Picnic at Hanging Rock
Ratings48
Average rating3.9
Dark ans suspenseful, filled with memorable characters and almost palpable tension.
This book is a tale of the unsolved disappearance of a group of schoolgirls on a picnic trip and how that shock reverberates through their community and changes other characters' lives forever.
The points of view are all well done in terms of having different voices and showing which aspects of what had happened mattered to them. I understand from the introduction that there were originally supernatural elements that were toned down for publication and I think that was a good call.
Due to the setting and the publication date, there are a few things that seem pretty dated, including racially insensitive language and a weird obsession with bullying one of the children for being fat.
Decided to pick this one up because it's considered an Australian classic - buts it's more a classic in the sense that it was really popular when it was published, not really because it's groundbreaking in any way. Giving it somewhere between a 3 and a 4, but bumping it down to a 3 because while I did enjoy it, I wouldn't recommend anyone go out of their way to read it.
I watched the recent miniseries towards the end of 2018 and enjoyed it and wanted to read the book. It was interesting enough, but not great. It seemed unfocused a lot of the time and trying too hard. I'm not quite sure how people thought it was a true story...
I'm a little conflicted because on one hand, when I finished this book, I was angry. Like, ranting-to-my-poor-roommate-for-ten-minutes kind of angry.
But then I couldn't stop thinking about it. And then I stayed up until 1 AM binge-watching the entire Amazon miniseries. (So now it will be difficult to separate my thoughts and feelings on the two, but I'll do my best.)
While it isn't my usual cup of tea, if a piece of art impacts you enough to keep you thinking well into the next day, that has to count for something. And I loved the writing! I can't say much else without being spoilery.
So if I had rated this directly after finishing, it definitely would have been two stars (1 for story, 1 for the writing style). But after mulling it over, I have come to terms with the fact that while it wasn't what I expected, it was certainly unique, enjoyable, and well-executed. 4 stars.
”He reminded himself that he was in Australia: Australia, where anything might happen. In England everything had been done before: quite often by one's own ancestors, over and over again.”
Two years ago, I watched a film based on the book by Joan Lindsay. A month ago, I watched a marvelous TV series adaptation of the same novel. Both versions were eerie, dark, atmospheric. I've always wanted to read Picnic at Hanging Rock and the opportunity came with the Movie Night discussion in Zuky's wonderful group ”The BookBum Club”. Unfortunately, the result left me disappointed...
Mrs. Appleyard is the formidable headmistress of a school for girls of the upper classes in Australia. They are taught how to behave and how NOT to think in order to become good wives. This should be their only aspiration in life. During a picnic on St.Valentine's day, three senior students, Miranda, Irma, and Marion are lost. So is one of the teachers. They disappear in the area of the Hanging Rock, a place where mystery and wild beauty co-exist. What happened to the girls? What is happening in the school? Why such severity and absolute lack of compassion? What secrets does Mrs. Appleyard hide?
There are moments of breathtaking beauty in this novel. The descriptions of the natural environment, the nightly scenes dedicated to the characters' actions are absolutely fascinating. However, the dialogue leaves a lot to be desired, in my opinion. My main complaint is the lack of development of any kind. There was no development in the characters which is a pity since most of them surely hide quite a lot of secrets. From the teachers to the students, the claustrophobic environment that exists side by side with the beautiful, threatening, unruly nature provided a unique setting that I felt was wasted in endless descriptions of the life of the two young men of the story that were completely useless. No wonder that I enjoyed the film and TV versions so much more than the novel...
It's such a pity, really...There was so much potential and at times, the writing was remarkable. Like a mist and a storm...However, upon reading the last page, I was underwhelmed and disappointed...
It's 1900. A group of college girls goes on a picnic at a nature area. Some of the girls and one of their teachers do not return. It's a mystery.
It doesn't end there. Bad things continue to happen, long after the original event, bad things that are all loosely tied to the event. It's a mystery.
So glad I read this little book. It's short, but thoughtful, with beautiful writing and an interesting premise. Recommended.