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henrymarlene's review against another edition
3.0
Inflight reading this evening: "The Beach Caves" was an interesting read. Almost a play on words, many characters seemed to submit to take particular actions under pressure. On the surface this was about Aboriginal archaeological findings along coastline in the 1970s, and a tragic turn of events that seemed to snowball and become complicated on so many levels.
Puzzled by the closure Annette was seeking throughout the book, she was a character that was hard to warm to. Through her eyes we Sue in this light, but I wonder again if this was just naivety of a young student in the 70s, or just a young woman uncomfortable in the void. Annette seemed so resistant to argue and fight for what she wanted, more from the pressure of her inner monologue.
Relationships seemed to also be a key theme in this story. Deeper down, we see the relationship between Annette and Sue, where even Annette remarked that she had to be the one to initiate a connection with Sue: although they were both PhD colleagues, there was some hidden competition maintaining their separation. There seem to be an unbalanced give and take between Alec and Marilyn, and Annette seemed to give way to an opportunity with Brian. The Aboriginal village findings reflected on theories of seeking to be more grounded,in opposition to the obsessive behaviours of the two professors, and also the unspoken antagonism between Sue and Annette.
Puzzled by the closure Annette was seeking throughout the book, she was a character that was hard to warm to. Through her eyes we Sue in this light, but I wonder again if this was just naivety of a young student in the 70s, or just a young woman uncomfortable in the void. Annette seemed so resistant to argue and fight for what she wanted, more from the pressure of her inner monologue.
Relationships seemed to also be a key theme in this story. Deeper down, we see the relationship between Annette and Sue, where even Annette remarked that she had to be the one to initiate a connection with Sue: although they were both PhD colleagues, there was some hidden competition maintaining their separation. There seem to be an unbalanced give and take between Alec and Marilyn, and Annette seemed to give way to an opportunity with Brian. The Aboriginal village findings reflected on theories of seeking to be more grounded,in opposition to the obsessive behaviours of the two professors, and also the unspoken antagonism between Sue and Annette.
nina_reads_books's review against another edition
4.0
The Beach Caves is initially set in 1970 and Annette Cooley and other archaeology students from the ANU are working on a site on the NSW South Coast which seems to show that Indigenous people were becoming less nomadic and more sedentary. A larger group moves on to a new site to excavate beach caves. The dig is being led by a husband and wife team - Aled Wray and Marilyn Herr.
Annette begins to develop feelings for one of the other students Brian Harpur. Soon however a second site is found which creates a strange and unsettling dynamic as the group abruptly and acrimoniously splits in two with each professor taking a site. Then one of the group disappears and Annette makes a decision which forever changes her life and that of Brian’s.
The book then switches to 2005. When the mysterious disappearance from the beach caves site is pushed back into the spotlight, Annette is forced to relive the past, examining her part in it and grappling with the memories of the guilt, jealousy and betrayal she felt.
Firstly I loved the setting of this book! For this Canberran it was a little bit thrilling to have Annette running across Barry Drive from the ANU and for the digs to be located on the South Coast. I also found the topic of archaeology and the questions raised about the use of the land by the local Indigenous people to be fascinating but not overwhelming with too much detail.
The Beach Caves is a mystery but of the slow burn and character driven type. The mystery itself isn’t particularly shocking or dramatic but the tension is built slowly and carefully and by the end I found it hard to put down.
The characters were a bit hard to keep track of initially and Brian Harpur was always acknowledged using his full name which gave a strange serious tone to the interactions between him and Annette. Neither he nor Annette come across as particularly likeable but I think the portrayal of flawed characters really added to the books examination of morality and the impact of guilt over the course of a life.
I enjoyed reading The Beach Caves. Thank you @scribepub for my #freegift copy.
Annette begins to develop feelings for one of the other students Brian Harpur. Soon however a second site is found which creates a strange and unsettling dynamic as the group abruptly and acrimoniously splits in two with each professor taking a site. Then one of the group disappears and Annette makes a decision which forever changes her life and that of Brian’s.
The book then switches to 2005. When the mysterious disappearance from the beach caves site is pushed back into the spotlight, Annette is forced to relive the past, examining her part in it and grappling with the memories of the guilt, jealousy and betrayal she felt.
Firstly I loved the setting of this book! For this Canberran it was a little bit thrilling to have Annette running across Barry Drive from the ANU and for the digs to be located on the South Coast. I also found the topic of archaeology and the questions raised about the use of the land by the local Indigenous people to be fascinating but not overwhelming with too much detail.
The Beach Caves is a mystery but of the slow burn and character driven type. The mystery itself isn’t particularly shocking or dramatic but the tension is built slowly and carefully and by the end I found it hard to put down.
The characters were a bit hard to keep track of initially and Brian Harpur was always acknowledged using his full name which gave a strange serious tone to the interactions between him and Annette. Neither he nor Annette come across as particularly likeable but I think the portrayal of flawed characters really added to the books examination of morality and the impact of guilt over the course of a life.
I enjoyed reading The Beach Caves. Thank you @scribepub for my #freegift copy.
scribepub's review against another edition
An archaeological thriller that has a real sense of lived experience. Written with beautiful exactitude by a natural writer.
Joan London
Uplifting and satisfying.
Books+Publishing
Meditative … the unfolding of the plot is moving without ever sinking into sentimentality.
Sydney Morning Herald
An enchanted tale about the power of making things and the unexpected remaking of a life.
Amanda Lohrey
An archaeological thriller set on a dig in southern NSW.
Geordie Williamson, The Australian
The Beach Caves is a fascinating book that left me eager to find out what happened next.
Suzanne Steinbrucker, Readings
An intriguing book … The Beach Caves will attract readers wanting an insight into the academic mind and procedures. Other readers will enjoy it for its mystery.
Michael McKernan, The Canberra Times
The Beach Caves examines the impact that young relationships and instinctive reactions can have on the course of a life … A moody, evocative novel that brings the rugged south coast of New South Wales to life.
Andrew McLeod, Australian Book Review
The Beach Caves is a deceptively innocent title: this is a novel that reeks of jealousy, betrayal, and guilt. … Trevor Shearston writes beautiful prose, and is master of the landscape he portrays … This is a superb novel, which I expect to see in shortlists in due course.
Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers
What The Beach Caves does well is to explore the very human dimensions of the archaeological endeavour of the time. To capture the intensity of obsession, both personal and professional, and the very real consequences when those obsessions are allowed to get out of control.
Robert Goodman, Pile by the Bed
Joan London
Uplifting and satisfying.
Books+Publishing
Meditative … the unfolding of the plot is moving without ever sinking into sentimentality.
Sydney Morning Herald
An enchanted tale about the power of making things and the unexpected remaking of a life.
Amanda Lohrey
An archaeological thriller set on a dig in southern NSW.
Geordie Williamson, The Australian
The Beach Caves is a fascinating book that left me eager to find out what happened next.
Suzanne Steinbrucker, Readings
An intriguing book … The Beach Caves will attract readers wanting an insight into the academic mind and procedures. Other readers will enjoy it for its mystery.
Michael McKernan, The Canberra Times
The Beach Caves examines the impact that young relationships and instinctive reactions can have on the course of a life … A moody, evocative novel that brings the rugged south coast of New South Wales to life.
Andrew McLeod, Australian Book Review
The Beach Caves is a deceptively innocent title: this is a novel that reeks of jealousy, betrayal, and guilt. … Trevor Shearston writes beautiful prose, and is master of the landscape he portrays … This is a superb novel, which I expect to see in shortlists in due course.
Lisa Hill, ANZ LitLovers
What The Beach Caves does well is to explore the very human dimensions of the archaeological endeavour of the time. To capture the intensity of obsession, both personal and professional, and the very real consequences when those obsessions are allowed to get out of control.
Robert Goodman, Pile by the Bed
bristoni74's review against another edition
3.0
I choose this book to read after listening to the ABC Book club podcast and it intrigued me. With an interest in history and archaeology, I read a lot of European and British books, but this is set in Australia with a team from ANU (the Australian National University in Canberra) discovering a significant Aboriginal site on the New South Wales southern coast in 1971.
Like a couple of books, I’ve read lately this is more of a literary crime novel than a page-turning thriller. The book is split in two parts with the first section focused on a husband-wife team Aled and Marilyn who are each well-known archaeologists within their field and lead the archaeological dig.
The story is told through the eyes of Annette, a young honours student who has a crush on Brian, an Engineering student who has joined the dig. He discovers a second more significant site, and this splits the group. Then one of the members of the group disappears presumably drowned. It was jolting to read a book set in a time period where there was no consultation with the Aboriginal people living in the community about these significant discoveries and the attitudes of the academics at that time.
The second part of the book fast forwards 34 years later to 2005 when the body of the missing group member is discovered. As I said, not a page turner, but literary fiction/crime that is really well-written and looks at ethics, guilt, jealousy, ambition and how our decisions can have life-long impacts on others.
Like a couple of books, I’ve read lately this is more of a literary crime novel than a page-turning thriller. The book is split in two parts with the first section focused on a husband-wife team Aled and Marilyn who are each well-known archaeologists within their field and lead the archaeological dig.
The story is told through the eyes of Annette, a young honours student who has a crush on Brian, an Engineering student who has joined the dig. He discovers a second more significant site, and this splits the group. Then one of the members of the group disappears presumably drowned. It was jolting to read a book set in a time period where there was no consultation with the Aboriginal people living in the community about these significant discoveries and the attitudes of the academics at that time.
The second part of the book fast forwards 34 years later to 2005 when the body of the missing group member is discovered. As I said, not a page turner, but literary fiction/crime that is really well-written and looks at ethics, guilt, jealousy, ambition and how our decisions can have life-long impacts on others.
kaydee's review against another edition
3.0
Not my usual fare. This was an interesting read set in a world I know very little about (archaeology) however parts of it made me very uncomfortable. It was set in the 1970s so I guess that was the time however I feel like it could have been handled with a bit more sensitivity. We know better now.
meganori's review against another edition
3.0
This novel built tension well in the first half, but I found the second part uninspiring. I also took issue with the fact that it's a novel about Aboriginal history that includes no Aboriginal characters.
lidwien's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
funny
informative
mysterious
relaxing
medium-paced
4.0
“A section of the cliff face was lower and darker, its lip fat with ferns. She turned a slow circle, silently rebuking herself for being in such a hurry to get to this cave that she was forgetting the basics. Fresh – if ephemeral – water, the ocean, a lake, roos, muttonbirds and their bones, stone. It was all here, the Holocene supermarket.”
Annette, a 20-year-old student, and her friend Sue spend their weekends at archeological excavations. As Honours students, they have been asked to spend their summer holiday on a dig in New South Wales, the Beach Cave. Their supervisors, Professor Aled Wray and his wife Marilyn, are leading the excavations. As one spectacular discovery after another is made, cracks begin to appear in their marriage. Meanwhile, Annette and Brian, an engineering student who also signed up to take part in the dig, develop a special connection. But as tensions mount, Annette sees something she will never be able to forget. And when one of the dig's participants disappears, she makes a decision that will permanently change Brian’s life.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I thought the setting in Australia in the '70s was interesting and the vivid descriptions of the beaches made me forget about the current gloomy winter weather in the Northern Hemisphere. I never read a novel about archeology before and I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about the process. However, this also leads to my biggest complaint: many of the discoveries that were made were never mentioned again! I guess the book is centered on the mystery surrounding the disappearance, but I found it disappointing that answers were lacking regarding the archeological digs.
Although my curiosity wasn’t fully satisfied, I am really happy to have read this book. Still, I do think there are some extra points of improvement. For one, I thought that Annette seemed to switch between being almost childish and behaving more like an adult. I did most of the characters in this novel though as they felt very real and had some mysterious tendencies. A more crucial thing that stood out to me is that this book wasn’t actually very thrilling. Yes, I wanted to know what happened next, but I don’t think the author was entirely successful in creating a suspenseful mood. Combining this with the fact that the mystery of the disappearance was never fully explained, I really wish the ending of the story had been different.
To conclude, I would recommend this book if you are interested in archeology or looking for a beach read with substance, but I think it is less appropriate for those who are looking for a thriller.
Annette, a 20-year-old student, and her friend Sue spend their weekends at archeological excavations. As Honours students, they have been asked to spend their summer holiday on a dig in New South Wales, the Beach Cave. Their supervisors, Professor Aled Wray and his wife Marilyn, are leading the excavations. As one spectacular discovery after another is made, cracks begin to appear in their marriage. Meanwhile, Annette and Brian, an engineering student who also signed up to take part in the dig, develop a special connection. But as tensions mount, Annette sees something she will never be able to forget. And when one of the dig's participants disappears, she makes a decision that will permanently change Brian’s life.
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. I thought the setting in Australia in the '70s was interesting and the vivid descriptions of the beaches made me forget about the current gloomy winter weather in the Northern Hemisphere. I never read a novel about archeology before and I enjoyed getting to know a bit more about the process. However, this also leads to my biggest complaint: many of the discoveries that were made were never mentioned again! I guess the book is centered on the mystery surrounding the disappearance, but I found it disappointing that answers were lacking regarding the archeological digs.
Although my curiosity wasn’t fully satisfied, I am really happy to have read this book. Still, I do think there are some extra points of improvement. For one, I thought that Annette seemed to switch between being almost childish and behaving more like an adult. I did most of the characters in this novel though as they felt very real and had some mysterious tendencies. A more crucial thing that stood out to me is that this book wasn’t actually very thrilling. Yes, I wanted to know what happened next, but I don’t think the author was entirely successful in creating a suspenseful mood. Combining this with the fact that the mystery of the disappearance was never fully explained, I really wish the ending of the story had been different.
To conclude, I would recommend this book if you are interested in archeology or looking for a beach read with substance, but I think it is less appropriate for those who are looking for a thriller.
wherethebooksgo's review
dark
mysterious
reflective
sad
slow-paced
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
Content Warnings
Moderate: Animal death
Minor: Sexual assault
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