Winton wraps up his tale with some heightened tension and visceral thrills. Far more gripping, though, is Jaxie’s full-bodied narrative voice, which is the driving force of the novel.
Tim Winton’s new novel hovers between a profane confession and a plea for help. A distinctly Down Under story by this most Australian writer, The Shepherd’s Hut is almost too painful to read, but also too plaintive to put down ... If too many contemporary novels strike you as effete and suburban, here’s survivalist fiction at its rawest from a novelist who sometimes sounds as bleak as our own Cormac McCarthy.
Winton thrusts the reader into the barren and unforgiving salt land in western Australia. With the author’s intimate knowledge of the harsh landscape, it serves as the catalyst for action. Jaxie’s distinctive, gritty language renders his story visceral, and an absolute thrill to read.
