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Bruny
How far would your government go?
A right-wing US president has withdrawn America from the Middle East and the UN. Daesh has a thoroughfare to the sea and China is Australia's newest ally. When a bomb goes off in remote Tasmania, Astrid Coleman agrees to return home to help her brother before an upcoming election. But this is no simple task. Her brother and sister are on either side of politics, the community is full of conspiracy theories, and her father is quoting Shakespeare. Only on Bruny does the world seem sane.
Until Astrid discovers how far the government is willing to go.
Bruny is a searing, subversive, brilliant novel about family, love, loyalty and the new world order.
A right-wing US president has withdrawn America from the Middle East and the UN. Daesh has a thoroughfare to the sea and China is Australia's newest ally. When a bomb goes off in remote Tasmania, Astrid Coleman agrees to return home to help her brother before an upcoming election. But this is no simple task. Her brother and sister are on either side of politics, the community is full of conspiracy theories, and her father is quoting Shakespeare. Only on Bruny does the world seem sane.
Until Astrid discovers how far the government is willing to go.
Bruny is a searing, subversive, brilliant novel about family, love, loyalty and the new world order.
424 pages, Paperback
Published October 1, 2019
326 people are currently reading
3521 people want to read
About the author
Heather Rose
7 books459 followersHeather Rose is the bestselling Australian author of eight novels. Heather writes for both adults and children. Her adult novels include Bruny, The Museum of Modern Love, The River Wife & The Butterfly Man.
The Museum of Modern Love won the 2017 Stella Prize, the Christina Stead Prize and the Margaret Scott Prize. It was shortlisted for the Australian Literary Society Medal and longlisted for the IMPAC Awards. It has been published internationally and translated into numerous languages. Both stage and screen rights have been acquired.
Bruny, published 2019, is a political thriller, family saga and a novel about the new world order. described as 'more a hand grenade than a book' What would you do to protect the place you love? And how far will the Australian government go to placate foreign interests?
Heather’s first novel White Heart was published in 1999. It was followed by The Butterfly Man in 2005 – a story based on the disappearance of British peer Lord Lucan in 1974. The Butterfly Man was longlisted for the IMPAC Awards, shortlisted for the Nita B Kibble Award and won the 2006 Davitt Award for the Crime Fiction Novel of the Year written by an Australian woman.
Heather writes the acclaimed Tuesday McGillycuddy series for children under the pen name Angelica Banks with award-winning author Danielle Wood. The series begins with Finding Serendipity with sequels A Week Without Tuesday and Blueberry Pancakes Forever. The novels have been shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards for best fantasy children's fiction and are published internationally.
Heather lives on the island of Tasmania.
The Museum of Modern Love won the 2017 Stella Prize, the Christina Stead Prize and the Margaret Scott Prize. It was shortlisted for the Australian Literary Society Medal and longlisted for the IMPAC Awards. It has been published internationally and translated into numerous languages. Both stage and screen rights have been acquired.
Bruny, published 2019, is a political thriller, family saga and a novel about the new world order. described as 'more a hand grenade than a book' What would you do to protect the place you love? And how far will the Australian government go to placate foreign interests?
Heather’s first novel White Heart was published in 1999. It was followed by The Butterfly Man in 2005 – a story based on the disappearance of British peer Lord Lucan in 1974. The Butterfly Man was longlisted for the IMPAC Awards, shortlisted for the Nita B Kibble Award and won the 2006 Davitt Award for the Crime Fiction Novel of the Year written by an Australian woman.
Heather writes the acclaimed Tuesday McGillycuddy series for children under the pen name Angelica Banks with award-winning author Danielle Wood. The series begins with Finding Serendipity with sequels A Week Without Tuesday and Blueberry Pancakes Forever. The novels have been shortlisted for the Aurealis Awards for best fantasy children's fiction and are published internationally.
Heather lives on the island of Tasmania.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 865 reviews
November 7, 2019
It took me forever to read this book, mainly because the first three quarters of it was so freaking boring. Too much politics and not enough story. I really don't enjoy reading about politics, though I don't mind if it's relevant to the story. In this case it was the only thing we read about. The last quarter of the book did pick up and was quite good, but by then I was over it.
2.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to Allen & Unwin for an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own.
2.5 stars rounded up.
My thanks to Allen & Unwin for an uncorrected proof in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are entirely my own.
September 16, 2019
First things first: if you're picking this up thinking it will be anything like 'The Museum of Modern Love', then know that it won't. Absolutely do not let that be the thing that stops you buying and reading it. How awful the writing world would be if we limited authors to one type/kind/style of writing!? BORING. Now, 'Bruny' is a faaaaantastic political thriller. I no longer work in a bookstore, but if I did I'd tell people this is the PERFECT summer read. Page-turner, explosions, intrigue, affairs and betrayal, and a touch of romance. It's like an intelligent blockbuster. Also I think you could buy a single copy and multiple members of the family would like it. I loved it and tore through it. Plenty of salty one-liners.
March 16, 2020
"Maybe Hobart had become part of the modern world. Maybe. I guess if there were bombs going off, it really had."
Boom!
A bridge being built for four years and about to be officially opened for use, has been partially blown up. Boom! Just like that. Just before a state election. Talk about lousy timing.
While not completely decimated, this is not to be taken lightly. The Bruny Bridge symbolises all those wonderful "politic speak" metaphors that politicians wallow in. Hope. Prosperity. Building a bridge between the old and new Tasmania. Letting the terrorists win if it's not rebuilt. The free world is at peril! Whoever said that state politics was dull?
"Two hundred and fifty thousand tourists a year were proof that whatever Bruny offered, people liked it. It made sense to build a bridge."
John Coleman, "JC" (due to his charismatic aura, hence the biblical reference), is the Premier of Tassie. He calls in the big guns to get to the bottom of who's responsible. Or should I say, big gun. His twin sister "Ace". Dr Astrid Coleman ("Ace") returns home after working for the U.N for many years as a negotiator to free female hostages in the Middle East and other hotspots. Ace returns home at the behest of JC, to be an independent consultant to find who is responsible for the bombing. Nepotism anyone? On the oppostion bench is JC's (and Ace's) sister Maxine. Nice and snug, keeping it all in the family.
There's some not so subtle Aussie humour about Tasmanians all knowing each other, as they've been marrying one another for the last 200 years (hey! I didn't say it, it's in the book).
Ace hasn't lived in Tassie for thirty years, and can see the progress in modernisation that has occurred since she's been away. But the beauty of the natural environment still stuns her "I breathed in the salt air. Most places I've travelled, I've found beauty, but in Tasmania, each time I come back, I get hit with it all over again. The beauty here is of a different order."
For the people that have moved to Bruny for serenity and to get away from it all, it's a shame that the bridge wasn't completely destroyed. There's a great line "...who isn't a little bit fucked up by the modern world?" Cannot argue with that at all. I have the same thought more and more often.
Identity, corruption, ideologies, loyalty and just how far people will go in the name of their idylls are major themes. The pursuit of power. Multinationals, corporations, labour hire, unionism. Interdependencies of world economies. The blue collar worker. The foreign worker. The fisherman. The farmer. The sea changer. The tree changer. "We didn't move here to find Bruny becoming Miami or the Gold Coast." Everyone is here, on this tiny place, just off the sparkling Apple Isle.
This is a complete change of pace and style to Heather Rose's "The Museum Of Modern Love" (which rightfully won The Stella Prize in 2017).
"Bruny" is a classy, intelligent, multi-layered story. It highlights what a crazy, stuffed up world we live in. It's a smart socio-political commentary that will make you think, and hopefully encourage you to be more aware of what's going on on your doorstep. It's worrying, especially with the direction the world is headed in at this moment. The situation we're all in. It's a frightening insight into human nature.
It's also a beautiful ode to a special part of the world that still remains (largely) untouched. Read it.
"Because to live on an island isn't just a location. It's a sense of belonging. It's history and sacrifice. It's a choice to be remote. It's a kind of metaphor."
November 16, 2019
After reading this, I'm adamant Heather Rose and I should be friends. I felt that way when I was reading her excellent The Museum of Modern Love and even more so after hearing her speak a couple of times at the Perth Writers Festival.
When I picked up the brand new copy of Bruny, I was kind of put off by the Crime label on its spine but remembered it wasn't the first time I noticed books mislabelled, more importantly, it was written by Heather Rose so that was what mattered the most.
So, here are a few random thoughts, unedited and unpolished (like most of my reviews), especially, since I haven't fully made up my mind about this book:
- Bruny is about a small island in the South East of Tasmania - the smallest state in Australia, which happens to be an island off the SE coast of Australia. I wasn't aware of it, so now I'll add it to my Must-See List if/when I visit Tasmania (in other words, I'll be another pesky tourist, something Heather Rose was, directly and indirectly, complaining about. Sorry. :-))
- this novel was topical, polemical, factual, in a way, it's an Idiot's Guide to Tasmania's, and Australia's, social, economic, environmental and political landscape. There are micro and macro facts and observations on Tasmania and Australia, and broader ones on global geopolitics. I remember reading somewhere that only about 15% of the population is paying attention to what happens in politics, I dare conclude that this will be very informative and maybe give you some food for thought.
- feminist and environmental themes feature as well. There's no such thing as the perfect marriage or family, so there's plenty of conflict in those departments to keep things interesting.
- the views and opinions expressed here matched mine uncannily. Despite that, at times it felt a bit heavy-handed or spoon-fed.
- there is a bit of romance in the novel, I didn't care for it, but it adds a bit of lightness.
Bruny is an audacious novel that doesn't hold back. Kudos to Allen & Unwin for publishing it. It's an easy read that also manages to be informative and enlightening.
When I picked up the brand new copy of Bruny, I was kind of put off by the Crime label on its spine but remembered it wasn't the first time I noticed books mislabelled, more importantly, it was written by Heather Rose so that was what mattered the most.
So, here are a few random thoughts, unedited and unpolished (like most of my reviews), especially, since I haven't fully made up my mind about this book:
- Bruny is about a small island in the South East of Tasmania - the smallest state in Australia, which happens to be an island off the SE coast of Australia. I wasn't aware of it, so now I'll add it to my Must-See List if/when I visit Tasmania (in other words, I'll be another pesky tourist, something Heather Rose was, directly and indirectly, complaining about. Sorry. :-))
- this novel was topical, polemical, factual, in a way, it's an Idiot's Guide to Tasmania's, and Australia's, social, economic, environmental and political landscape. There are micro and macro facts and observations on Tasmania and Australia, and broader ones on global geopolitics. I remember reading somewhere that only about 15% of the population is paying attention to what happens in politics, I dare conclude that this will be very informative and maybe give you some food for thought.
- feminist and environmental themes feature as well. There's no such thing as the perfect marriage or family, so there's plenty of conflict in those departments to keep things interesting.
- the views and opinions expressed here matched mine uncannily. Despite that, at times it felt a bit heavy-handed or spoon-fed.
- there is a bit of romance in the novel, I didn't care for it, but it adds a bit of lightness.
Bruny is an audacious novel that doesn't hold back. Kudos to Allen & Unwin for publishing it. It's an easy read that also manages to be informative and enlightening.
November 22, 2019
The scales of credibility are tested in this book. A UN top conflict resolution expert is asked to return to her Tasmanian home after a bridge being bit to Bruny Island is bombed. Her twin brother is the Premier. The Premier's lover works as a Prime Minister adviser. Her step-sister is the leader of the opposition.
The Chinese is financing the bridge and to get the project on track a couple hundred Chinese bridge builders are sent to the site.
The book explores Australia's foreign ownership laws, how Tasmania is seen by the mainland, how Tasmanians see themselves, climate change, and the threat of changing alliances. It could have been a great piece of work about the new world order but it was mired in cultural references to help readers in the US feel comfortable, various romantic tangles and an author airing her political frustrations too apparent.
The Chinese is financing the bridge and to get the project on track a couple hundred Chinese bridge builders are sent to the site.
The book explores Australia's foreign ownership laws, how Tasmania is seen by the mainland, how Tasmanians see themselves, climate change, and the threat of changing alliances. It could have been a great piece of work about the new world order but it was mired in cultural references to help readers in the US feel comfortable, various romantic tangles and an author airing her political frustrations too apparent.
July 25, 2024
‘In my work, it’s not about alignments. It’s about perspectives.’
November 2021. A bridge is being built between Tasmania and Bruny Island. It is scheduled to open in March 2022, after four years of construction following much dissent throughout Tasmania. And then, disaster strikes. The north tower of the bridge is bombed. Who bombed it, and why? The protestors, camped at either end of the bridge deny any involvement.
Tasmania’s conservative premier, John Coleman (JC), is banking on the bridge opening early in March to deliver him a win at the forthcoming state election on the 5th of March. It is do-able — provided that foreign workers are imported. Appropriate enabling legislation is passed, and JC brings in his twin sister Astrid (Ace), a UN Conflict Resolution Consultant, currently based in New York, to help ensure smooth progress.
The third Coleman sibling, older sister Maxine (Max) is the leader of the Tasmanian opposition. While initially supporting the project, Max now has misgivings. The project has commercial-in-confidence funding by the Chinese and is being constructed by Chinese workers using Chinese steel. Why, Max wonders, is an estimated two billion dollars being spent on ‘a bridge to nowhere’ when hospitals and schools are desperate for funding?
‘Someone once declared that there were six degrees of separation between any two humans on earth, but in Tassie there was maybe half a degree.’
Ace Coleman returns to Tasmania somewhat reluctantly. While she’s pleased to catch up with her siblings and nieces and her beloved father, former Labor premier Angus Coleman, she’s less keen on catching up with her mother. Ace meets with the various stakeholders, including the Chinese investors, the protestors and those managing the work.
And, just when it looks like the bridge will be finished in time, Ace discovers why it is being built.
Well, this novel drew me in and held my attention from beginning to end. As an expatriate Tasmanian, I am aware of the tensions between ‘progress’ and conservation, of the political dynasties that have been (and probably still are) a feature of political life, of the impact of deals done behind closed doors. And in a world where conspiracy theories abound, the scenario posed in Ms Rose’s novel is disturbingly credible. Or, at least, not impossibly incredible.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 2021. A bridge is being built between Tasmania and Bruny Island. It is scheduled to open in March 2022, after four years of construction following much dissent throughout Tasmania. And then, disaster strikes. The north tower of the bridge is bombed. Who bombed it, and why? The protestors, camped at either end of the bridge deny any involvement.
Tasmania’s conservative premier, John Coleman (JC), is banking on the bridge opening early in March to deliver him a win at the forthcoming state election on the 5th of March. It is do-able — provided that foreign workers are imported. Appropriate enabling legislation is passed, and JC brings in his twin sister Astrid (Ace), a UN Conflict Resolution Consultant, currently based in New York, to help ensure smooth progress.
The third Coleman sibling, older sister Maxine (Max) is the leader of the Tasmanian opposition. While initially supporting the project, Max now has misgivings. The project has commercial-in-confidence funding by the Chinese and is being constructed by Chinese workers using Chinese steel. Why, Max wonders, is an estimated two billion dollars being spent on ‘a bridge to nowhere’ when hospitals and schools are desperate for funding?
‘Someone once declared that there were six degrees of separation between any two humans on earth, but in Tassie there was maybe half a degree.’
Ace Coleman returns to Tasmania somewhat reluctantly. While she’s pleased to catch up with her siblings and nieces and her beloved father, former Labor premier Angus Coleman, she’s less keen on catching up with her mother. Ace meets with the various stakeholders, including the Chinese investors, the protestors and those managing the work.
And, just when it looks like the bridge will be finished in time, Ace discovers why it is being built.
Well, this novel drew me in and held my attention from beginning to end. As an expatriate Tasmanian, I am aware of the tensions between ‘progress’ and conservation, of the political dynasties that have been (and probably still are) a feature of political life, of the impact of deals done behind closed doors. And in a world where conspiracy theories abound, the scenario posed in Ms Rose’s novel is disturbingly credible. Or, at least, not impossibly incredible.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
November 25, 2019
Bruny is the eighth novel by award-winning Australian author, Heather Rose. It is November 2021 when the north tower of the almost-completed Bruny Bridge is bombed. Already four years under construction, the two-billion-dollar bridge was due for completion in early 2022 and has been the subject of much dissent throughout the state of Tasmania. Protestors are camped at each end of the bridge but vehemently deny any involvement with the destruction.
Tasmania’s Liberal Premier, John Coleman (JC) needs it to open in early March to ensure a win in the State Election on March 5th, and only an influx of foreign workers will see this deadline met. Foreign worker legislation is hastily passed, and JC brings in his twin sister, Astrid, a Conflict Resolution Consultant for the UN, to ensure the smooth completion.
Despite her Party having greenlighted the construction, Labour Opposition Leader, Maxine Coleman (JC’s older sister) has misgivings about the whole project. Apart from the Chinese funding (commercial in confidence, so unexplained), the Chinese steel and the Chinese workers, the scale of the project bothers Max: to spend two billion dollars on a bridge to nowhere when the state’s schools and hospitals are desperate for funding? Something is fishy about the whole thing and Max shares her concerns with her little sister.
After avoiding her birthplace for some thirty years, Astrid Coleman (Ace) returns to Tasmania reluctantly, though not because of her brother’s duty call. But it does provide an opportunity to catch up with her siblings, her nieces and her beloved, now demented, father, ex-Labour MP, Angus Coleman. Her dying mother is less a draw than an obligation.
While her family may help draw her back and her house on Bruny Island tempts her to stay, it will be the claustrophobia and lack of privacy that Tasmania imposes, as well as her New York-based children that will likely spur her eventual departure.
Ace talks to the many and varied interest groups including the works management, the political parties, the most vocal protestors, and the Chinese investors, and reports back to JC. She’s in a good position to perhaps discover who has tried to sabotage the construction and this, too, is reported, though not to her brother. Is China trying to take over by stealth instead of force?
In the build up to an election that will be fought on jobs and growth (Liberal) versus education and health (Labour), Ace has brokered a fragile truce between protestors and workers. But when some extremely disturbing information falls into her hands, Ace understands her loyalties will be tested.
Rose presents the pros and cons of such a development through the thoughts, feelings and opinions of various characters, acknowledging that, with an issue like this, there is no black or white, only shades of grey. Her characters are multi-faceted and credible, and Angus Coleman’s Shakespeare quotes are a delight: often very much to the point and, occasionally, quite incisive.
The maps Rose includes will be much appreciated by readers, even those familiar with the area. This novel is topical and relevant, presenting scenarios that are just a whisker from today’s world and, therefore, scarily believable. An utterly fascinating and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
Tasmania’s Liberal Premier, John Coleman (JC) needs it to open in early March to ensure a win in the State Election on March 5th, and only an influx of foreign workers will see this deadline met. Foreign worker legislation is hastily passed, and JC brings in his twin sister, Astrid, a Conflict Resolution Consultant for the UN, to ensure the smooth completion.
Despite her Party having greenlighted the construction, Labour Opposition Leader, Maxine Coleman (JC’s older sister) has misgivings about the whole project. Apart from the Chinese funding (commercial in confidence, so unexplained), the Chinese steel and the Chinese workers, the scale of the project bothers Max: to spend two billion dollars on a bridge to nowhere when the state’s schools and hospitals are desperate for funding? Something is fishy about the whole thing and Max shares her concerns with her little sister.
After avoiding her birthplace for some thirty years, Astrid Coleman (Ace) returns to Tasmania reluctantly, though not because of her brother’s duty call. But it does provide an opportunity to catch up with her siblings, her nieces and her beloved, now demented, father, ex-Labour MP, Angus Coleman. Her dying mother is less a draw than an obligation.
While her family may help draw her back and her house on Bruny Island tempts her to stay, it will be the claustrophobia and lack of privacy that Tasmania imposes, as well as her New York-based children that will likely spur her eventual departure.
Ace talks to the many and varied interest groups including the works management, the political parties, the most vocal protestors, and the Chinese investors, and reports back to JC. She’s in a good position to perhaps discover who has tried to sabotage the construction and this, too, is reported, though not to her brother. Is China trying to take over by stealth instead of force?
In the build up to an election that will be fought on jobs and growth (Liberal) versus education and health (Labour), Ace has brokered a fragile truce between protestors and workers. But when some extremely disturbing information falls into her hands, Ace understands her loyalties will be tested.
Rose presents the pros and cons of such a development through the thoughts, feelings and opinions of various characters, acknowledging that, with an issue like this, there is no black or white, only shades of grey. Her characters are multi-faceted and credible, and Angus Coleman’s Shakespeare quotes are a delight: often very much to the point and, occasionally, quite incisive.
The maps Rose includes will be much appreciated by readers, even those familiar with the area. This novel is topical and relevant, presenting scenarios that are just a whisker from today’s world and, therefore, scarily believable. An utterly fascinating and thought-provoking read.
This unbiased review is from an uncorrected proof copy provided by Allen & Unwin.
January 18, 2020
I don't know what this book was trying to be. The library has it labelled as a thriller, but it's really not. I thought I'd be all for it, political conspiracy thriller set in Tasmania? Sounds great.
But it's all put together in a really messy way. The middle section of the book is just a few hundred pages of nothing happening. The protagonist, Ace, just goes around having conversations with various characters in ways that don't advance the plot, but are bad contrivances for the author to use Ace as a mouthpiece for various political and State Of The World rants. And it's not that I don't agree with the main point of lot of them, (even if they felt both simplistic takes and a frustratingly very upper middle class way of viewing the world that ignores many people's realities) it's just they don't move the plot forward in any way, and most of the time I didn't even understand why that particular rant was relevant to anything that had just been mentioned.
When the plot finally starts moving again, it's info dump after info dump as information is given to Ace. And she does very little to actually *do* anything herself.
But it's all put together in a really messy way. The middle section of the book is just a few hundred pages of nothing happening. The protagonist, Ace, just goes around having conversations with various characters in ways that don't advance the plot, but are bad contrivances for the author to use Ace as a mouthpiece for various political and State Of The World rants. And it's not that I don't agree with the main point of lot of them, (even if they felt both simplistic takes and a frustratingly very upper middle class way of viewing the world that ignores many people's realities) it's just they don't move the plot forward in any way, and most of the time I didn't even understand why that particular rant was relevant to anything that had just been mentioned.
When the plot finally starts moving again, it's info dump after info dump as information is given to Ace. And she does very little to actually *do* anything herself.
January 10, 2022
I think the pre-read hype didn't meet my expectations, therefore one less star from me. In parts brave, daring and very amusing. I think it will resonate better with Tasmanian readers, as it did with me.
March 29, 2023
Banal, cloying, ultimately nauseating. A shark-jumping marathon.
What a disappointing follow-up to Museum of Modern Love! Rose loads racist stereotypes and saccharine sermons over static characters and a ridiculous storyline.
There's a clumsy attempt to make the book accessible to a US audience, with tedious asides on the CFMEU, the Greens, Freycinet, MONA, the Port Arthur massacre, and so on. Meanwhile, we're all expected to be familiar with MoMA, McKinsey, and so on.
The only reference to Tasmania's original inhabitants, in chapter 29, floored me: a suburban continuity of kids playing under sprinklers in the yard. For 50,000 years?
What a disappointing follow-up to Museum of Modern Love! Rose loads racist stereotypes and saccharine sermons over static characters and a ridiculous storyline.
There's a clumsy attempt to make the book accessible to a US audience, with tedious asides on the CFMEU, the Greens, Freycinet, MONA, the Port Arthur massacre, and so on. Meanwhile, we're all expected to be familiar with MoMA, McKinsey, and so on.
The only reference to Tasmania's original inhabitants, in chapter 29, floored me: a suburban continuity of kids playing under sprinklers in the yard. For 50,000 years?
September 29, 2019
There's a lot in this novel firmly set in remote Tassie. I'll be updating soon with a completed review but just saying here, that I finished it with a smile on my face after having read an excellent book. Heather Rose really did deliver!
October 17, 2019
*https://mrsbbookreviews.wordpress.com
‘My island home of Tasmania – and the brilliant community I live amongst – I wrote this for you.’
Heather Rose, Acknowledgements, Bruny
Bruny, by Heather Rose, is a tribute to the Tasmania – the land, its issues of contention and its people. Penned by the 2017 Winner of the Stella Prize, this hybrid political thriller, satire and family saga is volatile and meteoric meditation on our not too distant future.
A bridge is the centre of the action and it propels Heather Rose’s latest piece of fiction forward, in this rendition to Tasmania’s Bruny Island. After years of ferries, transporting passengers from the mainland of Tasmania to the quaint isle of Bruny, the construction of a bridge is finally underway. The Bruny bridge construction becomes the target of terrorists and when it is bombed, the Premier of Tasmania calls in his twin sister from the UN to assist in settling relations before his upcoming election. This is no easy feat, with family and political relations causing problems. The community is in uproar following the bridge attack, and the public are clearly disillusioned with what is happening on their doorstep. Meanwhile, the powerful Coleman family must deal with the swift demise of both their patriarch and matriarch. Bruny’s narrator, Astrid, must decide just how far she is willing to go for the sake of the government and to protect her home state’s future.
I was fortunate enough to be able to connect with the author of Bruny, Heather Rose, in person at an event in Fremantle, Western Australia. A gracious, observant and highly astute author, with her finger on the pulse in regards to the issues defining our country, Heather Rose has injected her own personal style into Bruny. What struck me most about Bruny, is that this novel represents a touching tribute to Tasmania, Rose’s home state. I felt a strong affinity with Heather Rose, and I completely understood her need to write about Bruny, Tasmania. Bruny is a force to be reckoned with in this novel, it has such presence and it is the prime character in this novel, directing all of the events that gradually unfold.
My favourite aspect of Bruny was the overwhelming sense of place that goes hand in hand with this novel. Rose correctly highlights the culture, environment, people, places, key sights and special features of the region. Tasmania has a strong place in the author’s heart and I felt the passion Heather Rose has for this very special part of our country. In fact, my desire to visit mainland Tasmania and finally get to Bruny was strengthened by Rose’s persuasive prose.
Bruny is a genre bender style novel, it crosses many categories. It could be read as a political commentary, a thriller, a contemporary romance, a family drama, a dystopian fiction and a satire. I usually shy away from books that are heavily influenced by world politics, terrorism, intrigue and international economics relations. However, I do feel that Bruny is an accessible piece of Australian fiction, it will resonate with many readers. Bruny raises plenty of thought provoking ideas about the current state of Tasmania and mainland Australia. Inserted with this reflective and very contemporary piece of fiction are issues of feminism, race relations, xenophobia, labour conditions, ageing and terminal illness.
A low key romance also defines this novel , but Bruny is mostly preoccupied with the pressing issues of the bridge’s attack and the process of rebuilding. I appreciated the romantic side narrative thread and I enjoyed overseeing Astrid and Dan’s relationship develop under the backdrop of this immense project. Rose examines the interesting dynamic of the Colemans – a political and ambitious family, who have strong ties to Tasmania. It is explained that six generations of the Colemans have lived, breathed and worked for the prosperity of the state. This proved to be an interesting angle to consider, especially how a twin brother and sister possess differing political ideas and world views. At the same time, the Colemans are dealing with the sad demise of their loving parents due to declining health. It is a sorry and complicated state affairs. However, there is a quite to awakening that transforms this novel into something quite poignant, especially on the part of our chief narrator, Astrid.
Bruny is a considerate and topical novel, that taps into our current trends, divisions, fears and possibilities. An advanced plot, connective characters and a staggering sense of place defines Heather Rose’s latest masterpiece. Bruny made me work hard, this was no swift read, but certain books demand this of us from time to time. I appreciated the points of issue this revolutionary book had to offer, and I can envisage Bruny opening up plenty of discussion channels.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Bruny is book #129 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
‘My island home of Tasmania – and the brilliant community I live amongst – I wrote this for you.’
Heather Rose, Acknowledgements, Bruny
Bruny, by Heather Rose, is a tribute to the Tasmania – the land, its issues of contention and its people. Penned by the 2017 Winner of the Stella Prize, this hybrid political thriller, satire and family saga is volatile and meteoric meditation on our not too distant future.
A bridge is the centre of the action and it propels Heather Rose’s latest piece of fiction forward, in this rendition to Tasmania’s Bruny Island. After years of ferries, transporting passengers from the mainland of Tasmania to the quaint isle of Bruny, the construction of a bridge is finally underway. The Bruny bridge construction becomes the target of terrorists and when it is bombed, the Premier of Tasmania calls in his twin sister from the UN to assist in settling relations before his upcoming election. This is no easy feat, with family and political relations causing problems. The community is in uproar following the bridge attack, and the public are clearly disillusioned with what is happening on their doorstep. Meanwhile, the powerful Coleman family must deal with the swift demise of both their patriarch and matriarch. Bruny’s narrator, Astrid, must decide just how far she is willing to go for the sake of the government and to protect her home state’s future.
I was fortunate enough to be able to connect with the author of Bruny, Heather Rose, in person at an event in Fremantle, Western Australia. A gracious, observant and highly astute author, with her finger on the pulse in regards to the issues defining our country, Heather Rose has injected her own personal style into Bruny. What struck me most about Bruny, is that this novel represents a touching tribute to Tasmania, Rose’s home state. I felt a strong affinity with Heather Rose, and I completely understood her need to write about Bruny, Tasmania. Bruny is a force to be reckoned with in this novel, it has such presence and it is the prime character in this novel, directing all of the events that gradually unfold.
My favourite aspect of Bruny was the overwhelming sense of place that goes hand in hand with this novel. Rose correctly highlights the culture, environment, people, places, key sights and special features of the region. Tasmania has a strong place in the author’s heart and I felt the passion Heather Rose has for this very special part of our country. In fact, my desire to visit mainland Tasmania and finally get to Bruny was strengthened by Rose’s persuasive prose.
Bruny is a genre bender style novel, it crosses many categories. It could be read as a political commentary, a thriller, a contemporary romance, a family drama, a dystopian fiction and a satire. I usually shy away from books that are heavily influenced by world politics, terrorism, intrigue and international economics relations. However, I do feel that Bruny is an accessible piece of Australian fiction, it will resonate with many readers. Bruny raises plenty of thought provoking ideas about the current state of Tasmania and mainland Australia. Inserted with this reflective and very contemporary piece of fiction are issues of feminism, race relations, xenophobia, labour conditions, ageing and terminal illness.
A low key romance also defines this novel , but Bruny is mostly preoccupied with the pressing issues of the bridge’s attack and the process of rebuilding. I appreciated the romantic side narrative thread and I enjoyed overseeing Astrid and Dan’s relationship develop under the backdrop of this immense project. Rose examines the interesting dynamic of the Colemans – a political and ambitious family, who have strong ties to Tasmania. It is explained that six generations of the Colemans have lived, breathed and worked for the prosperity of the state. This proved to be an interesting angle to consider, especially how a twin brother and sister possess differing political ideas and world views. At the same time, the Colemans are dealing with the sad demise of their loving parents due to declining health. It is a sorry and complicated state affairs. However, there is a quite to awakening that transforms this novel into something quite poignant, especially on the part of our chief narrator, Astrid.
Bruny is a considerate and topical novel, that taps into our current trends, divisions, fears and possibilities. An advanced plot, connective characters and a staggering sense of place defines Heather Rose’s latest masterpiece. Bruny made me work hard, this was no swift read, but certain books demand this of us from time to time. I appreciated the points of issue this revolutionary book had to offer, and I can envisage Bruny opening up plenty of discussion channels.
*Thanks extended to Allen & Unwin for providing a free copy of this book for review purposes.
Bruny is book #129 of the 2019 Australian Women Writers Challenge
October 27, 2019
A bomb explodes. A bridge being built from near Hobart in Tasmania to Bruny Island is blown up but not completely destroyed. Workers need to be brought in from overseas. An election is looming. One that pits JC and Maxine, brother and sister in opposing parties against each other. And into this volatile situation come Astrid, twin to JC and younger sister to Maxine, usually known as Max. She is there not just to visit and support her siblings but to investigate the situation. Conspiracy theories abound. Meanwhile her father has resorted to communicating in Shakespeare quotes. Her mother is battling cancer. And somewhere in the middle of all of that Astrid, familiarly known as Ace, somehow manages to find herself falling in love and at the same time questioning the length the government is prepared to go to, to achieve its aims.
I’m not into politics a great deal but I found this book extremely interesting, because it is not just political. It is about family dynamics, loyalty, friendships and marriage. Add to that intrigue and betrayal and it rounds out a very readable book. My thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review. The setting of Tasmania and the various factions in the island are interesting. Descriptions of Bruny are evocative and some of the descriptions beautiful, ’the sea looked like crushed linen.’ I loved too, the idea of ‘the birds chaperoning the sun to bed.’ And I had to chuckle when the big economic issue opportunity is raised and the answer comes. ‘We need a Tasmanian team in the AFL.’ Perfectly captures the Aussie obsession with sport and in particular our Aussie football.
At times it did get a bit slow and my attention wavered a little. But on the whole I found it enjoyable and extremely readable. It certainly a different sort of book. Makes you think about our world and the things that happen. Things that sometimes slide by without us noticing how carefully they have been orchestrated and implemented. A recommended and intriguing read.
I’m not into politics a great deal but I found this book extremely interesting, because it is not just political. It is about family dynamics, loyalty, friendships and marriage. Add to that intrigue and betrayal and it rounds out a very readable book. My thanks to Allen & Unwin for my uncorrected proof copy to read and review. The setting of Tasmania and the various factions in the island are interesting. Descriptions of Bruny are evocative and some of the descriptions beautiful, ’the sea looked like crushed linen.’ I loved too, the idea of ‘the birds chaperoning the sun to bed.’ And I had to chuckle when the big economic issue opportunity is raised and the answer comes. ‘We need a Tasmanian team in the AFL.’ Perfectly captures the Aussie obsession with sport and in particular our Aussie football.
At times it did get a bit slow and my attention wavered a little. But on the whole I found it enjoyable and extremely readable. It certainly a different sort of book. Makes you think about our world and the things that happen. Things that sometimes slide by without us noticing how carefully they have been orchestrated and implemented. A recommended and intriguing read.
October 2, 2025
One of the stupidest books I’ve ever managed to finish. Where to start? It’s not well written, it’d be funny except I’m pretty sure the author is serious. The geopolitics in it is simplistic to say the least and quite possibly racist. There’s also a totally unnecessary romance and the main family unbelievable. The narrator is a conflict negotiator for the UN and is asked back to Tasmania by her brother, the premier, to help resolve issues after a bridge from the main island to Bruny island is sabotaged. Her sister just happens to be opposition leader.
A convenient ending . I could’ve taken this if it was written as a political thriller, they are at least fun even when biased and unbelievable, this book was just bad. I’m still shaking my head.
A convenient ending . I could’ve taken this if it was written as a political thriller, they are at least fun even when biased and unbelievable, this book was just bad. I’m still shaking my head.
October 23, 2019
An interesting theme marred by a very Eurocentric approach. There are frequent rants against human rights abuses by the Chinese and occasional mention of other abuses such as the treatment of western soldiers in the Middle East and convicts and refugees in Australia. Yet the brutal treatment of the Aboriginal people of Tasmania, now recognised as genocide, is completely missing. The only mention of the First Nations is in relation to tapestry! I didn’t find the resolution very convincing, though the spirit of Truganini might well be wishing she had Astrid’s resources to resist invasion.
August 22, 2020
Xenophobia masquerading as literature, what a bizarre attempt at a novel this was. I’m agog at the fact that so many people thought this deserved such high praise. Sure, it has some intrigue, but the odd turns it makes into determining the ‘evil spectre of Chinese ownership’ is nigh on conspiracy material. Just say that you’re racist and get it over with, I’m begging you- and no, voting for the Greens doesn’t exempt you either.
To add insult to injury, I cannot comprehend the writing style of this. You select a gorgeous location like Tasmania, then dedicate virtually nothing to the natural wonder of the place. Absurd material wrapped up in a big ‘foreign ownership and, ergo, all Chinese tourists are evil’ bow. What an utter waste of time. I get it's satire. It doesn't mean it's good.
To add insult to injury, I cannot comprehend the writing style of this. You select a gorgeous location like Tasmania, then dedicate virtually nothing to the natural wonder of the place. Absurd material wrapped up in a big ‘foreign ownership and, ergo, all Chinese tourists are evil’ bow. What an utter waste of time. I get it's satire. It doesn't mean it's good.
January 10, 2021
This is a difficult one for me to rate. I loved it, and thought it was heading towards a rare 5★ from me, until at about 75% when it just descended into something silly. Such a shame, as Rose wrote this for the Tasmanian community, and I could really feel that, with so many nods to the state's history, culture and attitudes that readers from elsewhere may not even notice. Although I must say the negativity towards China made me feel slightly uncomfortable way earlier than the turning point mentioned above. A number of times I wondered if it was Rose's own bias, or whether she was simply being faithful to (and amplifying) an unease amongst Tasmanians about foreign investment laws that I have noticed growing, particularly in the past decade or so.
On balance I'd have to say I give Bruny 5★ for its sense of place, including both the landscape and the people, but only 1 or 2★ for its resolution of the plot. I'm glad to have read it, though.
On balance I'd have to say I give Bruny 5★ for its sense of place, including both the landscape and the people, but only 1 or 2★ for its resolution of the plot. I'm glad to have read it, though.
November 13, 2019
Boring book. Weak story line, little character development all padded out interminably with extracts from tourist brochures and potted political opinions garnered from twitter or the letters pages of second rate newspapers
September 2, 2022
I found myself quite engrossed in this book, primarily - I think - because of my soft spot for Tasmania. Heather Rose's descriptions of the Hobart region and Bruny certainly brought them alive. An overly large and intrusive bridge is being built to connect the main island south of Hobart and Bruny. This has caused much division in the community and polarisation both for and against the development. Why is it needed at all for such a sleepy destination as Bruny Island? Our heroine, Ace, is brought in to smooth out the conflict. The story is set in an ill defined near future and contains references to heads of state who can only be Trump and Malcolm Turnbull. The story is spun out with plenty of observations about local and federal politics and politicians, and the author certainly nails her colours to the mast! I had many a mental dispute with her but that enhanced rather than detracted (for me) from the narrative which got bogged down and rather slow at times. Of course there was the obligatory love interest too. This book would have rated more highly if it wasn't for the reveal at the end which I thought was a completely unbelievable and ridiculous scenario.
My thanks to A & U for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review
My thanks to A & U for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review
November 2, 2019
Set in a too-near future, Bruny is part political thriller, part family drama, part love story. Rose isn’t following the formula of a hard-boiled detective chasing up clues and red herrings, but it’s not a highbrow literary offering either (very different to her previous Stella Prize-winning novel, The Museum of Modern Love). It sits where the political and the personal intersect, and meditates mostly on the wheeling and dealing of politics, the complexity of modern life. Rose leaves no stone unturned, she covers it all: agriculture, economics, stability, jobs and growth, environmentalism, family, loyalty, betrayal, corruption, power…
The fine folks at Allen & Unwin were kind enough to send me a copy of this one for review. An extended review is available to subscribers at Keeping Up With The Penguins.
The fine folks at Allen & Unwin were kind enough to send me a copy of this one for review. An extended review is available to subscribers at Keeping Up With The Penguins.
February 4, 2020
Bruny is a political thriller set in Tasmania in the near future. There is a lot going on in this story...Terrorism, politics, family conflict and relationships plus a little bit of romance. Heather Rose's book is an interesting read. Thanks to Allen & Unwin for my ARC.
October 1, 2019
Firstly, let me just say that I adored The Museum of Modern Love and was so excited about this one but also a little apprehensive as I loved it that much. These two books are very different from each other but each were mind-blowingly good. On the back of Greta Thunberg and climate change and ScoMo's "needless anxiety" Bruny is very timely and relevant. Set in the future so immediate it is practically present we have a novel that has a little bit of everything: a thriller full of politics and climate change, family and betrayal and just a dash of love. I'm echoing Bri Lee here but this is the perfect summer read. Intelligent, thought provoking and urgent but incredibly readable and a bit of fun. I found it had the perfect balance of satire and venom, of truth and hope.
I raced through Bruny and enjoyed every moment of it. It is a pacy read, but also not too pacy that you want to rush over the words to get to answers about the plot. I savoured the prose unable to put it down until I made it to the end (apart from a little of that thing sleep). A very consuming and addictive read that I couldn't concentrate on anything else until I had finished it and yet it is also leave the reader much to ponder over about our all too immediate future. The descriptions of Tasmania and Bruny are haunting and leave the reader with a desire to make the pilgrammage, I know I was left with nothing but a want to return to this little slice of paradise. It also makes you thankful that this place still exists, a footnote on our continent but a place filled with incredible beauty and the cleanest air on the earth. All I can say with this one is do yourself a favour and read it, sooner rather than later, and join the conversation.
October 1, 2019
Part political mystery and family drama, with love stories intertwined and a mystery that lies beneath of all this.
Astrid Coleman is a UN diplomat, a peacekeeper and conflict resolution specialist. Her family are involved in politics in Tasmania and when the Bruny bridge is bombed, mid-construction, she is asked to return home to help her brother before an upcoming election. But given her brother and sister are on opposing sides of politics, the tension is high. To make matters worse, community groups are split as to who actually wants the bridge built and who does not. Thrown into the mix are a tangled web of family and personal relationships as we try to work out who is responsible for the bombing.
I have to admit this one took me a while to get into, as I am not at all politically minded. That said, I really loved Rose's writing and enjoyed the family relationships, the betrayals, lies and dash of love thrown in. I am biased in that I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Aussie references and the scene that Rose set in Bruny. Although this story was initially slower than I am used to, the first portion really set the scene for the ending. I absolutely flew through the latter portion of the book and was blown away by the ending. Will definitely read more by this author.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for this gifted copy.
Astrid Coleman is a UN diplomat, a peacekeeper and conflict resolution specialist. Her family are involved in politics in Tasmania and when the Bruny bridge is bombed, mid-construction, she is asked to return home to help her brother before an upcoming election. But given her brother and sister are on opposing sides of politics, the tension is high. To make matters worse, community groups are split as to who actually wants the bridge built and who does not. Thrown into the mix are a tangled web of family and personal relationships as we try to work out who is responsible for the bombing.
I have to admit this one took me a while to get into, as I am not at all politically minded. That said, I really loved Rose's writing and enjoyed the family relationships, the betrayals, lies and dash of love thrown in. I am biased in that I thoroughly enjoyed all of the Aussie references and the scene that Rose set in Bruny. Although this story was initially slower than I am used to, the first portion really set the scene for the ending. I absolutely flew through the latter portion of the book and was blown away by the ending. Will definitely read more by this author.
Thank you to Allen & Unwin for this gifted copy.
October 27, 2019
A bit like a literary airport novel. Really great to have a strong, older female lead character and the natural beauty of Bruny is well depicted. However, there is lots of tell not show, especially about Tasmanian history/geography and Australian/international politics. These descriptions really got in the way of the narrative drive. There were also lots of comparisons to American places that made think it was written with the international publishing market in mind.
What I found particularly irritating were the numerous cliched literature references and heavy handed descriptions of characters looking like famous actors or actresses. I listened to the audio version of this book and would definitely not have had the patience to finish it in print.
What I found particularly irritating were the numerous cliched literature references and heavy handed descriptions of characters looking like famous actors or actresses. I listened to the audio version of this book and would definitely not have had the patience to finish it in print.
March 10, 2020
Hard to rate this one. A pacy read for sure, and as a satire of development in Australia it's akin to Utopia, quite funny, definitely entertaining. Basically Tomorrow When the War Began for grown-ups. However Heather Rose seems to take her ideas about place, community and home quite seriously and this sits awkwardly alongside such an outlandish central conceit, and it feels quite unbalanced as a result. Also, seemingly despite herself, she deploys lazily racist tropes by the dozen.
July 21, 2019
I received an ARC of this book.
Wow! I have not read Museum of Modern Love but now I think I have no choice. Heather Rose is a superb wordsmith. I found whilst reading Bruny that time just melted away. She has beautiful descriptive language that help you find a sense of place for her story.
This is a story about home and our strong connection with the land. It is about a woman who has travelled far from that home, to escape but upon returning questions why she ever left the land she loved. It is about families divided and how to find common ground. I think key to this book is also secrets. Secrets and lies that we tell ourselves and others in the hopes that they will understand us and the reasons behind them.
Bruny has become a popular tourist destination and the government has a deal for a cutting edge bridge to be built to link Bruny island with mainland Tasmania forever. It is ambitious and has lots of enemies. When a bomb goes off and brings down some of the partially constructed bridge, Astrid is brought home to work out who could be behind it, as well as trying to negotiate peace between all of the parties on both sides of the argument for this bridge.
Astrid learns much about her home, her land and her family during this time. We discover that even she is more than we know. As with any community, people will go to great lengths to protect what they think is right and the future. What Astrid finds is shocking and she needs to find a way to make the truth shine.
Once you start reading this book it is hard to stop as you get caught up in the intrigue, drama and love that flows throughout.
Wow! I have not read Museum of Modern Love but now I think I have no choice. Heather Rose is a superb wordsmith. I found whilst reading Bruny that time just melted away. She has beautiful descriptive language that help you find a sense of place for her story.
This is a story about home and our strong connection with the land. It is about a woman who has travelled far from that home, to escape but upon returning questions why she ever left the land she loved. It is about families divided and how to find common ground. I think key to this book is also secrets. Secrets and lies that we tell ourselves and others in the hopes that they will understand us and the reasons behind them.
Bruny has become a popular tourist destination and the government has a deal for a cutting edge bridge to be built to link Bruny island with mainland Tasmania forever. It is ambitious and has lots of enemies. When a bomb goes off and brings down some of the partially constructed bridge, Astrid is brought home to work out who could be behind it, as well as trying to negotiate peace between all of the parties on both sides of the argument for this bridge.
Astrid learns much about her home, her land and her family during this time. We discover that even she is more than we know. As with any community, people will go to great lengths to protect what they think is right and the future. What Astrid finds is shocking and she needs to find a way to make the truth shine.
Once you start reading this book it is hard to stop as you get caught up in the intrigue, drama and love that flows throughout.
March 29, 2020
In the end this was a very enjoyable read. I say in the end, because for the first few chapters I found it hard to believe how the three main characters were interlinked/related, however this was soon forgotten as the storyline was revealed.
The last third of the novel, where all the various tentacles of the story were bought together, was a really good read, with a satisfying ending.
Makes me want to go and visit Tasmania again, once all the madness is over.
The last third of the novel, where all the various tentacles of the story were bought together, was a really good read, with a satisfying ending.
Makes me want to go and visit Tasmania again, once all the madness is over.
February 29, 2020
Amazing. I've just sat up into the early hours reading the last 80% of this book in one sitting. As a resident Tasmanian, I found it both jarringly familiar and rather frightening. Highly recommended.
October 27, 2019
I don’t know where to begin with this book. It was so wonderfully unexpected. A thrilling, outrageous and clever tale about family, politics, betrayal, deceit at the highest levels and the people who really pay for that - and all set in Tasmania. What’s not to love?
The book opens when a bomb explodes, almost destroying a new and ridiculously expensive bridge that has been built by the Tasmanian government using federal and international funds and which connects the beautiful island of Bruny to the rest of Tasmania via a six-lane roadway. Overkill anyone? Heralded by the sitting government as an essential piece of infrastructure that will invite more tourists and thus money to Tasmania and advance the island fair, there are many who doubt the efficacy and legitimacy of the project. Vested interests, splinter groups both combine and implode as debates over the bridge – especially now it needs to be repaired – escalate.
Enter Astrid Coleman, member of a famous political family currently working for the U.N., whose twin brother is not only the Premier of Tasmania, but her older half-sister is leader of the Opposition. An expert in conflict resolution, it’s believed Astrid will not only be able to pour oil over troubled waters by tempering the mood of those against the bridge, but prepare locals for the government’s solution (one backed by the Federal government) to ensure the bridge is repaired by the rapidly approaching opening date: by bringing in hundreds of Chinese workers.
Astrid arrives home to find not only the island and, particularly Hobart and Bruny in turmoil, but her family as well. Her father is suffering from dementia and quoting only Shakespeare, her mother is dying of cancer and while the family can come together and give the appearance of unity in their personal lives, in their professional, political lives, it’s a very different story.
Seeming to go along with her brother’s plans, when Astrid discovers what’s really going on, it’s game on. For what no-one knows is Astrid has her own agenda …
This novel is such a searing, intelligent and often funny (in that kind of I cannot believe this, but I sort of can way) read, I couldn’t put it down. The world and politics Rose constructs are utterly recognisable and just as infuriating and frightening. There’s a right-wing President in the USA who’s a buffoon, Brexit has caused long-predicted chaos, Australia is creating closer ties with China. Current prominent Australian political figures make an appearance – albeit with different names but not characters and you’ll have fun discerning who is who and enjoy Rose’s take on them. Not only is the politics scary and cause for despair (including the various groups who align with one side or the other and either represent or resist “progress” – mind you, Rose cleverly investigates this concept too – are they really resistant to progress or simply wanting to preserve the environment and the standard of living that comes with a pristine eco-system for the future? The answer is overt and satisfying – of course!), but the personal relationships in the novel are really well drawn as well. But, and maybe I am biased here, it is Tasmania and especially Bruny that shine. The locations are wonderfully drawn and even if you don’t know the area (I live in Hobart, so am very familiar with all the locales), you breathe the air, walk the streets, cross the channel with Astrid and the others, delight in and shudder at the quirkiness of (some) Taswegians, and become appalled at the entire project underpinning this novel – and that’s before the kicker twist.
Unashamedly political, but not one-sided, this is a great read that will have you suspending your disbelief and, hopefully, like me, enjoying every single word. Have already recommended it to everyone I know and bought multiple copies for gifts as well!
The book opens when a bomb explodes, almost destroying a new and ridiculously expensive bridge that has been built by the Tasmanian government using federal and international funds and which connects the beautiful island of Bruny to the rest of Tasmania via a six-lane roadway. Overkill anyone? Heralded by the sitting government as an essential piece of infrastructure that will invite more tourists and thus money to Tasmania and advance the island fair, there are many who doubt the efficacy and legitimacy of the project. Vested interests, splinter groups both combine and implode as debates over the bridge – especially now it needs to be repaired – escalate.
Enter Astrid Coleman, member of a famous political family currently working for the U.N., whose twin brother is not only the Premier of Tasmania, but her older half-sister is leader of the Opposition. An expert in conflict resolution, it’s believed Astrid will not only be able to pour oil over troubled waters by tempering the mood of those against the bridge, but prepare locals for the government’s solution (one backed by the Federal government) to ensure the bridge is repaired by the rapidly approaching opening date: by bringing in hundreds of Chinese workers.
Astrid arrives home to find not only the island and, particularly Hobart and Bruny in turmoil, but her family as well. Her father is suffering from dementia and quoting only Shakespeare, her mother is dying of cancer and while the family can come together and give the appearance of unity in their personal lives, in their professional, political lives, it’s a very different story.
Seeming to go along with her brother’s plans, when Astrid discovers what’s really going on, it’s game on. For what no-one knows is Astrid has her own agenda …
This novel is such a searing, intelligent and often funny (in that kind of I cannot believe this, but I sort of can way) read, I couldn’t put it down. The world and politics Rose constructs are utterly recognisable and just as infuriating and frightening. There’s a right-wing President in the USA who’s a buffoon, Brexit has caused long-predicted chaos, Australia is creating closer ties with China. Current prominent Australian political figures make an appearance – albeit with different names but not characters and you’ll have fun discerning who is who and enjoy Rose’s take on them. Not only is the politics scary and cause for despair (including the various groups who align with one side or the other and either represent or resist “progress” – mind you, Rose cleverly investigates this concept too – are they really resistant to progress or simply wanting to preserve the environment and the standard of living that comes with a pristine eco-system for the future? The answer is overt and satisfying – of course!), but the personal relationships in the novel are really well drawn as well. But, and maybe I am biased here, it is Tasmania and especially Bruny that shine. The locations are wonderfully drawn and even if you don’t know the area (I live in Hobart, so am very familiar with all the locales), you breathe the air, walk the streets, cross the channel with Astrid and the others, delight in and shudder at the quirkiness of (some) Taswegians, and become appalled at the entire project underpinning this novel – and that’s before the kicker twist.
Unashamedly political, but not one-sided, this is a great read that will have you suspending your disbelief and, hopefully, like me, enjoying every single word. Have already recommended it to everyone I know and bought multiple copies for gifts as well!
January 3, 2021
I enjoyed reading a book about Tasmania, a part of Australia I know well. Astrid, a UN negotiator who has lived in New York for many years comes home to Tasmania and to her house on Bruny to negotiate and hopefully solve the mystery of who exactly is responsible for the bombing of the incomplete bridge linking Bruny to mainland Tassie. Astrid’s brother is the premier needing for political survival to have the bridge finished before the next State election. Her sister is the State Opposition leader. A very political family who somehow seem to get along well enough.
The big questions seem to point to forces over and above State politics, an influx of workers from mainland China, the rather unsavoury politicians who duck and weave around the mystery of who bombed the bridge and why.
Astrid, or Ace as she is known to the family, sets about using her experience and negotiation skills to solve the mystery uncovering much intrigue along the way.
I really enjoyed this book and given the state of politics in Australia at the present time it did not seem in any way far fetched. Rose has created a good plot with just the right amount of intrigue, romance, friendships and alliances to make this a rewarding read.
The big questions seem to point to forces over and above State politics, an influx of workers from mainland China, the rather unsavoury politicians who duck and weave around the mystery of who bombed the bridge and why.
Astrid, or Ace as she is known to the family, sets about using her experience and negotiation skills to solve the mystery uncovering much intrigue along the way.
I really enjoyed this book and given the state of politics in Australia at the present time it did not seem in any way far fetched. Rose has created a good plot with just the right amount of intrigue, romance, friendships and alliances to make this a rewarding read.
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