Boy Swallows Universe

Kylie Minogue, Joseph Conrad, the fascist state that was Queensland and how I came to realise that the star rating system may not be appropriate for this book. Part three.

A great Brisbane Novel? Maybe but again the rating of stars seems a bit pointless as this being a book about my home town, and the third Brisbane novel I have read in recent times, I have now given all three the maximum rating. The reality is that that is my rating because I related to them for obvious reasons. Many may not. The other reality is that the only one that really rates that maximum rating is Andrew McGahan Praise. There is a realistic grittiness in that book that rings true. Boy Swallows Universe is more witty magical realism.

Author Trent Dalton has written a strangely seductive amalgam of family history, fantasy and observation of his childhood that was Brisbane in the 1980's when this terrific novel takes place. Eli is his youthful narrator of this book and Eli observes with a sharp wit, an almost humble self-depreciating attitude as to what goes on around him and what events occur in his young life.

There is a lot of emotion written in this book, from the very witty that is obviously witty to the very sad that is obviously very sad and that is always going to suck any reader from anywhere if the writing appeals. The Brisbane and various cultural references of the times come think and fast, hence the appeal to me. One example is Ribbetts, a takeaway food place that gets a mention in this book.

It still does exist It no longer exists

It was across the road from what did exist but no longer does and that is Boggo Road Jail. Google Maps is your friend when reading this book. There are name-drops galore that the average Brisbane resident would and should relate to. My home suburb gets a mention with both Moorooka and its Magic Mile of Motors. That great Brisbane muso Ed Kuepper had an album called This is The Magic Mile in tribute. Tragically a sign heralding your entrance into this magic mile was consumed in a fire a few years back. A cultural tragedy up there with the demolition of the Buddas of Bamyan and the Bellvue Hotel.

As with all these style of books the wit can be rather infectious. Eli and his family have to go to a Vietnamese restaurant near the Darra train station for business dealings. The owner, Eli observes, has an opinion as to why Australians wallow in inherent misery. Their childhood is so “idyllic and joyous” with the beach, backyard cricket and never ending sunshine that anything beyond that can never match. Hence “junk cures all misery”. This was true then and is now. My generation, the baby boomers, booze ourselves with both legal and illegal drug and self-pity is rife. When some 18 year old minimum wage earner in a bar fails to deliver our drink at the speed of light we will let them know very loudly and collectively with a growl in our voices. We are filthy rich by any standards, are superannuated up to our ears, receive tax credits back from the poorer PAYE taxpayer for our 1.9 million dollar fully franked dividends received and have the government of our choice. But we are not happy and by cripes we will shout about that from the ultra-rich media owned exclusively by our generation. Oh yes and I drove past the Darra train station not long ago and there is still a Vietnamese restaurant.

Firstly Kylie gets no mention in this book. Much to my surprise Joseph Conrad did. It is indeed wonderful to know that through heartfelt generosity many a Saturday afternoon drunk at the Bracken Ridge Tavern is not only looking for a bet on the horses but is discussing the “psychological resonance of Heart Of Darkness.” This and The Delinquents? What is it with the Queensland's lower socio economic group and their need to read Conrad? The fascist state that was Qld existed in this book. This is seemingly a theme for some writers of the street when it comes to the deep north. Hard to steer away from that past in reality. It is part of the historical narrative. There maybe a lot of love in this book but also a lot of Queensland's dark past.

Strangely good fun to read and recommended to Brisbaneites from both sides of the river.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2699060809?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2404004468?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1