- Format: Kindle Edition
- File Size: 1235 KB
- Print Length: 384 pages
- Publisher: Aardvark Bureau (28 Mar. 2019)
- Sold by: Amazon Media EU S.à r.l.
- Language: English
- ASIN: B07NGHCTF7
Synopsis
Abandoned by her mother and only occasionally visited by her secretive father, Justine is raised by her grandfather Justine finds sanctuary in Pop’s chickens and the beauty of The Choke on the nearby Murray River. But there is no one to protect Justine from danger. Her father is a criminal, and the world he exposes her to is lethal.
Review
The Choke is set in Australia in in the early 1970’s, and is a coming of age story that will capture your heart. The plot is narrated by Justine, and is split into two parts; Justine age ten and then when she is thirteen. Brought up by her Pop (grandfather) after her mother abandons her and her father is rarely around, she is very much left to her own devices. Her safe place is the choke, a narrowing in theMurray river where she has built a hideout, its a place she can be herself and be by herself. Justine has to navigate her own way through childhood to adolescence where her naivety and need to fit in ends in disaster. Beautifully written, we see the world through the innocent eyes of Justine who is a character you cant help but take to your heart.
The Choke is a beautifully written book and one that deals with some very important subjects. Justine has been abandoned by her mother and has a father who is away for long periods of time and is pretty useless when he is back. Her only family is her grandfather, Pop, and her half brothers Kirk and Steve who live with their mother. Pop is haunted by his time as a POW in Japan during WWII, and neglects Justine in the way that he takes no interest in her school or life in general. There is no real female influence in her life; her Aunt Rita has tried to keep in contact but is estranged from Pop and doesn’t live near them. She has a tough time at school as she is poor and living in the outback there isn’t a bath so she is often dirty, and she has dyslexia. The only friend she she makes is a disabled boy Michael, which is such a beautiful relationship; two outsiders who find comfort in each other even though their lives are disparate. Justine is naive and I wanted to give her a big hug and reassure her that things would be ok. The characters are memorable, real and larger than life.
Justine’s narration makes the reader see the world with her innocence. There are many difficult themes addressed in The Choke, including disability discrimination, rape, abuse, child neglect and sexual discrimination, all seen through the innocent eyes of Justine who doesn’t really comprehend them. In the 1970’s these subjects were more prevalent and more accepted than they are in todays society. Sofie Laguna’s descriptive prose brings the natural environment of the Murray river to life. The river’s constant change marks the landscape over time, just as life makes it mark on humans, but for Justine it’s the only constant in her life.
The Choke is a heartbreaking, emotional but captivating read of one girls confusion of childhood and the move into adulthood. Beautifully written with a reality of the world and characters from that period, this is a masterful piece of fiction. There is a darkness and grit to the story, which is in contrast to the innocence of the lead character Justine. This is a remarkable read and I look forward to reading more from Sofie Laguna.
Thank you to Gallic Books for my copy of The Choke in return for an honest review.
Thank you for reading my review, all likes, shares and follows are greatly appreciated.
