A group of animals try to keep an ailing king alive with their storytelling. King Mansolain has reigned over the Copper Mountains for a thousand years, but his heart is failing. His time could be up. One of the king's loyal subjects, the hare, sits on his long beard and anxiously listens for his heartbeat. The Wonder Doctor, however, may be able to help. If he can get the leaf of the Golden Speedwell plant, he can make a potion that will save the King. But it is going to take time. He will have to travel far, and in all types of weather, to attain his object. As the Wonder Doctor travels, he tells the animals he meets to go to King Mansolain's castle and tell him a story. Only stories that can prolong the King's life. A steady stream of animals arrive, one by one, at the castle and tell their tales. A wolf, a squirrel, a duck, a beetle, a lion, a dragon, a field mouse, a swallow, a donkey and ten bumblebees, who all sing various parts of their story. Dutch children's writer Paul Biegel first published The King of Copper Mountains in 1964. It is one of those timeless classics, a series of fantasy tales spoken by charismatic and intriguing forest creatures. The King's magnificent castle is a sublime piece of magic, with its various theme rooms and glorious gardens. At the end of each day, the creatures retire to an assigned part of the castle to sleep. The book gives off a warm glow as the castle slowly fills up with animals who have all made a vow to live peaceably. A perfect children's book that people of all ages can enjoy. The King of the Copper Mountains, by Paul Biegel. Published by Pushkin Children's. $15.99 Review by Chris Saliba A gorgeously absorbing historical novel that weaves its way from Brazil to France to Melbourne, Australia. Melbourne, 1902. Lawyer Nathan Smithson takes on a case involving two brothers, Edward and Charles Fonçeca. An inheritance is at stake and Charles wants the controlling interest. Charles, a violent alcoholic, declares Edward is illegitimate and therefore has no claim. To sort out the truth of the matter, Nathan must uncover the exotic history of the brothers' parents, who settled in Melbourne in 1861. Brazil, 1852. Their father, François, is a French naturalist working in Brazil when he is almost killed. Saved by Tupi Indians, he is taken to a farm run by the Fonçeca family. Sixteen-year-old Carolina Fonçeca soon falls in love with the much older dashing naturalist. They begin a passionate love affair, but François is already married. When François and Carolina's union brings two children, a legally fictitious father is created for Charles and Edward. Based on real events, The Natural History of Love is an extraordinary story – exotic, passionate and fascinating. Caroline Petit skilfully creates an gorgeously intimate narrative based on the imagined diary entries of Francois and Carolina, with lawyer Nathan Smithson neatening up loose ends into a cohesive whole. Absorbing, entertaining historical fiction that takes the reader on a wild journey. The Natural History of Love, by Caroline Petit. Published by Affirm Press. $32.99 Review by Chris Saliba Ten highly engaging stories about the absurdities of modern life. Melbourne based Paul Dalla Rosa's fiction has been published in Granta, McSweeney's Quarterly Review, and Meanjin. His debut, An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life, contains ten short stories, six of them previously published. The stories are written in a plain, affectless voice, with little plot, but often describing hair raising scenarios. A young man moves to Dubai to make tax-free money; a restaurant worker in his spare time buys toys for an online sex performer; a call centre worker spends her money on rent, a psychologist and low quality party drugs; a group of young men travel to a Pride March in Tel Aviv, one of them injecting melanin in order to attain a beautiful tan. This is life in the early 21st century, lived online and behind a screen. It's a time of too much and not enough. Characters experience excess – drugs, sex, credit card debt – but are oddly disconnected from themselves. A recurring motif is the alienating nature of work and the transient nature of relationships. Dalla Rosa's style is essentially ironic and absurdist. He lays bare a ridiculous world, full of meaningless conversations and lifeless parties, one we all must be actors in. A bold first collection from a shrewd observer. If you enjoyed Naoise Dolan's Exciting Times or the novels of Sally Rooney, you're sure to find yourself addicted to Paul Dalla Rosa. An Exciting and Vivid Inner Life, by Paul Dalla Rosa. Published by Allen & Unwin. $29.99 This review first published at Books + Publishing. Review by Chris Saliba. Release date 1st June, 2022 |
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