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lozbot27's review
adventurous
challenging
hopeful
informative
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
4.0
I've just finished and am eager to pen a review of Gregory Day's book, 'The Bell of the World.' This might be a lofty title, considering the multitude of amazing Australian authors, but I believe this book could contend for the title of the Great Australian Novel. I didn't anticipate the book's unfolding based on its beginning. However, as Day wrote in his novel, maybe it never truly began; perhaps it was simply a continuation of the characters' lives. I didn't get to know their lives from the start, so how can I assume its end when I've entered their pages mid-narrative? It's in the realisations that you don't need to comprehend the meaning of something to appreciate it or to let it function and add its value to the world; that's what I found in Sarah's life in Ngangahook, set during the colonial era in Australia. We all seek to comprehend our identity and our place in our own worlds, but perhaps, instead of imposing our physical identities on a place to compensate for not truly knowing who we are, maybe we should listen to the bell of the world.
Admittedly, I had to Google the meaning of a word every 5 minutes—words like 'demesnes' (referring to controlled lands), 'hypnagogic' (pertaining to the threshold between wakefulness and sleep), 'sedulous' (indicating diligence), and 'ameliorate' (meaning improvement). But I'm glad I persisted because otherwise, I would have struggled to navigate the many warrens of the story. But why should it be considered a contender for the Great Australian Novel or one of? The book's innovative narrative, its exploration of Australian identity and the impact of colonial history, and its profound philosophical reflections position it as a significant contender in Australian literature.
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