Howard Anderson (1)

I received this as a First Read Giveaway. I enjoyed the story, the writing style and the reflective moral compass of Albert and his new friends.

Perhaps the most salient paragraph is on the next to last page; "He had walked into Old Australia with an empty bottle, and he would walk out having learned about fame and friendship. He hadn't come from Adelaide to look for those things, but he had found them. He hadn't discovered why he had come to the place he was leaving, and probably never would. The why of things had ceased to trouble him, and he was content with what he'd been given. "… (más)

A platypus escapes from a zoo in Adelaide to search for Old Australia where everything is wonderful and free. In the desert, he meets a pyromaniac wombat, an aging Tasmanian devil (who was once a well-known fighter), a roguish raccoon (he’s a foreigner), assorted marsupials, and a several dingoes. It’s a kind of Watership Down Under with anthropomorphized animals interacting with each other in their own culture apart and uninvolved with humanity. It’s also has the feel of an old TV Western story with gun-toting bad guys, prospectors, dusty little towns, and dingoes playing the role of American Indians. Mainly, it’s a classic quest tale. Albert (the platypus) is ostensibly looking for a legendary promised land but is actually discovering himself, learning that each new experience, in a way, begins a new life.
It’s charming, as anthropomorphized animal stories often are. I can’t say I saw much in the way of profound thoughts, cultural satire, or anything of that nature, but it does touch a bit on questions every person asks at one time or another. Is there is more to life? Is the grass greener on the other side? What am I? These are not explored at any length in this book. They are simply hinted at, and the answer, if one is presented, is that you just muddle through, take things as they come, and keep wondering.
I enjoyed the story. The characters are simplistic but likeable. There is not much of a plot, but the characters and setting are engaging enough that you want to keep reading to see what Albert finds next.
… (más)