The Woman Booker Prize Club is a local Hobart book club. Here they share their thoughts on books by Tasmanian authors, set in Tasmania, or about Tassie topics. Over to the club!

Where do we belong? How do we deal with love and loss? This month we review two novels about people finding them­selves; building their communities, and moving on with lives amidst grief. Both books use elements of myth and fairytales – perfect for adults wanting something heartfelt with a dose of escapism.

The End and Everything Before It by Finegan Kruckemeyer (Text Publishing, July 2024)

Review by Megan Tighe au

Finegan Kruckemeyer was born in Ireland and lives in Adelaide, but he spent some of his formative years in Hobart – which provided a ‘hometown’ reception for the author, with plenty of friends in the audience at Fullers Bookshop, on one of the first stops of his book tour in July.

An acclaimed playwright, The End and Everything Before It is Kruckemeyer’s first novel – and hopefully not the last. It’s very good. I enjoyed it. I don’t quite know what else to say about this book!

It’s set somewhere (a place that is increasingly open to interpretation). There are families, friends, acquaintances, and community (the connections between people gradually more apparent across time and space). It’s a bit tragic, but unfailingly warm, with an optimistic view of humanity. It’s insightful and wise, and quite amusing at times.

It’s hard to categorise or explain this novel, but I think you should probably try reading it yourself and see what you think. Even better, the language lends itself to being spoken and it would be lovely to have someone read it aloud to you (maybe try the audiobook?).

The Seven Skins of Esther Wilding by Holly Ringland (HarperCollins, September 2022)

Review by Melanie Ross

Titular Esther Wildling is lost in life after the disappearance and presumed drowning of her older sister, Aura. Isolated from her family and friends, in self-exile on the West Coast of Tasmania, Esther reluctantly reconnects after a memorial for Aura in her hometown of fictional Salt Bay – based on our very own Binalong Bay. She then agrees to travel to Denmark, where Aura had built a life for herself (before Aurora returned, changed, to Tasmania).

Like The End and Everything Before It, this novel is also difficult to categorise – it’s a story of personal growth for Esther, a family drama, a mystery, and an ode to travel. It draws upon mythology and folk tales, and the descriptions of Copenhagen and the Faroe Islands are particularly evocative. Ringland has done a huge amount of research and this is especially evident in the detail of several Palawa characters who play an important role in the Tasmania-based portions of the narrative.

I admit that it took me a while to really connect and become invested in Esther’s (and Aura’s) story, but once I was ‘in’, it was very easy to pick up this book and become immersed in the vivid depic­tions and finely-drawn characters. A lovely choice for a meaty, adventurous story with lots of character growth and a familiar Tassie setting!

Book Chatter: This month brings one of our favourite days of every year! 12 October is Love Your Bookshop Day (up there with Library Lovers Day and the Booker Prize ceremony in our hearts). Make sure to show your local some love by popping in-store or on their website for a browse, and hopefully make a purchase (or jump on libro.fm to send audiobook profits to your local independ­ent bookstore).

If you’re looking for some more reading suggestions and inspiration, it’s time to join the lowest-commitment book club in town. Each month, the Ten Days on the Island festival team and artists pick a book and you can participate in the dis­cussion across their social media (or not, it’s very relaxed). The ‘club’ has been going for a year and the diverse choices have been fantastic so far. Subscribe to their newsletter (www.tendays.org.au/ subscribe) and there’s a chance to win a copy of the book each month.

Keen to chat books with us? Find us on Instagram @thewomanbookerprizeclub or email thewbpc@gmail.com.