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Red shoes
Dustjacket synopsis:
"The beautiful, charismatic Petra Penfold-Knight, accustomed to her own way from birth, grows up to lead a religious cult whose devotess wear red shoes. The cult attracts members through Petra's magnetism, as well as by more sinister means, such as stealing children born to unmarried girls.
"Imbued with ancient narrative myths, music and dance, Red Shoes is told by Petra's guardian angel, who has a unique slant on the nature of reality and on the darker side of female sexuality. The angel's perception is subversive, playful and sublimely witty, and illuminates Petra's surface allure, which disguises a complex yet brutal personality and a moral vacuum."
"The beautiful, charismatic Petra Penfold-Knight, accustomed to her own way from birth, grows up to lead a religious cult whose devotess wear red shoes. The cult attracts members through Petra's magnetism, as well as by more sinister means, such as stealing children born to unmarried girls.
"Imbued with ancient narrative myths, music and dance, Red Shoes is told by Petra's guardian angel, who has a unique slant on the nature of reality and on the darker side of female sexuality. The angel's perception is subversive, playful and sublimely witty, and illuminates Petra's surface allure, which disguises a complex yet brutal personality and a moral vacuum."
333 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 18, 2016
Okay, so I read this quite a while ago, and just saw there were no reviews of this, so I thought I'd kick off a bit of enthusiasm for this book, because it's a quiet little achiever.
I actually looked it up again because I'm currently reading, "Foxlowe" by Eleanor Wasserberg and it reminded me of "Red Shoes" - more importantly, it reminded me of "The Family", the real-life Australian commune-cum-cult that "Red Shoes" was loosely based on.
So this story combines a seeming description of a charismatic cult leader and her followers with the myth of the red shoes, with the "new" (this was released in 1998) concept of having the story narrated by the guardian angel of a girl born into the cult and adopted by its leader. And anyone who knows the story of the red shoes, or anything about how things normally go for cults, I think you can guess it's not going to turn out well.
I would like to maybe re-read it - given time I might have less warm feelings towards it, but Bird has always been consistently great as a wordsmith, so regardless of the fascinating story, her actual writing is very beautiful stuff to behold.
Bird also wrote, "Cape Grimm" which was also based on a cult-like group (but I think it's more a companion novel rather than a sequel/prequel) however I felt this one was easier to read and penetrate the meaning.
I've seen a few people DNF "Foxlowe" - so maybe if you were interested in "cult life from a child's perspective" but maybe need a slightly different mark, give this a try.
I actually looked it up again because I'm currently reading, "Foxlowe" by Eleanor Wasserberg and it reminded me of "Red Shoes" - more importantly, it reminded me of "The Family", the real-life Australian commune-cum-cult that "Red Shoes" was loosely based on.
So this story combines a seeming description of a charismatic cult leader and her followers with the myth of the red shoes, with the "new" (this was released in 1998) concept of having the story narrated by the guardian angel of a girl born into the cult and adopted by its leader. And anyone who knows the story of the red shoes, or anything about how things normally go for cults, I think you can guess it's not going to turn out well.
I would like to maybe re-read it - given time I might have less warm feelings towards it, but Bird has always been consistently great as a wordsmith, so regardless of the fascinating story, her actual writing is very beautiful stuff to behold.
Bird also wrote, "Cape Grimm" which was also based on a cult-like group (but I think it's more a companion novel rather than a sequel/prequel) however I felt this one was easier to read and penetrate the meaning.
I've seen a few people DNF "Foxlowe" - so maybe if you were interested in "cult life from a child's perspective" but maybe need a slightly different mark, give this a try.
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April 15, 2025"It would happen more or less by stealth, until it became the norm, and then the rule."
Which is, in fact, how most cults and rule-by-charisma-fascism come to be.
Not realising how extensive the footnote section is starting on page 233 of a 328 page book) was quite excellent, because you don't see how Petra's story will go on, and then you realise it simply, ignominiously, ends.
Which is, in fact, how most cult and rule-by-charisma leaders actually die.
Which is, in fact, how most cults and rule-by-charisma-fascism come to be.
Not realising how extensive the footnote section is starting on page 233 of a 328 page book) was quite excellent, because you don't see how Petra's story will go on, and then you realise it simply, ignominiously, ends.
Which is, in fact, how most cult and rule-by-charisma leaders actually die.
November 13, 2025
if i had the energy to fully get into it i would get it alot more. felt a bit like a club i wasn't intelligent enough for but that was mostly on my part. liked the ending bit though
December 5, 2016
I read this a very long time ago, and remembered it after reading Carmel Bird's latest, Family Skeleton. I don't recall much about it except that it was also quirky, with an unusual narrative slant and showed a penetrating gaze into human behaviour.
I should seek out some other 'Birds'.
I should seek out some other 'Birds'.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews