A beautiful book. (Although sometimes the language was a bit try-hard: "her eyes grow used to the element she has them for" stumped me for a while, until I could finally read it as "her eyes grow used to the light". And later on "mulch it with mucilaginous and treacherous side-slipping logic" had me gobsmacked with its excessive alliteration.)

All the characters are wonderful. None of them are clear-cut baddies, they all think they're doing the right thing (but does it make a difference if you think you're doing the right thing if you're doing the wrong thing?), or have good motivations (the road to Hell is paved with them), or are just confused and caught up in the middle. In particular, I absolutely adored the character of Dr Archibald Parker. I think we could have a whole 'nother book written just about him.

I didn't find this a clear-cut book: probably what happens when your main character is suffering from dementia (I didn't think that was a question: she did seem to be quite thoroughly confused at times, but that doesn't mean she deserved her treatment over at the Courts of Lunacy). Were her horses really killed? Did Martin ever really exist? Did she really have dementia? (No, Yes, and Yes, were my answers; but I'm sure other people have other ideas, and that's what makes this such an interesting book.) ( )

Shortlisted Miles Franklin 2008