.
The Rip is a book that I had listed down as a highly anticipated read of 2019. There is no second novel doubt that follows The Rip. Mark Brandi’s second novel is powerful, astute and firmly rooted in our consciousness. If Mark Brandi’s work hasn’t come your way yet, I highly recommend it. Brandi is up there with the greats. He is an astute writer with a natural aptitude for conveying a convincing story. I found that I was utterly gripped and mesmerized by both his writing and his unfolding story.
There is something about Mark Brandi’s prose that will have you standing to attention. It is commanding, but at the same time it is completely seducing. The Rip is a compact novel and I almost read it in one sitting, it really gets under your skin. Brandi’s writing is to the point and refined. I found that he was able to convey so much about the journey of his main protagonist, with few words. The words Brandi has used in his novel have been carefully selected so that they have full impact on the reader.
The Rip can be confronting. Street life, homelessness, begging, underground sex work and drug abuse are all facts of contemporary Australian society. However, I feel many will be of a similar feeling to me, we tend to sweep these issues under the carpet. Mark Brandi is a fearless writer, he has tackled a subject area and a set of issues that should be addressed. The Rip definitely placed me in a position I didn’t feel comfortable in at all, but the awareness raising was important. Brandi’s approach is never preachy and he doesn’t have an agenda, he simply tells it as it is, in a completely compelling manner.
Dubbed as an urban crime novel, there is a fantastic crime based mystery that underpins The Rip. Brandi is the master of suspense and intrigue. He had me up in arms, concocting all sorts of scenarios involving the seedy Steve, his locked room, the abandoned flat and the missing flat owner. When all the cogs fall into place, it is quite an explosive fallout. I liked the way Brandi tied up his second novel. Without spoiling it, I believe although this is a bleak novel, there are many messages of hope that can be drawn from The Rip.
A book of paramount importance, The Rip offers a skilled commentary on street life, an insight into a horrendous crime and it examines the fate of one woman caught up in a desperate fight to keep her head above the water. Don’t let The Rip pass you by.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
*Book #3 of the 2019 Aussie male author challenge.
‘I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.’
The Rip is a book that almost seems like it was begging to be written, and so it should. A recent trip to Perth city for me personally raised my awareness of the growth of those who are homeless, sleeping rough and begging to survive. It is a part of our social world and The Rip goes a long way in addressing the way of life of those who are less fortunate than us. Mark Brandi’s second novel is as powerful as his debut, it will make you squirm in places, it will break your heart, it will make you feel frustrated, angry and perhaps, petition for action.
An urban crime novel situated in contemporary Australia, The Rip follows the life of a young woman who calls the streets her home. With her sidekicks Anton and Sunny the dog, The Rip provides the reader with an insider’s view of surviving in a world governed by hard drugs, sex work, crime and uncertainty. When a figure named Steve begins to manipulate Anton, and the sanctity of a flat makes its welcome entrance, life changes. But soon the flat begins to reveal its hidden secrets. A missing person, drugs, burglary, a locked door and an unusual smell all have a part to play in this turn of circumstances. The truth may be too overwhelming, especially for a young woman who is already in strife.
The Rip is a book that I had listed down as a highly anticipated read of 2019. There is no second novel doubt that follows The Rip. Mark Brandi’s second novel is powerful, astute and firmly rooted in our consciousness. If Mark Brandi’s work hasn’t come your way yet, I highly recommend it. Brandi is up there with the greats. He is an astute writer with a natural aptitude for conveying a convincing story. I found that I was utterly gripped and mesmerized by both his writing and his unfolding story.
There is something about Mark Brandi’s prose that will have you standing to attention. It is commanding, but at the same time it is completely seducing. The Rip is a compact novel and I almost read it in one sitting, it really gets under your skin. Brandi’s writing is to the point and refined. I found that he was able to convey so much about the journey of his main protagonist, with few words. The words Brandi has used in his novel have been carefully selected so that they have full impact on the reader.
The Rip can be confronting. Street life, homelessness, begging, underground sex work and drug abuse are all facts of contemporary Australian society. However, I feel many will be of a similar feeling to me, we tend to sweep these issues under the carpet. Mark Brandi is a fearless writer, he has tackled a subject area and a set of issues that should be addressed. The Rip definitely placed me in a position I didn’t feel comfortable in at all, but the awareness raising was important. Brandi’s approach is never preachy and he doesn’t have an agenda, he simply tells it as it is, in a completely compelling manner.
Dubbed as an urban crime novel, there is a fantastic crime based mystery that underpins The Rip. Brandi is the master of suspense and intrigue. He had me up in arms, concocting all sorts of scenarios involving the seedy Steve, his locked room, the abandoned flat and the missing flat owner. When all the cogs fall into place, it is quite an explosive fallout. I liked the way Brandi tied up his second novel. Without spoiling it, I believe although this is a bleak novel, there are many messages of hope that can be drawn from The Rip.
A book of paramount importance, The Rip offers a skilled commentary on street life, an insight into a horrendous crime and it examines the fate of one woman caught up in a desperate fight to keep her head above the water. Don’t let The Rip pass you by.
*Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
*Book #3 of the 2019 Aussie male author challenge.
December 4, 2020
5★s
I’ll preface my review by saying that I heard Mark Brandi speak at a writers festival a few years ago, after the publication of Wimmera. I found his presentation to be deeply thoughtful and insightful, and my enthusiasm for him was boosted by the excellence of that first novel. So I looked forward with eager anticipation to a similarly rewarding read of The Rip. I’ll confess that I found it dull and heavy going at first, and after 30 or so pages I considered abandoning it. But I decided to persist because of my admiration for Mark Brandi’s writing. I’m so glad I did, because as the story unfolded I got more and more engaged with it.
Although The Rip is fiction, it is written very much in the style of a personal memoir. In this case the person does not exist, though I suspect aspects of the young female narrator may be drawn from real life. Brandi worked for several years in the criminal justice system, and I think it likely that he has taken elements from his experience in that system to weave into the story of the young woman. There is a strong sense of authenticity about the writing.
The young woman lives at the margins of Melbourne society, without a permanent home and with a heroin addiction. She has two faithful companions - Anton, a little older than her, and a bit of a mentor to her, and Sunny, her beloved bull terrier dog. The narrative reveals many aspects of their day-to-day lives, how they occupy their time, how they maintain their personal hygiene (or not), how they get food. Most significantly for them, the story shows how they get the illegal drugs that they crave so badly.
The grip that the addiction has over the young woman is exposed in a gentle, non-judgmental way. I found it very interesting to hear from a long term user just what it is that makes the drug so appealing, and why she would tolerate so many indignities in her daily existence.
The relatively stable life that she and Anton have created behind the grandstand at Princes Park is disrupted by the arrival of Steve, a somewhat sinister character known to Anton. They agree to move into the flat that Steve occupies in Collingwood. Steve uses heroin, while Anton sticks to prescription drugs. Both of them pressure the young woman into earning money on the streets for their next hit. Lulled into a state of calm by the drug, she is fairly happy to go along with them. This aspect of her addiction intrigued me. She talks about the calm and pleasure that heroin gives her, so much so that she can overlook filthy premises, eating out of rubbish skips, working as a prostitute, and dealing with sleazebags and nutcases in Melbourne’s darkest places. The way Brandi writes her narrative is frank, matter-of-fact, down-to-earth, almost as if the young woman is talking directly to me.
Gradually she reveals snippets of her past, particularly the bad experiences that she had as a child placed into the foster care system. No doubt that the appalling behaviours of foster parents had a huge impact on her young life. There is a profound negativity at the base of her personality. Throughout her narrative she chips in with little comments that she doesn’t like this, she doesn’t like that, doesn't want to do this, or that. Her passivity can probably be explained by a lifetime of disappointment, lack of education and a depression so deep that heroin is her only joy. There are small sparks of something more positive, for example, she refuses to work in a brothel, because she believes she is in more control of herself and the punters while working on the street. Full credit to Brandi for the sensitive way he lets the young woman reveal her inner self.
Evil Steve enlists Anton to help him in the quest for easy cash. They break into houses and fence the stolen items to get money for drugs. Anton starts injecting heroin, which heralds a breakdown in the close friendship he has with the young woman and the dog. Floating along on her opiate cloud, the young woman lets things run, despite her serious suspicions that Steve is not a good person. There is a point when I realised how deep the dependency on a regular supply of heroin is for her. Steve leaves a small bag of powder in the flat, which she uses to ‘get on it’. Next thing the reader knows is that she has been found in the gutter outside the flat, clinging to life due to a serious overdose. The doctor explains that her dose had been spiked with something bad. Sitting in my armchair, I’m yelling at the book, ‘did Steve try to kill you, dear young woman? Did he dump you in the gutter?’ Yet she was willing to go back to the flat after leaving hospital despite knowing there was something very bad there.
Eventually the reader learns the circumstances under which she is telling this long story, and there is some closure, some rays of hope for the young woman. Finally we learn her name. Obviously a deliberate tactic on the part of the author, I contemplated the reason why her name is not disclosed earlier. Does it make a difference to how the reader reacts to the narrative of an anonymous young woman?
This novel is deceptively simple, and for me it ably demonstrates the outstanding writing skills of Mark Brandi. It is a short book, a quick read, but deeply thoughtful. The ideas and events which unfold in this story have stayed with me ever since. It definitely deserves my 5 star rating.
I’ll preface my review by saying that I heard Mark Brandi speak at a writers festival a few years ago, after the publication of Wimmera. I found his presentation to be deeply thoughtful and insightful, and my enthusiasm for him was boosted by the excellence of that first novel. So I looked forward with eager anticipation to a similarly rewarding read of The Rip. I’ll confess that I found it dull and heavy going at first, and after 30 or so pages I considered abandoning it. But I decided to persist because of my admiration for Mark Brandi’s writing. I’m so glad I did, because as the story unfolded I got more and more engaged with it.
Although The Rip is fiction, it is written very much in the style of a personal memoir. In this case the person does not exist, though I suspect aspects of the young female narrator may be drawn from real life. Brandi worked for several years in the criminal justice system, and I think it likely that he has taken elements from his experience in that system to weave into the story of the young woman. There is a strong sense of authenticity about the writing.
The young woman lives at the margins of Melbourne society, without a permanent home and with a heroin addiction. She has two faithful companions - Anton, a little older than her, and a bit of a mentor to her, and Sunny, her beloved bull terrier dog. The narrative reveals many aspects of their day-to-day lives, how they occupy their time, how they maintain their personal hygiene (or not), how they get food. Most significantly for them, the story shows how they get the illegal drugs that they crave so badly.
The grip that the addiction has over the young woman is exposed in a gentle, non-judgmental way. I found it very interesting to hear from a long term user just what it is that makes the drug so appealing, and why she would tolerate so many indignities in her daily existence.
The relatively stable life that she and Anton have created behind the grandstand at Princes Park is disrupted by the arrival of Steve, a somewhat sinister character known to Anton. They agree to move into the flat that Steve occupies in Collingwood. Steve uses heroin, while Anton sticks to prescription drugs. Both of them pressure the young woman into earning money on the streets for their next hit. Lulled into a state of calm by the drug, she is fairly happy to go along with them. This aspect of her addiction intrigued me. She talks about the calm and pleasure that heroin gives her, so much so that she can overlook filthy premises, eating out of rubbish skips, working as a prostitute, and dealing with sleazebags and nutcases in Melbourne’s darkest places. The way Brandi writes her narrative is frank, matter-of-fact, down-to-earth, almost as if the young woman is talking directly to me.
Gradually she reveals snippets of her past, particularly the bad experiences that she had as a child placed into the foster care system. No doubt that the appalling behaviours of foster parents had a huge impact on her young life. There is a profound negativity at the base of her personality. Throughout her narrative she chips in with little comments that she doesn’t like this, she doesn’t like that, doesn't want to do this, or that. Her passivity can probably be explained by a lifetime of disappointment, lack of education and a depression so deep that heroin is her only joy. There are small sparks of something more positive, for example, she refuses to work in a brothel, because she believes she is in more control of herself and the punters while working on the street. Full credit to Brandi for the sensitive way he lets the young woman reveal her inner self.
Evil Steve enlists Anton to help him in the quest for easy cash. They break into houses and fence the stolen items to get money for drugs. Anton starts injecting heroin, which heralds a breakdown in the close friendship he has with the young woman and the dog. Floating along on her opiate cloud, the young woman lets things run, despite her serious suspicions that Steve is not a good person. There is a point when I realised how deep the dependency on a regular supply of heroin is for her. Steve leaves a small bag of powder in the flat, which she uses to ‘get on it’. Next thing the reader knows is that she has been found in the gutter outside the flat, clinging to life due to a serious overdose. The doctor explains that her dose had been spiked with something bad. Sitting in my armchair, I’m yelling at the book, ‘did Steve try to kill you, dear young woman? Did he dump you in the gutter?’ Yet she was willing to go back to the flat after leaving hospital despite knowing there was something very bad there.
Eventually the reader learns the circumstances under which she is telling this long story, and there is some closure, some rays of hope for the young woman. Finally we learn her name. Obviously a deliberate tactic on the part of the author, I contemplated the reason why her name is not disclosed earlier. Does it make a difference to how the reader reacts to the narrative of an anonymous young woman?
This novel is deceptively simple, and for me it ably demonstrates the outstanding writing skills of Mark Brandi. It is a short book, a quick read, but deeply thoughtful. The ideas and events which unfold in this story have stayed with me ever since. It definitely deserves my 5 star rating.
February 19, 2019
Mark Brandi’s debut Wimmera was one of my favourite crime novels of 2017, and while Brandi’s new book The Rip (Hachette Australia Books 2019) in many ways (particularly setting) couldn’t be more different, what it has in common with Wimmera is the unique voice and perspective of its young protagonist, and a simple plot that takes us forward step by step with a sense of creeping menace and dread.
The Rip is set in gritty inner-city Melbourne and opens with a short prologue: a record of an interview between a police detective and a ‘person of interest’. This short section doesn’t give a lot away, but it does reveal that a search of the rather evasive suspect’s room has found a foul-smelling chemical, and that police inquiries into CCTV footage are proceeding. This sets up the first chapter, in which we meet our unnamed 17-year-old female narrator (a point I found particularly interesting as I didn’t realise until sitting down to write this review that I didn’t know her name). She and her best friend Anton, along with their dog, Sunny, are homeless. They live in a permanent spot in a city park and occasionally seek meals or shelter from the Salvos and other charity groups. The backstory of each of their lives leading to this circumstance is bleak: the girl has lived in a succession of mostly unsatisfactory foster homes; Anton has spent time in gaol. And both are addicted to drugs, the girl hooked on ‘the gear’ (referred to as ‘it’ throughout the book, almost as if it is a character) while Anton takes prescription pain medication. On one level, their lives are – as you would suspect – difficult, dangerous and depressing: they steal toothbrushes from Aldi; supplement their irregular Salvos’ showers with quick clean-ups in the local public toilets; scrounge discarded food from the rubbish bins behind bakeries or fast food outlets. They get wet when it rains. If they leave their possessions alone for more than a couple of days, their belongings will be stolen. They have yellow teeth and unwashed clothes. Like all responsible pet-owners, they prioritise taking care of Sunny, but this restricts their movement and accommodation options. And they are always on the look-out for their next fix. Always planning how to beg, borrow, steal or sometimes earn enough money to cover the next baggie of drugs.
But there is another side to this dreary portrait, and it is Brandi’s simple and authentic language and his engaging characterisation that save this from being yet another addiction story. The girl is feisty, persistent and clever. Anton is intelligent, caring and hopeful. Together, the dynamic between them is one of loyalty, kindness and of a friendship forged by shared traumatic experiences, a familiar history, and a united desire to live by a certain moral code. They have standards and while these may not be the standards common to the average middle-class person, they are standards which are important to them, and which they strive to achieve. Even with our girl sometimes having to ‘turn tricks’ to make ends meet, she has firm ideas about what she will do and who she will do it with. And Anton’s protectiveness of her is endearingly sweet. Their desire to hold on to their dignity however they can, despite their circumstances, is empowering rather than depressing.
So it all becomes quite grim when the two meet up with one of Anton’s old friends, Steve, who invites them back to stay in his flat for a while. He and Anton get up to some dodgy behaviour, Steve’s flatmate Mary has apparently been locked in the psych ward, and behind Steve’s locked bedroom door there is a mysterious chemical smell. Our protagonist is suspicious and wary of Steve from the start, and when Anton goes missing, she is frightened and unsure where to turn. But by that stage, she is more firmly hooked on drugs than she has been for ages, and ‘it’ clouds her judgment and fogs her brain. When she takes a hit, all she can think about is how she can score the next one.
The rip of the title is an ocean reference about how taking drugs is ‘like walking out into the sea, and you think everything’s fine and the water’s warm, but when you turn back you’re suddenly miles from shore … like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.’ And the undercurrent rips are a constant threat in this book. The insecurity of basic needs like adequate shelter and enough food, the judgment of others, the risk to personal safety, the loss of companionship and family, the ever-present chance of being assaulted, raped or robbed. The relentless cycle of poverty, abuse, homelessness and drug use.
The Rip is a crime story, and the details of the crimes – what they are, how they’ve been committed, and who is involved – are intriguing and propel the narrative forward. But the real strength of this novel is in the characters. We become fully immersed in the lives of Anton and our protagonist. Obviously, unless – as readers – we have lived experience, it is difficult to fully comprehend the circumstances of this story. But Mark Brandi is such a fine writer that through his words we can imagine our way into the lives of others and empathise with their situation.
The Rip is set in gritty inner-city Melbourne and opens with a short prologue: a record of an interview between a police detective and a ‘person of interest’. This short section doesn’t give a lot away, but it does reveal that a search of the rather evasive suspect’s room has found a foul-smelling chemical, and that police inquiries into CCTV footage are proceeding. This sets up the first chapter, in which we meet our unnamed 17-year-old female narrator (a point I found particularly interesting as I didn’t realise until sitting down to write this review that I didn’t know her name). She and her best friend Anton, along with their dog, Sunny, are homeless. They live in a permanent spot in a city park and occasionally seek meals or shelter from the Salvos and other charity groups. The backstory of each of their lives leading to this circumstance is bleak: the girl has lived in a succession of mostly unsatisfactory foster homes; Anton has spent time in gaol. And both are addicted to drugs, the girl hooked on ‘the gear’ (referred to as ‘it’ throughout the book, almost as if it is a character) while Anton takes prescription pain medication. On one level, their lives are – as you would suspect – difficult, dangerous and depressing: they steal toothbrushes from Aldi; supplement their irregular Salvos’ showers with quick clean-ups in the local public toilets; scrounge discarded food from the rubbish bins behind bakeries or fast food outlets. They get wet when it rains. If they leave their possessions alone for more than a couple of days, their belongings will be stolen. They have yellow teeth and unwashed clothes. Like all responsible pet-owners, they prioritise taking care of Sunny, but this restricts their movement and accommodation options. And they are always on the look-out for their next fix. Always planning how to beg, borrow, steal or sometimes earn enough money to cover the next baggie of drugs.
But there is another side to this dreary portrait, and it is Brandi’s simple and authentic language and his engaging characterisation that save this from being yet another addiction story. The girl is feisty, persistent and clever. Anton is intelligent, caring and hopeful. Together, the dynamic between them is one of loyalty, kindness and of a friendship forged by shared traumatic experiences, a familiar history, and a united desire to live by a certain moral code. They have standards and while these may not be the standards common to the average middle-class person, they are standards which are important to them, and which they strive to achieve. Even with our girl sometimes having to ‘turn tricks’ to make ends meet, she has firm ideas about what she will do and who she will do it with. And Anton’s protectiveness of her is endearingly sweet. Their desire to hold on to their dignity however they can, despite their circumstances, is empowering rather than depressing.
So it all becomes quite grim when the two meet up with one of Anton’s old friends, Steve, who invites them back to stay in his flat for a while. He and Anton get up to some dodgy behaviour, Steve’s flatmate Mary has apparently been locked in the psych ward, and behind Steve’s locked bedroom door there is a mysterious chemical smell. Our protagonist is suspicious and wary of Steve from the start, and when Anton goes missing, she is frightened and unsure where to turn. But by that stage, she is more firmly hooked on drugs than she has been for ages, and ‘it’ clouds her judgment and fogs her brain. When she takes a hit, all she can think about is how she can score the next one.
The rip of the title is an ocean reference about how taking drugs is ‘like walking out into the sea, and you think everything’s fine and the water’s warm, but when you turn back you’re suddenly miles from shore … like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.’ And the undercurrent rips are a constant threat in this book. The insecurity of basic needs like adequate shelter and enough food, the judgment of others, the risk to personal safety, the loss of companionship and family, the ever-present chance of being assaulted, raped or robbed. The relentless cycle of poverty, abuse, homelessness and drug use.
The Rip is a crime story, and the details of the crimes – what they are, how they’ve been committed, and who is involved – are intriguing and propel the narrative forward. But the real strength of this novel is in the characters. We become fully immersed in the lives of Anton and our protagonist. Obviously, unless – as readers – we have lived experience, it is difficult to fully comprehend the circumstances of this story. But Mark Brandi is such a fine writer that through his words we can imagine our way into the lives of others and empathise with their situation.
November 27, 2022
The Rip is a dark story telling a sadly familiar story that immerses the reader in the day to day battle for survival faced by homeless, drug addicted youths. This is a harrowing story told from the perspective of Dani, a young woman living rough in the inner suburbs of Melbourne.
The story opens as Dani and her best friend Anton come up with an idea to raise some money to score her next hit of heroin. They scratch, they clean windscreens and they dodge the cops, but they manage to scrape together the dollars necessary to get by. It’s a rough life on the margins of society but there is an undeniable sense of contentment with her life, as hard as it seems.
Through Dani’s matter of fact narrative it becomes clear that every move they make revolves around their fight to survive. Finding food to eat (dumpsters), a place to bathe (the Salvos), preparing for the coming winter, caring for Sunny, her beloved bull terrier. And the next hit, always the next hit.
Life is hard, but manageable, it seems, until they run into Steve, an old friend of Anton’s. He’s clearly a fellow addict, but there’s also an aura of evil around him, according to Dani. He has a flat and invites them to stay for a few days. It’s a chance to sleep under a roof and in a bed so they move in. But it also means Dani and Anton are giving away their autonomy with Steve now calling the shots.
It’s from this point that their already difficult life takes an undeniable turn for the worse.
“I’m using more since we’ve been in the flat. It’s funny how quick it happens and without you really noticing. Anton said once that it’s like walking out into the sea, and you think everything’s fine and the water’s warm, but when you turn back you’re suddenly miles from shore.
I’ve never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.”
This is a heartbreaking story of survival. All of the characters involved have a backstory of hardship, difficulties and challenges and their life on the streets is the best outcome out of some truly awful options.
The life of a drug addict revolves around scraping money together to get enough for the next hit. Dani, Anton and Steve choose between begging, prostitution and burglary. It’s pretty grim and it’s only a short term solution.
I found this to be a particularly well told modern day noir story that takes us directly into the mind of a person living right on the edge. We get to take part in her thoughts as she deals with fear and confusion as her world gradually crumbles around her.
It’s a compellingly readable feel-bad story that confirms the story-telling talent of Mark Brandi.
The story opens as Dani and her best friend Anton come up with an idea to raise some money to score her next hit of heroin. They scratch, they clean windscreens and they dodge the cops, but they manage to scrape together the dollars necessary to get by. It’s a rough life on the margins of society but there is an undeniable sense of contentment with her life, as hard as it seems.
Through Dani’s matter of fact narrative it becomes clear that every move they make revolves around their fight to survive. Finding food to eat (dumpsters), a place to bathe (the Salvos), preparing for the coming winter, caring for Sunny, her beloved bull terrier. And the next hit, always the next hit.
Life is hard, but manageable, it seems, until they run into Steve, an old friend of Anton’s. He’s clearly a fellow addict, but there’s also an aura of evil around him, according to Dani. He has a flat and invites them to stay for a few days. It’s a chance to sleep under a roof and in a bed so they move in. But it also means Dani and Anton are giving away their autonomy with Steve now calling the shots.
It’s from this point that their already difficult life takes an undeniable turn for the worse.
“I’m using more since we’ve been in the flat. It’s funny how quick it happens and without you really noticing. Anton said once that it’s like walking out into the sea, and you think everything’s fine and the water’s warm, but when you turn back you’re suddenly miles from shore.
I’ve never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.”
This is a heartbreaking story of survival. All of the characters involved have a backstory of hardship, difficulties and challenges and their life on the streets is the best outcome out of some truly awful options.
The life of a drug addict revolves around scraping money together to get enough for the next hit. Dani, Anton and Steve choose between begging, prostitution and burglary. It’s pretty grim and it’s only a short term solution.
I found this to be a particularly well told modern day noir story that takes us directly into the mind of a person living right on the edge. We get to take part in her thoughts as she deals with fear and confusion as her world gradually crumbles around her.
It’s a compellingly readable feel-bad story that confirms the story-telling talent of Mark Brandi.
March 18, 2019
The characters were well rounded and I loved the relationship between the main character and her dog. I liked the insight into homelessness in Melbourne. It felt unfinished to me. Just when it could’ve been this fantastic climax, it just skips to a future where everything has a conclusion but I felt it could’ve really delved into those conclusions much more. In my point of view, it could easily had another hundred pages to really finish off those characters storyline’s. The ending felt rushed.
November 17, 2021
Narrated by a young woman on the margins of society (Dani), Brandi has crafted this novel to perfectly capture the character and the predicament in which she finds herself: Homeless and an addict. She has a friend, Anton, and a dog, for whom she cares, but life isn’t easy to navigate when you don’t have a roof over your head. Dani finds herself in a tight predicament which places her in danger.
This was a fabulous book from start to finish. The ending is disturbing, but—be warned—Brandi doesn't spell it out. It doesn’t need to be. A real and chilling novel. One of the best books I've read in a long while.
This was a fabulous book from start to finish. The ending is disturbing, but—be warned—Brandi doesn't spell it out. It doesn’t need to be. A real and chilling novel. One of the best books I've read in a long while.
July 31, 2019
Whenever I read a book that features some sort of addiction, I always find that the whole time that I'm reading I feel such a deep sadness. I can't imagine being gripped so tightly by the desire for some chemical escape. I can't imagine living on the streets, or lying and stealing to get by. And yet each day more and more people are facing that very existence.
This was the first book I'd read by Mark Brandi, and for the most part I enjoyed it. I did feel that the book took on a certain pace throughout, but then the ending felt a little rushed.
3.5 stars.
This was the first book I'd read by Mark Brandi, and for the most part I enjoyed it. I did feel that the book took on a certain pace throughout, but then the ending felt a little rushed.
3.5 stars.
July 31, 2019
The author really gets into the head of his narrator - a young woman living on the streets who is totally focused on her next hit. She is not well educated but is befriended by homeless Anton and Sunny her dog. They find digs with Steve who is known to Anton from his prison days. Steve is intense, appears to have many secrets but has does have access to various drugs. The narrator knows she lives dangerously and that Steve is a time bomb. But the drugs are good and frequent.
The writing is simple and feels right for a drug dependent woman. The story took me into a world I know nought about - sleeping on the street, begging, street prostitution, drug taking, unemployment.
There are good people in the story who try to help but unless you want to help yourself nothing will change when you are addicted to something.
The writing is simple and feels right for a drug dependent woman. The story took me into a world I know nought about - sleeping on the street, begging, street prostitution, drug taking, unemployment.
There are good people in the story who try to help but unless you want to help yourself nothing will change when you are addicted to something.
March 13, 2019
‘People can surprise you sometimes, but not usually. Most of the time, people act exactly as you’d expect.’
Having not read Wimmera, I had no preconceived notions of what to expect from Mark Brandi, although, perusing reviews of The Rip by readers who have read both of his novels tells me that he’s rather mercurial, in that these two novels are quite different to each other. He’s certainly a talent that I am keen to watch out for and I’ll be digging Wimmera out from the depths of my TBR sooner rather than later. He has a clean edge to his writing, his narrative is pared right back to the bone, but every word has impact. The rawness of this story really hit me hard and fast, his message rang clear and true.
The Rip is a novel about homelessness and addiction, about people who have felt the sharp edges of life and become tangled in too deep. It’s also about loyalty, and reaching out to other people, no matter how many times they say no. And it’s about vulnerability, how incredibly vulnerable young people are when they are addicted to drugs and live on the streets. It’s this vulnerability that has remained with me, etching itself into my consciousness. We think we know all about predators, but what we know, from our cosy homes with locking doors and safely tucked up children is nothing compared to what street kids face. That’s the powerful punch this novel packs, you think you know the story, but then the story actually shows itself to you, in all its glory, and you want to look away but you can’t.
Dani, our protagonist, was a girl I wanted to both shake and hug in equal measure. She was held within the grasp of heroine so tightly, but she’d give her money away to another homeless man who she deemed worse off than herself. She slept on the streets instead of in shelters because she’d adopted a dog and wouldn’t part from him. She was loyal to her best friend, to the point of endangering herself. And because of her addiction, she couldn’t process just how much her life was at risk; she could sense it, but not fully realise and translate those feelings of fear into action. Dani is the product of a welfare system that has let down the kids who depend upon it. When you read between the lines of her story, it’s a shameful, awful thing to contemplate that some children may in fact be safer on the streets than placed in foster homes. And that’s saying something.
The Rip was an edge of your seat read and I couldn’t put it down, I read it straight through in one evening. It really is a novel for our times. Highly recommended.
‘That’s the thing – when you’re on the street, it’s important not to be too conspicuous, to make yourself disappear a bit. Because if you get in the way of what normal people are doing, that’s when you get into trouble. But if you’re just in the background, an inconvenience, or a bit of an eyesore, it’s not so bad. People can live with that. Mostly.’
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of The Rip for review.
Having not read Wimmera, I had no preconceived notions of what to expect from Mark Brandi, although, perusing reviews of The Rip by readers who have read both of his novels tells me that he’s rather mercurial, in that these two novels are quite different to each other. He’s certainly a talent that I am keen to watch out for and I’ll be digging Wimmera out from the depths of my TBR sooner rather than later. He has a clean edge to his writing, his narrative is pared right back to the bone, but every word has impact. The rawness of this story really hit me hard and fast, his message rang clear and true.
The Rip is a novel about homelessness and addiction, about people who have felt the sharp edges of life and become tangled in too deep. It’s also about loyalty, and reaching out to other people, no matter how many times they say no. And it’s about vulnerability, how incredibly vulnerable young people are when they are addicted to drugs and live on the streets. It’s this vulnerability that has remained with me, etching itself into my consciousness. We think we know all about predators, but what we know, from our cosy homes with locking doors and safely tucked up children is nothing compared to what street kids face. That’s the powerful punch this novel packs, you think you know the story, but then the story actually shows itself to you, in all its glory, and you want to look away but you can’t.
Dani, our protagonist, was a girl I wanted to both shake and hug in equal measure. She was held within the grasp of heroine so tightly, but she’d give her money away to another homeless man who she deemed worse off than herself. She slept on the streets instead of in shelters because she’d adopted a dog and wouldn’t part from him. She was loyal to her best friend, to the point of endangering herself. And because of her addiction, she couldn’t process just how much her life was at risk; she could sense it, but not fully realise and translate those feelings of fear into action. Dani is the product of a welfare system that has let down the kids who depend upon it. When you read between the lines of her story, it’s a shameful, awful thing to contemplate that some children may in fact be safer on the streets than placed in foster homes. And that’s saying something.
The Rip was an edge of your seat read and I couldn’t put it down, I read it straight through in one evening. It really is a novel for our times. Highly recommended.
‘That’s the thing – when you’re on the street, it’s important not to be too conspicuous, to make yourself disappear a bit. Because if you get in the way of what normal people are doing, that’s when you get into trouble. But if you’re just in the background, an inconvenience, or a bit of an eyesore, it’s not so bad. People can live with that. Mostly.’
Thanks is extended to Hachette Australia for providing me with a copy of The Rip for review.
December 27, 2018
I have strong opposing feelings about this book.
I loved the writing style. It is both meandering and plot driven at the same time, something that I imagine is incredibly hard to do and which Mark Brandi excels at. The characters - particularly the narrator - were so complete, so complex, that they felt fundamentally real to me throughout the book. It's a beautiful book and one that I'm sure will stay with me.
For a book that's essentially about homelessness and drug abuse in Australia I felt that it inadvertently supported a misleading point of view regarding homelessness in Australia. Even as I write this criticism I completely acknowledge that it's not the author's intention, nor his mandate, to provide a comprehensive view of the current state of this issue, and I do feel he did a better job of realistically addressing the issues than most authors who write on this subject.
However I get frustrated in general by authors who give the impression that homelessness equals drug addiction and vice versa. A study earlier this year showed more than half of the homeless people surveyed had suffered a psychotic illness and one in five became homeless after leaving a psychiatric facility. This makes mental illness a huge contributor to homelessness but one that's seldom addressed in fiction with equal weight as drug addiction, arguably because drug addiction is less confronting and more interesting to the reader.
Some people perceive drug addicts with a certain amount of blame. If those people also believe that all homeless people are drug addicts they'll be less likely to support related charities, government projects or even just give money to people begging on the street. The misconception could have lasting consequences to policy and support for homeless people for decades to come.
Sorry for the semi-ranty review to close out my year. Having said all this The Rip was an excellent novel and I would highly recommend it.
If you are interested in homelessness in Australia try this Guardian article which also links to the report I mentioned. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2...
I loved the writing style. It is both meandering and plot driven at the same time, something that I imagine is incredibly hard to do and which Mark Brandi excels at. The characters - particularly the narrator - were so complete, so complex, that they felt fundamentally real to me throughout the book. It's a beautiful book and one that I'm sure will stay with me.
For a book that's essentially about homelessness and drug abuse in Australia I felt that it inadvertently supported a misleading point of view regarding homelessness in Australia. Even as I write this criticism I completely acknowledge that it's not the author's intention, nor his mandate, to provide a comprehensive view of the current state of this issue, and I do feel he did a better job of realistically addressing the issues than most authors who write on this subject.
However I get frustrated in general by authors who give the impression that homelessness equals drug addiction and vice versa. A study earlier this year showed more than half of the homeless people surveyed had suffered a psychotic illness and one in five became homeless after leaving a psychiatric facility. This makes mental illness a huge contributor to homelessness but one that's seldom addressed in fiction with equal weight as drug addiction, arguably because drug addiction is less confronting and more interesting to the reader.
Some people perceive drug addicts with a certain amount of blame. If those people also believe that all homeless people are drug addicts they'll be less likely to support related charities, government projects or even just give money to people begging on the street. The misconception could have lasting consequences to policy and support for homeless people for decades to come.
Sorry for the semi-ranty review to close out my year. Having said all this The Rip was an excellent novel and I would highly recommend it.
If you are interested in homelessness in Australia try this Guardian article which also links to the report I mentioned. https://www.theguardian.com/society/2...
March 25, 2019
I can not recommend this taut, devastating, entirely gripping book enough.
Dani is a teenager living on the streets with her friend Anton and her dog Sunny. They meet up with Steve an old acquaintance of Anton’s and life gets a whole lot worse for them. What will an addict do for their next hit? What will one friend do for another?
THIS is how to write! No need to explain everything, you can be explicit without being didactic.
Dani is a teenager living on the streets with her friend Anton and her dog Sunny. They meet up with Steve an old acquaintance of Anton’s and life gets a whole lot worse for them. What will an addict do for their next hit? What will one friend do for another?
THIS is how to write! No need to explain everything, you can be explicit without being didactic.
March 6, 2020
The Rip is a story told from the perspective of a homeless woman living on the streets in Melbourne, Australia. She has two close friends in life. Anton, who came to her rescue one day and they have been inseparable since. And, Sunny, her faithful dog.
Through the woman's eyes whom we don't get to know her name till the end. We get to find out the harsh realities of living rough on the streets. And, it's not a pretty picture. I found some of this story hard to take in, purely for the fact that for some people in this world, this woman's story is their reality. It has also made me stop and think more about homeless people. Each one has a different tale to tell, it's not all cut and dry about how someone ends up living on the streets. Every person has a reason why they no longer have a home.
A quote from the book sums up beautifully how quick things can change.
'It's funny how quick it happens and without you really noticing. Anton said once that it's like walking out into the sea, and you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.'
There's a saying that we are only one pay cheque away from being homeless.
As we follow the woman and Anton's story. They befriend Steve, who allows them to stay in his place for a while. And this is were the story takes a turn for the worse. Anton, under Steve's spell spirals into a criminal world. The woman who is already hooked on drugs to keep her going knows that something's amiss. Yet, the lure of drugs and a roof over her head keeps her from delving to deep.
Now, usually in reviews I don't talk much about the ending as I don't want to spoil it for you. However, I feel I need to here because this ending has got me slightly perplexed and left me wondering long after reading. It's one of those endings that you just need to discuss with others and gather thoughts. What I've taken from it is that Brandi wants that, for us the reader to have different opinions and interpretations. Just like Anton and the woman had their differing views of the ending of Pans Labyrinth.
The Rip is a gritty and hard hitting read, definitely a short read. It will leave you wanting more.
Through the woman's eyes whom we don't get to know her name till the end. We get to find out the harsh realities of living rough on the streets. And, it's not a pretty picture. I found some of this story hard to take in, purely for the fact that for some people in this world, this woman's story is their reality. It has also made me stop and think more about homeless people. Each one has a different tale to tell, it's not all cut and dry about how someone ends up living on the streets. Every person has a reason why they no longer have a home.
A quote from the book sums up beautifully how quick things can change.
'It's funny how quick it happens and without you really noticing. Anton said once that it's like walking out into the sea, and you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip.'
There's a saying that we are only one pay cheque away from being homeless.
As we follow the woman and Anton's story. They befriend Steve, who allows them to stay in his place for a while. And this is were the story takes a turn for the worse. Anton, under Steve's spell spirals into a criminal world. The woman who is already hooked on drugs to keep her going knows that something's amiss. Yet, the lure of drugs and a roof over her head keeps her from delving to deep.
Now, usually in reviews I don't talk much about the ending as I don't want to spoil it for you. However, I feel I need to here because this ending has got me slightly perplexed and left me wondering long after reading. It's one of those endings that you just need to discuss with others and gather thoughts. What I've taken from it is that Brandi wants that, for us the reader to have different opinions and interpretations. Just like Anton and the woman had their differing views of the ending of Pans Labyrinth.
The Rip is a gritty and hard hitting read, definitely a short read. It will leave you wanting more.
June 1, 2025
A gritty story, told through first person narrative from the perspective of a young woman experiencing addiction and living rough.
Mark Brandi is skilled at writing authentic, sometimes dark perspectives.
Mark Brandi is skilled at writing authentic, sometimes dark perspectives.
February 15, 2023
Setting: Melbourne, Australia.
The story is narrated in the first person by a homeless woman who is a drug addict and occasional sex worker, living in a city centre park with a friend, Anton. She tells of their day-to-day struggles to survive whilst Anton continually makes plans for their future, which it is clear are unlikely to come to fruition. Then Anton meets a former acquaintance, Steve, and the couple are soon in his thrall after he lets them stay in his flat. But the narrator, who we later discover is called Dani, is sent out begging on the street and Anton is dragged into Steve's burglary enterprises. But Dani doesn't like staying with Steve - there is a horrible smell in the flat, which seems to be emanating from Steve's locked bedroom, and people keep asking about Marietta (whose flat it is but who Steve says is in a psychiatric hospital). Anton says they will only stay as long as it takes to save enough money to play a deposit on their own flat but, as the couple get more involved with Steve and deeper into drugs, Anton and Dani's plans look like a mere pipe dream....
The story was dark and gritty and also presented a unique view of 'normal' life as seen from the point of view of a homeless person. However, I couldn't help feeling that many of Dani's problems were self-inflicted to an extent by her refusal to address her addiction issues and consequently I didn't feel as much sympathy for her as I perhaps should have done. But my main problem with the book was the inconclusive ending: Answers needed! - 6.5/10.
The story is narrated in the first person by a homeless woman who is a drug addict and occasional sex worker, living in a city centre park with a friend, Anton. She tells of their day-to-day struggles to survive whilst Anton continually makes plans for their future, which it is clear are unlikely to come to fruition. Then Anton meets a former acquaintance, Steve, and the couple are soon in his thrall after he lets them stay in his flat. But the narrator, who we later discover is called Dani, is sent out begging on the street and Anton is dragged into Steve's burglary enterprises. But Dani doesn't like staying with Steve - there is a horrible smell in the flat, which seems to be emanating from Steve's locked bedroom, and people keep asking about Marietta (whose flat it is but who Steve says is in a psychiatric hospital). Anton says they will only stay as long as it takes to save enough money to play a deposit on their own flat but, as the couple get more involved with Steve and deeper into drugs, Anton and Dani's plans look like a mere pipe dream....
The story was dark and gritty and also presented a unique view of 'normal' life as seen from the point of view of a homeless person. However, I couldn't help feeling that many of Dani's problems were self-inflicted to an extent by her refusal to address her addiction issues and consequently I didn't feel as much sympathy for her as I perhaps should have done. But my main problem with the book was the inconclusive ending: Answers needed! - 6.5/10.
March 10, 2019
I read this in a sitting. Its very short but packs a punch with its dark themes. Its definitely a character study on addiction, homelessness but also friendship. I just didnt feel like the plot was all that engaging. It needed some more depth. It was an overly simple plot as well. However this isnt a novel that relies on its plot to deliever the story.
March 16, 2019
Rarely has book grabbed my emotions and held them in a vice like this one.
There is a short prologue, clearly a snippet of a police interview, that is just enough to alert the reader that somewhere in the story someone has gone missing.
The rest of the tale is told in the first person by a homeless young female drug addict. We only discover in the last chapter that her name is Danielle. She has a close platonic male friend Anton and the real love of her life, a bull terrier called Sunny. Anton is also drug dependent but has weaned himself onto prescription drugs like Endone. Sunny is the one almost sane major character in this story.
The novel takes its name from a metaphor for drug addiction, the effect on people of a rip in the surf. (For readers overseas, this is a very strong current at a beach where incoming water surges rapidly out to sea. There are many fatalities by drowning each summer in rips in Australia.) As Brandi writes of drug addiction " ... it's like walking out into the sea, and you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip."
Set in Melbourne (Australia), many of the place references will be very familiar to Melbournites, but for those unfamiliar with Melbourne, I suspect you will have to be content with the descriptions. They are accurate.
The novel is driven lightly by plot, but extensively by Brandi's wonderful development of the character of the narrator. He manages to create an entirely sympathetic character out of a not very smart, abused addict who is homeless, makes money as an amateurish prostitute or by begging and understands but constantly rationalises her addiction. The novelist's great skill was to make me really care for Danielle and to fear for her so much as the plot developed. The key development is when she and Anton accept an offer to move into a share house with Steve, someone Anton has known from time he spent in gaol.
Once that move is made, the menace in the story develops gradually but with increasing impetus. The rip metaphor extends even further into the plot.
"The Rip" is a brilliant piece of writing. It moves the reader into a world that I am sure almost none would know - certainly it's foreign to me - populated by people that most of us would shun. Yet Brandi makes them so human. It's impossible not to empathise with Danielle and like Anton. The narrator's discussion of the everyday cares of finding things to eat, a place to have a shower and even the sense of community amongst homeless people sleeping rough in a park seems so ordinary. Brandi is non-judgmental. He just presents things as they are and allows the reader to form their own views. . He even introduces average cops but one who is worldly-wise, clearly good-hearted and who cares in a fatherly way for Danielle.
Brandi also develops the menace in the story gradually, with the odd red herring, but this sense of menace left me fearing the worst as the story neared its climax. That climax was awful, some of it expected by then but the final denouement unexpected.
This is a gripping book, beautifully written about an underworld most of us ignore. It was hard to put down. Brandi has done what few new authors are able to do - write a book much different to but so much better than his first. Oh, and that ("Wimmera") was highly awarded.
There is a short prologue, clearly a snippet of a police interview, that is just enough to alert the reader that somewhere in the story someone has gone missing.
The rest of the tale is told in the first person by a homeless young female drug addict. We only discover in the last chapter that her name is Danielle. She has a close platonic male friend Anton and the real love of her life, a bull terrier called Sunny. Anton is also drug dependent but has weaned himself onto prescription drugs like Endone. Sunny is the one almost sane major character in this story.
The novel takes its name from a metaphor for drug addiction, the effect on people of a rip in the surf. (For readers overseas, this is a very strong current at a beach where incoming water surges rapidly out to sea. There are many fatalities by drowning each summer in rips in Australia.) As Brandi writes of drug addiction " ... it's like walking out into the sea, and you think everything's fine and the water's warm, but when you turn back you're suddenly miles from shore. I've never been much of a swimmer, but I get what he means. Like, being caught in a current or something. A rip."
Set in Melbourne (Australia), many of the place references will be very familiar to Melbournites, but for those unfamiliar with Melbourne, I suspect you will have to be content with the descriptions. They are accurate.
The novel is driven lightly by plot, but extensively by Brandi's wonderful development of the character of the narrator. He manages to create an entirely sympathetic character out of a not very smart, abused addict who is homeless, makes money as an amateurish prostitute or by begging and understands but constantly rationalises her addiction. The novelist's great skill was to make me really care for Danielle and to fear for her so much as the plot developed. The key development is when she and Anton accept an offer to move into a share house with Steve, someone Anton has known from time he spent in gaol.
Once that move is made, the menace in the story develops gradually but with increasing impetus. The rip metaphor extends even further into the plot.
"The Rip" is a brilliant piece of writing. It moves the reader into a world that I am sure almost none would know - certainly it's foreign to me - populated by people that most of us would shun. Yet Brandi makes them so human. It's impossible not to empathise with Danielle and like Anton. The narrator's discussion of the everyday cares of finding things to eat, a place to have a shower and even the sense of community amongst homeless people sleeping rough in a park seems so ordinary. Brandi is non-judgmental. He just presents things as they are and allows the reader to form their own views. . He even introduces average cops but one who is worldly-wise, clearly good-hearted and who cares in a fatherly way for Danielle.
Brandi also develops the menace in the story gradually, with the odd red herring, but this sense of menace left me fearing the worst as the story neared its climax. That climax was awful, some of it expected by then but the final denouement unexpected.
This is a gripping book, beautifully written about an underworld most of us ignore. It was hard to put down. Brandi has done what few new authors are able to do - write a book much different to but so much better than his first. Oh, and that ("Wimmera") was highly awarded.
February 7, 2020
This was a really interesting book about homelessness and drugs.
I've already read a book about homelessness this year, from a young person's perspective so it was really interesting reading from a more adult perspective this time.
I think the book was really well done. It covered really sensitive issues from drugs and prostitution to violence and family, in a really sensitive and well done way.
The writing was very simplistic but I think that made the story more believable. The writing reflected the academic ability of the characters, it definitely made the story more realistic.
I really felt for the main character in this book, her story was very powerful and I definitely felt connected to her as a character.
I liked how the author chose not to just include Male characters. Woman make up a large portion of people living on the streets, so I was pleased to see a female main character in this book too.
There was nothing inherently wrong or bad about this book. It was very short, so it was quick to read. For me, it just wasn't that remarkable. It was interesting, insightful and had a very powerful message but I probably will never return to it.
Its definitely not an easy book to read, it's hard hitting and does deal with some sensitive subjects.
Overall, it's a very interesting read about homelessness
TW: drugs, rape, murder, suicide and prostitution
I've already read a book about homelessness this year, from a young person's perspective so it was really interesting reading from a more adult perspective this time.
I think the book was really well done. It covered really sensitive issues from drugs and prostitution to violence and family, in a really sensitive and well done way.
The writing was very simplistic but I think that made the story more believable. The writing reflected the academic ability of the characters, it definitely made the story more realistic.
I really felt for the main character in this book, her story was very powerful and I definitely felt connected to her as a character.
I liked how the author chose not to just include Male characters. Woman make up a large portion of people living on the streets, so I was pleased to see a female main character in this book too.
There was nothing inherently wrong or bad about this book. It was very short, so it was quick to read. For me, it just wasn't that remarkable. It was interesting, insightful and had a very powerful message but I probably will never return to it.
Its definitely not an easy book to read, it's hard hitting and does deal with some sensitive subjects.
Overall, it's a very interesting read about homelessness
TW: drugs, rape, murder, suicide and prostitution
April 5, 2024
A young woman is living on the streets with her beloved dog Sunny and her friend Anton. She’s a drug addict, living from day to day to get her fix. Then she and Anton meet up with Anton’s old mate Steve and end up crashing at a place he’s staying at. But there’s an odd smell emanating from a locked door…
I loved this book. It’s just a shortish book and it doesn’t really have that big a plot, truth be told. But the descriptions of drug use and addiction had me absolutely gripped. It was realistic, dirty, sordid but equally fascinating and compelling. The author creates such an accurate image of these characters and their lives that I felt like I was there, looking on.
My first book by Mark Brandi, who is an Australian author, now I’m off to find out more about him.
I loved this book. It’s just a shortish book and it doesn’t really have that big a plot, truth be told. But the descriptions of drug use and addiction had me absolutely gripped. It was realistic, dirty, sordid but equally fascinating and compelling. The author creates such an accurate image of these characters and their lives that I felt like I was there, looking on.
My first book by Mark Brandi, who is an Australian author, now I’m off to find out more about him.
April 7, 2019
3. 5 Stars
Spoiler Alert 🚨.
The Rip has me completely torn. I was so looking forward to this book after author @mb_randi commented on my Instagram review of his first book Wimmera and @mrsb_book_reviews gave it 5 stars. Up until I got to the last chapter, I loved The Rip. Brandi again writes on dark issues so well that you cannot help but wonder what his life was like prior to being a writer. I love the way that he does not always say the words out loud but gives you enough of a taste to let your imagination run wild with where you think the story is going. This combined with solid and interesting characters, descriptions of Melbourne and it’s inner suburbs; and a great plot made for a book that I could not put down. (Oh and as a former Melbournian who now lives in Hervey Bay, I loved the references to both places.) Then I got to the last chapter and all I could think was WTF?!
I actually checked the book to make sure that it wasn’t missing some pages. The innuendo about what would happen to Anton in prison was simply not enough for me to have him going from being on remand to Danielle visiting his grave. There was also nowhere near enough about what happened to Steve and the fall out for the murders he committed. For me, Brandi’s usual ability to understate yet convey a lot of information fell short. It was such an abrupt end that it took away from the five star read the rest of the book was and left me feeling a bit ripped off.
I would still recommend it because aside from the abrupt final chapter, it’s a great second book and well worth a read and inclusion in #ktbookbingo
Spoiler Alert 🚨.
The Rip has me completely torn. I was so looking forward to this book after author @mb_randi commented on my Instagram review of his first book Wimmera and @mrsb_book_reviews gave it 5 stars. Up until I got to the last chapter, I loved The Rip. Brandi again writes on dark issues so well that you cannot help but wonder what his life was like prior to being a writer. I love the way that he does not always say the words out loud but gives you enough of a taste to let your imagination run wild with where you think the story is going. This combined with solid and interesting characters, descriptions of Melbourne and it’s inner suburbs; and a great plot made for a book that I could not put down. (Oh and as a former Melbournian who now lives in Hervey Bay, I loved the references to both places.) Then I got to the last chapter and all I could think was WTF?!
I actually checked the book to make sure that it wasn’t missing some pages. The innuendo about what would happen to Anton in prison was simply not enough for me to have him going from being on remand to Danielle visiting his grave. There was also nowhere near enough about what happened to Steve and the fall out for the murders he committed. For me, Brandi’s usual ability to understate yet convey a lot of information fell short. It was such an abrupt end that it took away from the five star read the rest of the book was and left me feeling a bit ripped off.
I would still recommend it because aside from the abrupt final chapter, it’s a great second book and well worth a read and inclusion in #ktbookbingo
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 28, 2019
I wanted to like this book. After all, it's written about my home town. But I just found it irritatingly mono-tonal with no development or real insights into any of the characters.
May 4, 2019
Mark Brandi is shaping up to be a fantastic Australian author. I was first introduced to him in his book, Wimmera, an authentic crime drama set in an Australian rural town.
The rip is his second novel and while quite different, Brandi writes with the same authenticity and sincerity as his first. Set in Melbourne, the rip is told through the lives of a girl living on the streets wth her best friend Anton. We don’t find out much of her past or how she has arrived at her station in life except through a few snippets, as Brandi keeps her firmly in the here and now, as we follow her daily life, are witness to her thoughts, reservations and longings. In doing so we are afforded an amazing insight into a young person ‘on the gear’, always in search of the next hit. But yet we see into her life realities and I found myself really liking her. She provides the reader with a window into her thoughts... some of which left a sobering mark in me like ‘like Anton says, you never really know what’s going on inside of someone, even if it looks like they’re happy, or having a really good life.’ P 163
The rip is incredibly sad and by the end I was left a little hollow yet very glad to have journeyed thought the book. I found Brandi’s concept of the rip very apt and meaningful too... the notion that you think you’re fine in the warm water and all of a sudden you realise you’re miles from shore...
Growing up as an Aussie kid, spending time at the beach I’m all too aware of the dangers of the rip...
“We’re past the breakers now, in open water, and miles from shore. I can’t see it but know it must be there, somewhere beyond the horizon”. P 148
The rip is his second novel and while quite different, Brandi writes with the same authenticity and sincerity as his first. Set in Melbourne, the rip is told through the lives of a girl living on the streets wth her best friend Anton. We don’t find out much of her past or how she has arrived at her station in life except through a few snippets, as Brandi keeps her firmly in the here and now, as we follow her daily life, are witness to her thoughts, reservations and longings. In doing so we are afforded an amazing insight into a young person ‘on the gear’, always in search of the next hit. But yet we see into her life realities and I found myself really liking her. She provides the reader with a window into her thoughts... some of which left a sobering mark in me like ‘like Anton says, you never really know what’s going on inside of someone, even if it looks like they’re happy, or having a really good life.’ P 163
The rip is incredibly sad and by the end I was left a little hollow yet very glad to have journeyed thought the book. I found Brandi’s concept of the rip very apt and meaningful too... the notion that you think you’re fine in the warm water and all of a sudden you realise you’re miles from shore...
Growing up as an Aussie kid, spending time at the beach I’m all too aware of the dangers of the rip...
“We’re past the breakers now, in open water, and miles from shore. I can’t see it but know it must be there, somewhere beyond the horizon”. P 148
April 1, 2019
This is a definite ‘page-turner’ with a surprisingly philosophical bent to it courtesy of the novel’s protagonist Dani. Against all odds, she remains candid, loyal, resilient and remarkably optimistic running the gauntlet as she does against cops and robbers on the streets of Melbourne as a homeless, drug-dependent young woman.
Viewers of TV crime programs will easily identify Dani’s friends and foes, the scenes of Melbourne city life are gritty and atmospheric and the relationship between Dani and her dog Sunny beautifully portrayed - all good reasons to read and enjoy The Rip .
Viewers of TV crime programs will easily identify Dani’s friends and foes, the scenes of Melbourne city life are gritty and atmospheric and the relationship between Dani and her dog Sunny beautifully portrayed - all good reasons to read and enjoy The Rip .
February 16, 2024
Oh my goodness. Fabulous read. Tough as well. It just makes you feel so grateful for what we have.
March 20, 2019
From rural noir to inner-city grit, this book is a huge departure from Wimmera. It’s excellent from start to finish, drawing you inexorably into the introspective world of the narrator. We’re up close and personal with her every step of the story. Marvellous writing, absolutely marvellous.
April 13, 2019
‘We walk and walk, like it doesn’t matter where we’re going.
We walk like we might just keep going on forever.’
This is a novel about homelessness and addiction. A novel in which uncertainty and crime travel together. Survival is about seizing opportunities: acting first and maybe thinking later. These are the rough edges of life that many of us are only peripherally aware of.
‘Tomorrow doesn’t matter so much. Or the next day. Or the day after that.’
Dani lives on the streets with Sunny the dog and her friend Anton. Dani won’t take refuge in a shelter because she wouldn’t be able to keep Sunny there. Anton looks out for Dani, when he can. But things change when Steve offers Anton and Dani a place in the flat he lives in. Any reluctance Dani has is swept away when Steve offers her heroin. Dani is going to get clean one day. Maybe. But it quickly becomes clear that Steve’s flat is no refuge. Anton changes under Steve’s influence, and clouded by her addiction, Dani is unable to react to the signs of danger they are both in. Danger? There’s an unusual smell in Steve’s flat, and he always keeps the door locked.
Oh, Dani. You became so real to me as I read this novel. I wanted you to make some different choices, to find a place of safety. But, how could you? Only people with options can make such choices. This is an uncomfortable read, raising awareness and challenging assumptions. There are no neat answers, no happy ever after endings. Just a reminder that, however well-intentioned they may be, our middle-class designed welfare systems don’t always work.
‘I’m getting off track a bit, but it’s important to explain things sometimes, because otherwise people might think you’re a bit shallow, you know?’
This is Mr Brandi’s second novel. I’ve enjoyed them both, but this one made me far more uncomfortable than the first.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
We walk like we might just keep going on forever.’
This is a novel about homelessness and addiction. A novel in which uncertainty and crime travel together. Survival is about seizing opportunities: acting first and maybe thinking later. These are the rough edges of life that many of us are only peripherally aware of.
‘Tomorrow doesn’t matter so much. Or the next day. Or the day after that.’
Dani lives on the streets with Sunny the dog and her friend Anton. Dani won’t take refuge in a shelter because she wouldn’t be able to keep Sunny there. Anton looks out for Dani, when he can. But things change when Steve offers Anton and Dani a place in the flat he lives in. Any reluctance Dani has is swept away when Steve offers her heroin. Dani is going to get clean one day. Maybe. But it quickly becomes clear that Steve’s flat is no refuge. Anton changes under Steve’s influence, and clouded by her addiction, Dani is unable to react to the signs of danger they are both in. Danger? There’s an unusual smell in Steve’s flat, and he always keeps the door locked.
Oh, Dani. You became so real to me as I read this novel. I wanted you to make some different choices, to find a place of safety. But, how could you? Only people with options can make such choices. This is an uncomfortable read, raising awareness and challenging assumptions. There are no neat answers, no happy ever after endings. Just a reminder that, however well-intentioned they may be, our middle-class designed welfare systems don’t always work.
‘I’m getting off track a bit, but it’s important to explain things sometimes, because otherwise people might think you’re a bit shallow, you know?’
This is Mr Brandi’s second novel. I’ve enjoyed them both, but this one made me far more uncomfortable than the first.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
March 17, 2019
My View:
Mark Brandi has a special talent, a super power, he is able to insert poignant, authentic characters into his narratives that tell urban, contemporary stories that have great social impact. Subtle yet powerful, what an amazing voice he and his characters have.
Bravo! Encore!
What’s next Mark? I can’t wait to find out.
Mark Brandi has a special talent, a super power, he is able to insert poignant, authentic characters into his narratives that tell urban, contemporary stories that have great social impact. Subtle yet powerful, what an amazing voice he and his characters have.
Bravo! Encore!
What’s next Mark? I can’t wait to find out.
April 5, 2019
Some great elements, but I think the author missed some sort of deadline with his publisher because it is half written. He tells the reader the punchline in the first pages, drifts and wafts around Melbourne naming places so we know he actually visited them, gives us a good understanding of his character, skips directly over any climactic elements and ends. We knew what had happened the minute they stepped into the flat.. if that's that... why write anymore? weird non story
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 21, 2019
A hypnotic read.
A character driven novel, with homelessness and drug abuse underpinning the life of our narrator.
Complex characters who feel very real, this is a dark tale.
Despite the bleakness of these themes to most of us, our lead character doesn’t overly focus on the negatives of her life – it just is what it is and she deals with whatever comes her way.
A character driven novel, with homelessness and drug abuse underpinning the life of our narrator.
Complex characters who feel very real, this is a dark tale.
Despite the bleakness of these themes to most of us, our lead character doesn’t overly focus on the negatives of her life – it just is what it is and she deals with whatever comes her way.
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