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avamoon's review against another edition
challenging
dark
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
1.5
Why do they make us read such messed up books. This should no way be in the curriculum, it may have had some insight and been progressive when released but in modern day it displays negative representation. I would rather stab my brain with a spoon then re read this
jacquelinepon's review against another edition
3.0
I agree with the majority reviewers in that Coonardoo is ultimately racist in its depiction of Aboriginal people. Prichard's writing of the actual character Coonardoo I believe is voyeuristic - in all honesty, this book should be called Hugh, since the story is actually about him, and Coonardo is simply the archetypal female, a plot point to "Hugh's tragic life as a white man." 🙄 Their apparent "love" is not love but Hughs repressed lust for Coonardoo, which points to Prichard's theme of sexuality (you can also tell throughout the book that Prichard takes great interest in psychoanalysis, and she even name drops Carl Jung at one point). The books racialisation is also seen in the theme of inevitability - this idea that Aboriginal people will die out - a theme which is played out at the book's ending (which i also hated - i 'threw my book across the room' and everything)
Regarding everything I've written above, you're probably wondering why I gave the book three stars. And my reasoning is, despite the book's very relevant misgivings, I must take into consideration the impact of this book and the time it was written. I imagine that, while definitely not today, it was progressive during the 1930s; it presented Aboriginals as individuals and not a collective, and spoke much about some of the complexities of Indigenous culture. It challenged white settler perspectives about miscegenation and, despite being a classic, was not convoluted, and quite an easy read. I might even endeavour to say it was well written.
Overall, read Coonardoo with a grain of salt; while it definitely has substantial flaws, I think it's an important piece of Australian literature that depicts the white psyche and attitude towards Aboriginal people during that time. Reading it today, while uncomfortable, shows us how far we have come, but also how far we still have to go concerning Indigenous treatment and rights.
Regarding everything I've written above, you're probably wondering why I gave the book three stars. And my reasoning is, despite the book's very relevant misgivings, I must take into consideration the impact of this book and the time it was written. I imagine that, while definitely not today, it was progressive during the 1930s; it presented Aboriginals as individuals and not a collective, and spoke much about some of the complexities of Indigenous culture. It challenged white settler perspectives about miscegenation and, despite being a classic, was not convoluted, and quite an easy read. I might even endeavour to say it was well written.
Overall, read Coonardoo with a grain of salt; while it definitely has substantial flaws, I think it's an important piece of Australian literature that depicts the white psyche and attitude towards Aboriginal people during that time. Reading it today, while uncomfortable, shows us how far we have come, but also how far we still have to go concerning Indigenous treatment and rights.
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