Book Review - Dirt Music by Tim Winton

Date: September 16, 2007
Author: Tim Winton
Title: Dirt Music
Rating: 9/10

How I got a hold of this book: I borrowed it from the Montgomery Public Library - Silver Spring, and I returned it earlier today. I plan on buying it.
Where I read this book: Home, wherever I sat during lunch hour at work, metro

This book made me feel: Grabbed, lunged at, forcefully directed
Why I like it: Such intensity in characters and situations. I consumed it. I needed to finish. I can't say it was beautiful writing because that word just doesn't work, but it was incredibly crafted. I'm looking foward to reading it again.
Why I don't like it: I'm not familiar with western Australia or northern Australia language/vegetation, and I probably lost a little impact in the translation
The plot in five words: fierce/forgiveness/moment/searching/passion

This book made me think of: Former bookstore owner of Fremont Place Book Company. She recommended it to me many years ago. I finally read it. What held me back was the boring cover which is probably not boring to those of western Australia.
Memorable Character: Luther Fox
Memorable Quote: There were times when she suspected you could use up your allocation of good fortune in a single massive stroke like that. Now she was certain of it. But where did that leave her? How did you live a life knowing you're arse-out of luck?
Person I met while reading this book: People with opinions on Yankees uniforms.
Something memorable that happened in my life during the time it took to read the book: I realized I wasn't the only one who had open heart surgery to hear the words, "Take it easy." I just reacted to those words differently.
If I could recommend this book to one person, it would be to: A poster on Synergy.
How this book changed my life: I bought another book of Tim Winton's. When I read an exceptional book I just want to read more and more and more expecting I will always read something like it again. Non-exceptional books take a while to trudge through.
Will I read it again: Most likely, looking forward to it.

Notes: Luther Fox is an incredible character; a poacher with a heart of gold, but we should hate and love him all the same. He won't belong anywhere he is, and yet he'll get by. Georgie also doesn't belong, but she confronts the challenge and runs away. She is more confused, but remaines within a chosen sphere of life. One that she can verbalize even if it is not how she was brought up.

Many characters are glimpsed. They all have a past hinted at, and those collective pasts somehow become a part of Georgie's/Lu's/Jim's importance. The writing gives these secondary characters full breath. Georgie's character given the occupation as a nurse opens doors to her personality not necessarily seen in her family/intimate relationships, but she must help someone to be of use. I think the people Luther Fox meets on the road is significant. I'm not sure why, but the discussion of these characters would make a great book club discussion.