The Turning – Tim Winton

A beautiful, haunting set of short stories from Tim Winton, featuring the generations of families who live and grow up in the coastal town of Angelus, Western Australia. Although the stories can be read in isolation, this collection is home to a relatively small set of characters whose lives intertwine, intersect and overlap.

It was only towards the end of the book that I realised quite how small the cast was, and how many times we’ve been shown different stages and key events in the same life. Sometimes from their perspective, sometimes from that of those close to them. Myths, mysteries and misunderstandings abound.

One of those rare books that did actually cause me to go back and start reading from the beginning again, to spot more connections and to understand the complex characters a little better. Definitely a book that I’ll come back to, and those are few and far between.

amazon.co.uk link: The Turning – Tim Winton