Thrill Seekers
Edwina Shaw
Ransom Publishing, 2019
Paperback, 280 pages, £7.99
ISBN 9781785916755
Thrill Seekers is a good novel. It isn’t a nice novel, and it certainly isn’t a fun novel, but it’s the kind of novel that grabs you by the front of your coat and shakes you around a bit before dropping you just as suddenly. The premise is simple: the protagonists’ father is dead and in order to deal with that there’s going to have to be a whole lot of drinking, smoking and drugging. Luckily, Brian and Douggie Spencer are the boys for the job. Unluckily? Douggie has started hearing voices, and everything looks like it’s about to go down the creek and fast.
And there are a lot of creeks. It’s set in an existentialist Brisbane, where the youth have no purpose and nothing but time. The pacing is excellent, the characters are believable, the grit is gritty. The chapters-as-vignettes approach works well. The only major issue arises from the inclusion of a third narrator, Beck: an enjoyable character but not really a protagonist. Shaw gives her very little agency and her chapters suffer for it. Don’t worry though, it’s not the end of the world, since the prose is consistently excellent: unfussy, but with a rare liveliness and spring to it which could save almost any meandering scene.
This is for fans of (or an introduction to) McCabe’s Butcher Boy and E.M. Reapy’s Red Dirt. Depression, addiction, faith and love are all thrown in the pot and discussed frankly by Shaw, as well as severe mental illness – the book is dedicated to her brother, who was diagnosed with schizophrenia. He died aged twenty. Not for the faint of heart and certainly not for the squeamish, Thrill Seekers is a bloody, harrowing, all-Australian tale which is well worth grappling with.
Luke Power
I truly relished this read. As an Irish person, I also feel very connected to my roots by the story, as many Irish words are used and many other Irish legends referenced, including some that I had never heard of. This book was a learning experience. Deirdre Sullivan really manages to pull the reader into the enchantment and poignancy of the story. It feels like being read an old tale by a familiar voice.
Adelaide and Toby Buchman’s brother-sister relationship really appealed to me as well because, although they keep things from each other, they are always there for when the other is in need. I loved this book! I would recommend it to anyone who likes romantic fiction that includes real-life situations. Again Again is a wonderful story that shows us the reality of loving and losing the right and wrong people.
Both of the stories in Star Trek: Discovery – Aftermath are highly appealing in terms of plot, but also carry a nuanced discourse on human nature and emotion. The Klingon narrative aptly suggests that peace and equality between races should be a very real and achievable goal, and yet a hopeful future is threatened by those who are dangerously narrow-minded. The stories within this graphic novel comment on the importance of unity in the face of danger from a common enemy. 
Reid’s writing is clever, sophisticated and perfectly suits this coming of-age story. Using variations of typeface and font, the placement and size of the words on the page are used to reflect emotion and action. At times, the narrative is possibly too fast and could do with more expansion, but this simultaneously asks the reader to slow down while reading Wrecked in order to savour its literary craftsmanship. If it is coming-of-age novels you enjoy, this one has all of the traditional themes, although it is in an unconventional format, both in form and in perspective. This is a young-adult novel that can be enjoyed by both young and old, and should be making its way onto all school reading lists.
Tanya Landman’s retelling of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights brings a new sense of accessibility to the classic story. Told in first-person from Catherine’s viewpoint, this novella allows the reader to form a deeper connection with the young adult heroine as the motivation behind her thoughts and actions is clearly identified. Although shortened, this retelling captures the dark tone of the original and retains the sense of impending doom. 
Bayron’s writing shines the most when the focus shifts to individual scenes that show either the horrific cruelty exercised by Mersailles’s leadership on its people, or the sweet and tender intimacy between Sophia and her two female love interests. Bayron masterfully brings the reader into the action and the emotions of the characters. It is an intense experience, but a captivating one.
This fast-paced, engaging read is an excellent stepping stone for readers new to the story of King Arthur. It has enough dragons, magic, and prophecies to please any fan of high fantasy, but is also a story about growing up. Arthur is very relatable as a mischievous ten-year-old boy who cuts classes, fights with his cousin, and disobeys his guardians. His curiosity and restlessness as he explores and has adventures will speak to middle-grade readers, as will his butting heads with Cai and his foster parents. Meanwhile, Arthur’s growth as a hero – the empathy and courage he shows in rescuing a friend from an enemy sorcerer – makes for a realistic and satisfying character arc. Matthews brings to his writing a keen expertise in Celtic mythology, and his interpretation of Arthur’s childhood will surely inspire a love of the Arthurian legends in a new generation of readers.
There are some moments, however, where it seems the story is progressing in a certain direction only because it is how these stories are expected to develop. This makes the second half of the book seem disjointed.
This is a book about the depths of friendship and love. It is about coming to terms with your past to build a better future, and about accepting the love you feel undeserving of in order to heal. If you’re looking for magical Korean folklore in a modern, vibrant setting, a character-driven plot and a dash of romance and danger then this could be right up your alley. But read Wicked Fox first!
