Names for Nothingness

by Georgia Blain

In her final year at school, Caitlin meets Fraser, a Satya Deva devotee, on the bus. Her life is instantly changed, and she gives up everything to be with him and to follow his faith. Her past means nothing to her - all that matters is that she is with her new family, a family who can give her what she needs as she pursues a path that involves denying the person she once was and the people she once loved.

Her parents, Liam and Sharn, have reached an impasse. Sharn spends her days resenting Liam and his inaction; Liam spends his watching video footage of his family in happier times. With Caitlin's sudden disappearance, the relationship is stretched even further, almost to breaking point.

When Sharn finally tracks Caitlin down, what she discovers will force her to take matters into her own hands. If her daughter won't come home, she'll make her.

Genres: Fiction

Paperback

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Georgia Blain has published novels for adults and young adults, essays, short stories, and a memoir. Her first novel was the bestselling Closed for Winter, which was made into a feature film. She was shortlisted for numerous awards including the NSW and SA Premiers' Literary Awards, and the Nita B. Kibble Award for her memoir Births Deaths Marriages. Georgia's works include The Secret Lives of Men, Too Close to Home, and the YA novel Darkwater. In 2016, in addition to Between a Wolf and a Dog, Georgia also published the YA novel Special. She lived in Sydney, where she worked full-time as a writer.

Reviews

[John Gilbert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Georgia Blain was an extraordinary writer who got inside relationships and people. This book is so engrossing that you are riveted until the final page. But don't expect happy or fulfilling, just hold on for the ride. Recommended.

[Nathalie Bilinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning, I couldn’t put it down.

[Joanne Osborne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is like no other I have read and I’m still unsure of how I feel
I love her writing and characters but this one a bit dreary for me

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I nearly didn’t persist with Names for Nothingness. It was a whining sort of book, about dreary people. The central character, Sharn, was a rough wastrel of a girl who left home early, bummed around (presumably on the dole) and slept around indiscriminately until one day she got pregnant. It was as good as gang rape, but the suggestion is that she deserved it because she was too drunk to say no. (This is not an opinion I share. No always means No.)

Anyway, Sharn ends up at Sassafras with a pseudo guru named Simeon, where she lets herself be used again until she meets Liam, who unexpectedly loves her, and the unwanted child. This unwanted child, Kaitlyn, eventually has one of her own, which Sharn has to rescue from neglect, but Liam objects. He’s a bit of a loser by now, unemployed, cadging money from his mother, useless around the house. He decides he’s had enough and sets out to return the child and drifts into life without Sharn.

Both these characters have epiphanies: she’s a control freak and she realises she has to let go of Kaitlyn and ease up on Liam; he realises that Kaitlyn doesn’t care about the child. I felt like giving all these characters a good shake!

To see how Names for Nothingness fits into a pattern of preoccupations, see my reviews of Blain's other novels at http://anzlitlovers.wordpress.com/200...

[Robyn333 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hippy single mother meets man at ashram in Australia, who turns into more of a parent for the daughter than the mother. Daughter drops out of year 12 school to live in a cult and moves to northern Queensland, and has a baby who she is unable to look after either. The mother finally gets a conscious and rescues the baby, who surprise surprise is looked after by the man. Very twisted as neither of the parents communicate very well with each other but have made a life of sorts together.

[Jill · Rating 4 out of 5]

A strange yet interesting book. Dysfunctional mother raises dysfunctional daughter. The personality type attracted to cults and the darkness of a cult that preaches nothingness... no past, no future, no loves or connections. Just now, this moment. No one cares about anything.

[Roslyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Never get involved in a cult!

[Nicole Vasquez · Rating 2 out of 5]

What kind of ending was that?! Enough said.