This book review is part of the Christmas Advent Calendar 2014
21 sleeps till Christmas.
Historical fiction that intertwines culture and love, Nargun by Ian Lipke tells of the story of a young aboriginal man, Nargun and the daughter of a white settler, Mary. With the cultural divide being too vast Nargun finds love with another woman, but he can never forget Mary.
Nargun divided me as a reader. One part of me quickly became bored whilst the other part wanted to read on and find out what eventuated. I found Nargun hard to get into and a little dry for my taste, but this is definitely more of a reflection on myself and my mood at the time of reading than the book. Prior to reading Nargun I had read Lest Evil Prevails by the same author. This book took me on a journey and offered a totally different ride to Nargun. I feel it was this that may have affected my reading of Nargun as in my mind I was expecting the same fast past read I had just experienced. I also found Nargun to be a book that you needed to sit in the quiet and concentrate on, not one which could be read with noise flowing around you or at a time when your mind may wander. For me at the time this was not happening.
Ian Lipke is a great writer. His work flows beautiful and shows a level of professionalism he should be proud of. Within Nargun Ian Lipke has done a wonderful job of depicting events that occurred within the Aboriginal community in the Queensland area in the 19th Century. He captures the emotions and the battle between white man and Aboriginal in a balanced manner that gives an insight into the Aboriginal fight for land against their invaders, and the white mans determination to secure the land. Although fiction Nargun has a true historical feel about it, the passion and interest of the author has in the history shines through.
Although Nargun was not for me I would definitely recommend it to those who are looking for a historical read. As a whole I am impressed with Ian Lipke as an author and definitely feel he is one to watch in the future. Would I revisit Nargun? Definitely, as my mindset at the time was probably the influence my read.
ISBN: 978-1-6363-248-7
Find out more about Ian Lipke and his writing: www.astutewriting-today.com
Purchase Nargun in both paperback and ebook from www.booklocker.com/books/7462.html
Watch the Youtube review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blFVEKxNpsE
Watch the Youtube review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blFVEKxNpsE
review: Jennifer Douglas
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