Past the Shallows- Favel Parrett

[Kate]

I do like to read Australian fiction when I can, and I had heard good things about this book before I picked it up. It didn't disappoint - but oh so sad! It's about a family of three brothers, trying to keep going after the death of their mother. Told mostly from the point of view of the youngest (Harry) it tells the story of their disintegrating family under the strict and harsh rule of their father, an abalone diver. After the oldest (Joe) moves away, the middle brother Miles is forced to start working on the boat with his dad, even though he is not ready for that kind of life. There's some amazing descriptions of the rugged and exposed coastal area in Tasmania where they live, and I found it a really haunting read that lingered long in my mind.