What do you think?
Rate this book
Between a Wolf and a Dog
Ester is a family therapist with an appointment book that catalogues the anxieties of the middle class: loneliness, relationships, death. She spends her days helping others find happiness, but her own family relationships are tense and frayed. Estranged from both her sister, April, and her ex-husband, Lawrence, Ester wants to fall in love again. Meanwhile, April is struggling through her own directionless life; Lawrence's reckless past decisions are catching up with him; and Ester and April's mother, Hilary, is about to make a choice that will profoundly affect them all.
Taking place largely over one rainy day in Sydney, and rendered with the evocative and powerful prose Blain is known for, Between a Wolf and a Dog is a celebration of the best in all of us -- our capacity to live in the face of ordinary sorrows, and to draw strength from the transformative power of art. Ultimately, it is a joyous tribute to the beauty of being alive.
Taking place largely over one rainy day in Sydney, and rendered with the evocative and powerful prose Blain is known for, Between a Wolf and a Dog is a celebration of the best in all of us -- our capacity to live in the face of ordinary sorrows, and to draw strength from the transformative power of art. Ultimately, it is a joyous tribute to the beauty of being alive.
272 pages, Paperback
First published March 28, 2016
106 people are currently reading
3428 people want to read
About the author
Georgia Blain
26books66followersGeorgia Blain has published novels for adults and young adults, essays, short stories, and a memoir. Her first novel was the bestselling Closed for Winter, which was made into a feature film. She was shortlisted for numerous awards including the NSW and SA Premiers' Literary Awards, and the Nita B. Kibble Award for her memoir Births Deaths Marriages. Georgia's works include The Secret Lives of Men, Too Close to Home, and the YA novel Darkwater. In 2016, in addition to Between a Wolf and a Dog, Georgia also published the YA novel Special. She lived in Sydney, where she worked full-time as a writer.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
April 22, 2017
Why do I keep picking books like this!! Another beautifully written book soaked with thoughtful prose and tinged with a contemplative sadness. This book delves into the fragility of life and relationships, of family, forgiveness and also owning up to your own truth, however painful or sad that might be. The book centres around one family all dealing with their own issues, each one connected to the other. I love how the atmosphere of the relentless rain in the background enhances the mood of this book and lends it a sombre melancholy feel, learning about the author's own death gives it an almost eerie poignant feel. I'm glad I read this book, it makes you think about life and time shared with your loved ones is so limited. It makes you think every minute is precious so make every moment count. 4 happy teary sad stars
July 4, 2016
Exquisitely painful. Beautifully written.
My View:
Exquisitely painful, melancholy, reflective, poignant and yet so beautifully written you will not be able to put this book down.
Without doubt one of the best book I have read this year!
This book should have been depressing but it wasn’t, it was a celebration of life and the joy of the everyday; sitting round the table with your family as a child, holidays with family, kids playing dress ups, cooking together in the kitchen, singing out loud, art� breathing in, breathing out, being in the moment�.simple joys, beautiful locations (this author can write!) This is a celebration of life, family and a peak at complex dynamics that make a family; of the fragility of love, the durability of love and moving on. Beautiful.
My View:
Exquisitely painful, melancholy, reflective, poignant and yet so beautifully written you will not be able to put this book down.
Without doubt one of the best book I have read this year!
This book should have been depressing but it wasn’t, it was a celebration of life and the joy of the everyday; sitting round the table with your family as a child, holidays with family, kids playing dress ups, cooking together in the kitchen, singing out loud, art� breathing in, breathing out, being in the moment�.simple joys, beautiful locations (this author can write!) This is a celebration of life, family and a peak at complex dynamics that make a family; of the fragility of love, the durability of love and moving on. Beautiful.
February 7, 2017
Beautiful, raw and real....
Entre chien et loup is a multi-layered expression used by the french. It is used to describe a specific time of day, just before night, when the light is so dim you can't distinguish a dog from a wolf.
The title is perfect! It so aptly describes the way this story is delivered.
So beautifully evocative, I felt as if I were a not-so-distant observer to the unfolding events...I was involved right from the beginning.
I can't describe this story, it is way out of my depth to try, as I couldn't possibly do justice to Georgia Blain's beautifully observant mind and artistic flow of the pen.
How she can so aptly describe a day in the life of several members of the same family in all their intimate activities and imaginings without seeming to condense it in any way, is remarkable.
I felt like I was slowly absorbing the story as it unfolded.
It is a story that just needs to be tuned in to, it will resonate differently to every reader for many and varied reasons depending on which frame of mind they are approaching it from.
It is a story with such a subtle presentation that makes the reader feel privy to its very personal observations and invested in the care and wellbeing of its characters...however flawed some may seem.
It shows us just how vulnerable we mere mortals are to everyday temptations and how inept we are in times of personal crises.
It felt very private.
One reviewer (Carol) noted that "this book should have been depressing but it wasn't" and I wholeheartedly agree.
It is a perfect portrait of a day in the life of...it could be anyone's story...remarkably described so as not to sound histrionic, but not to diminish it in any way either.
One thing I feel sure of is that this book will resonate in some way with every reader.
Sadly, I found this book only days before the author passed away in December 2016 making this read all the more poignant, and in retrospect possibly pertinent.
I very much look forward to discovering much more of Georgia Blain's work.
5★s **Ps..I love the cover too!!
April 17, 2016
This was a melancholy book, alive with the fragility of life that touches us all, it was made up of delicate webs, the stars that spiders make.
I don't think I've ever read a book that so beautifully calls in the atmosphere of a rainy day in Australia, a metaphor for our very own sorrows, and how quickly our imprint in this world remains.
I closed it with a heavy heart, and a feeling of urgency with respect to my own life, and yet the knowledge that this meditation on how we take our time here for granted will also evaporate and rise back up and away, just like rain.
*my friend just told me that Blain has been writing articles for The Saturday Paper about living with a diagnosis of brain cancer. I almost want to read it again knowing this, now I can see how brave this work of art is, and why it had the effect on me that it did. Incredible.
I don't think I've ever read a book that so beautifully calls in the atmosphere of a rainy day in Australia, a metaphor for our very own sorrows, and how quickly our imprint in this world remains.
I closed it with a heavy heart, and a feeling of urgency with respect to my own life, and yet the knowledge that this meditation on how we take our time here for granted will also evaporate and rise back up and away, just like rain.
*my friend just told me that Blain has been writing articles for The Saturday Paper about living with a diagnosis of brain cancer. I almost want to read it again knowing this, now I can see how brave this work of art is, and why it had the effect on me that it did. Incredible.
April 29, 2022
Blain’s prose is accomplished, controlled, and polished. Her subject: a husband’s betrayal of his wife with his wife’s sister, how that betrayal ripples through the family, and his ultimate act of atonement for the harm he has caused. Blain shifts backwards and forwards from the time of the betrayal three years before to the present, providing the points of view of the four main characters. In addition to her focus on infidelity, Blain considers art, the compromises that are required of a person in order to make a living, and what it means to face reality and to grow up.
Blain’s writing is skillful and her characters are well defined, but I did not completely warm to the novel. Yes, it is a work of art, but I kept wishing someone would crack a joke to lighten its unrelentingly melancholy tone.
Rating: 3.5
Blain’s writing is skillful and her characters are well defined, but I did not completely warm to the novel. Yes, it is a work of art, but I kept wishing someone would crack a joke to lighten its unrelentingly melancholy tone.
Rating: 3.5
June 10, 2016
This is a beautifully drawn study of a flawed family, coping with separation, illness and crisis. It's thoughtful, powerful and the conclusion is deeply moving, even without the added poignancy that comes from knowing Blain's own tragic medical situation.
February 20, 2017
An exquisitely written story but heart wrenchingly sad. I loved the language and sincerity of this novel and felt moved by all the characters despite both their good and bad choices.
August 28, 2021
| | | | | |
This novel had a really strong start: Blain's style was compelling and brought her story to life.
However, as the narrative progresses, I started to notice that the language and descriptions could be very repetitive and, at times, even overdone.
Although there are flashbacks and chapters set in the past, the majority of the story chronicles one single day. The focus is on Ester, a family therapist, her mother Hilary, who is a filmmaker, her estranged sister April, who is a singer, and Ester's ex-husband Lawrence. The characters are portrayed with exquisite detail and within the space of a few pages their personalities are richly rendered. They all going through long moments of introspection, where they examine their present, past, and possible futures. The rift between Ester and April is one of the central aspects of the novel.
Failed ambitions, forgiveness, and loneliness are a common thread between these characters. They might not be extremely likeable but they seemed, for the most part, incredibly human.
I enjoyed the role that art has in this novel. At times the narrative pokes fun at the pretentiousness that exists in the 'art world', while in other occasions it embraced the creative process.
Sadly, halfway through I found that both the writing and the characters to be slightly more dramatic then what was necessary. All the women are 'golden' and 'beautiful', with 'golden hair' and 'golden skin', they are ethereal beauties....Lawrence is also incredibly handsome. It wouldn't have bothered me if this had not been repeated throughout the course of the novel.
Also, there were many times where the writing seemed excessive. We have at least three instances were someone wants to 'drink' someone in (they specify 'teeth' and all). Everything was magnified to intensify certain feelings.
An absorbing start leads into a self-indulgent litany.
This novel had a really strong start: Blain's style was compelling and brought her story to life.
However, as the narrative progresses, I started to notice that the language and descriptions could be very repetitive and, at times, even overdone.
Although there are flashbacks and chapters set in the past, the majority of the story chronicles one single day. The focus is on Ester, a family therapist, her mother Hilary, who is a filmmaker, her estranged sister April, who is a singer, and Ester's ex-husband Lawrence. The characters are portrayed with exquisite detail and within the space of a few pages their personalities are richly rendered. They all going through long moments of introspection, where they examine their present, past, and possible futures. The rift between Ester and April is one of the central aspects of the novel.
Failed ambitions, forgiveness, and loneliness are a common thread between these characters. They might not be extremely likeable but they seemed, for the most part, incredibly human.
I enjoyed the role that art has in this novel. At times the narrative pokes fun at the pretentiousness that exists in the 'art world', while in other occasions it embraced the creative process.
Sadly, halfway through I found that both the writing and the characters to be slightly more dramatic then what was necessary. All the women are 'golden' and 'beautiful', with 'golden hair' and 'golden skin', they are ethereal beauties....Lawrence is also incredibly handsome. It wouldn't have bothered me if this had not been repeated throughout the course of the novel.
Also, there were many times where the writing seemed excessive. We have at least three instances were someone wants to 'drink' someone in (they specify 'teeth' and all). Everything was magnified to intensify certain feelings.
An absorbing start leads into a self-indulgent litany.
September 13, 2017
The time between a wolf and a dog is late dusk, a mauve light “deepening like a bruise, the cold breath of the wind a low moan…� It is during that symbolic time that this novel is set, peopled by characters who straddle the lines between self-awareness and destruction.
In another writer’s hands, the book could veer toward the melodramatic: one sister, Ester, a therapist…the other, April, a musician with boundary issues…a filmmaker mother, Hillary, who is on the verge of making a profoundly difficult decision.
But Georgia Blain sieves out all the cinematic drama, leaving behind nuggets of what’s true and what’s real: the strange, ordered chaos of life, the “lifetime of tales that have not been told, each one shiny and unsullied, ready to be unwrapped and marveled at�, and the dynamics of relationships that are constantly shifting and coming into focus.
This is an adult book, casting aside the twists and turns and centering on presenting the characters to the reader and then exposing them, little by little. Flashbacks to an incident that led to the sisters� estrangement three years ago helps fill in the gaps and provides tools for insights into the characters� actions. From time to time, we meet Ester’s patients, who counterbalance her own self-imposed restraint.
As the book draws to its close, the ending is non-manipulative and downright moving. Ultimately, the book is a paean to the hope that exists in an ordinary, extraordinary world.
Postscript: after reading this book, I learned that the author had died of a brain tumor after finishing it, which makes this novel all the more poignant.
In another writer’s hands, the book could veer toward the melodramatic: one sister, Ester, a therapist…the other, April, a musician with boundary issues…a filmmaker mother, Hillary, who is on the verge of making a profoundly difficult decision.
But Georgia Blain sieves out all the cinematic drama, leaving behind nuggets of what’s true and what’s real: the strange, ordered chaos of life, the “lifetime of tales that have not been told, each one shiny and unsullied, ready to be unwrapped and marveled at�, and the dynamics of relationships that are constantly shifting and coming into focus.
This is an adult book, casting aside the twists and turns and centering on presenting the characters to the reader and then exposing them, little by little. Flashbacks to an incident that led to the sisters� estrangement three years ago helps fill in the gaps and provides tools for insights into the characters� actions. From time to time, we meet Ester’s patients, who counterbalance her own self-imposed restraint.
As the book draws to its close, the ending is non-manipulative and downright moving. Ultimately, the book is a paean to the hope that exists in an ordinary, extraordinary world.
Postscript: after reading this book, I learned that the author had died of a brain tumor after finishing it, which makes this novel all the more poignant.
May 14, 2016
I was immediately captivated by the title of this book, "Between a Wolf and a Dog," which I later discovered is translated from a French phrase referring to that moment when darkness emerges and our vision is blurred. From there Blain drew me into her beautifully observed world of families, betrayal and secrets.
There is a wonderful quietness in Blain's writing, as she moves around the inner workings of fascinating characters to meditations on the gloomy beauty of a stormy day in Sydney. She never overdoes it. I felt like an observer on the edge of a world I knew intimately.
There is a wonderful quietness in Blain's writing, as she moves around the inner workings of fascinating characters to meditations on the gloomy beauty of a stormy day in Sydney. She never overdoes it. I felt like an observer on the edge of a world I knew intimately.
February 27, 2024
The action of this book by Georgia Blain takes place over a single day � but as in real life, the past bleeds into the present�
Between a Wolf and a Dog seems like a curious name for an Australian book (because we don’t have wolves here and never did) so I Googled it and discovered via At Twilight that it’s a translation of the French expression entre chien et loup, an expression which means the twilight, when you can’t distinguish between a wolf and a dog, or, more symbolically, between friend or foe, between feeling safe or feeling threatened.
BEWARE: SPOILERS
One ought to feel safe within a family, but that’s not the case in this dysfunctional family. There are two sisters, April � who is warm-hearted but flighty and feckless, and Ester, who is reserved and rather controlled. She is a family therapist, and Blain uses this device to enable the reader to see how Ester reacts with calm and predictable responses to the tragedies of her clients. It is not so easy for her in real life, however, because her sister has slept with her husband Lawrence and three years later, she is still not in the mood to reconcile.
Not welcome in this family for obvious reasons but still part of it because he is the father of Ester’s two school-age children, is Lawrence. He has problems of his own. He has been tweaking the findings of political polls � more from boredom than from malice � but his misdemeanours have just been discovered by a god-botherer with an assertive conscience. It’s highly likely that Lawrence is going to lose his lucrative contract with the newspaper, not to mention his reputation.
To read the rest of my review please visit
Between a Wolf and a Dog seems like a curious name for an Australian book (because we don’t have wolves here and never did) so I Googled it and discovered via At Twilight that it’s a translation of the French expression entre chien et loup, an expression which means the twilight, when you can’t distinguish between a wolf and a dog, or, more symbolically, between friend or foe, between feeling safe or feeling threatened.
BEWARE: SPOILERS
One ought to feel safe within a family, but that’s not the case in this dysfunctional family. There are two sisters, April � who is warm-hearted but flighty and feckless, and Ester, who is reserved and rather controlled. She is a family therapist, and Blain uses this device to enable the reader to see how Ester reacts with calm and predictable responses to the tragedies of her clients. It is not so easy for her in real life, however, because her sister has slept with her husband Lawrence and three years later, she is still not in the mood to reconcile.
Not welcome in this family for obvious reasons but still part of it because he is the father of Ester’s two school-age children, is Lawrence. He has problems of his own. He has been tweaking the findings of political polls � more from boredom than from malice � but his misdemeanours have just been discovered by a god-botherer with an assertive conscience. It’s highly likely that Lawrence is going to lose his lucrative contract with the newspaper, not to mention his reputation.
To read the rest of my review please visit
July 31, 2017
I remember reading somewhere that Georgia Blain only writes about the middle class. I thought well, I’m middle class but Between A Wolf and a Dog is so much more than just a certain set of characters, a certain stage. It is a mediation on life itself, on how we interact with others, on the dynamics of family and the impact our actions can have on those around us.
Ester is a family therapist and her appointments cleverly break up the day for the reader. Ester is estranged from her sister April, who three years earlier slept with her husband Lawrence. He has moved out of the family home as a result. Then there is Hilary, the mother of both girls who, during the course of the novel, is forced to make a choice that will affect them all.
What I love most about this book is how seamlessly Blain moves from the present to the past and from one character to another. Each character has their own concerns and worries. With the unfolding of each scene we not only begin to understand each character more but we have a sense of living their life with them and I believe we only experience that on rare occasions (at least in this reader’s experience).
Here’s April’s apartment:
“The floors were layered in rugs, her clothes were strewn across the furniture, and the windows were draped in badly hemmed curtains she had made. But when you first walked in, when you first saw the dance of colours and textures, it was alluring, the messiness beneath not evident to the new visitor, only the thrill of such complete disregard for order.�
Here is Lawrence:
“A sadness had settled into Lawrence’s life. It was dank and slow in its creep, damp and stale. He was morose at home, his boredom with work and the stillness of middle age seeping through both of their lives. ‘Change it,� Ester used to say when their arguments were still capable of moving into an attempt to understand each other. And do what? They were no longer on the same track, and they both knew it. Hers was the high road, and his - without a doubt - the low.� Marvellous!
For me, more than anything, this novel is a reminder of how precious life is. So many times Blain’s wisdom as a writer (perhaps enhanced by her tragic situation whilst writing this novel) shines through. Between a Wolf and a Dog is a must read.
I’ll leave you with Hilary.
“She meets his gaze. ‘It’s how most of us live paying so little attention to the good fortune we enjoy. Perhaps we have to stay ignorant of our blessings. Perhaps we can only carry our good fortune with us if we don’t know that we are doing it - otherwise we would be overwhelmed by anxiety at the possibility of its loss.’�
Ester is a family therapist and her appointments cleverly break up the day for the reader. Ester is estranged from her sister April, who three years earlier slept with her husband Lawrence. He has moved out of the family home as a result. Then there is Hilary, the mother of both girls who, during the course of the novel, is forced to make a choice that will affect them all.
What I love most about this book is how seamlessly Blain moves from the present to the past and from one character to another. Each character has their own concerns and worries. With the unfolding of each scene we not only begin to understand each character more but we have a sense of living their life with them and I believe we only experience that on rare occasions (at least in this reader’s experience).
Here’s April’s apartment:
“The floors were layered in rugs, her clothes were strewn across the furniture, and the windows were draped in badly hemmed curtains she had made. But when you first walked in, when you first saw the dance of colours and textures, it was alluring, the messiness beneath not evident to the new visitor, only the thrill of such complete disregard for order.�
Here is Lawrence:
“A sadness had settled into Lawrence’s life. It was dank and slow in its creep, damp and stale. He was morose at home, his boredom with work and the stillness of middle age seeping through both of their lives. ‘Change it,� Ester used to say when their arguments were still capable of moving into an attempt to understand each other. And do what? They were no longer on the same track, and they both knew it. Hers was the high road, and his - without a doubt - the low.� Marvellous!
For me, more than anything, this novel is a reminder of how precious life is. So many times Blain’s wisdom as a writer (perhaps enhanced by her tragic situation whilst writing this novel) shines through. Between a Wolf and a Dog is a must read.
I’ll leave you with Hilary.
“She meets his gaze. ‘It’s how most of us live paying so little attention to the good fortune we enjoy. Perhaps we have to stay ignorant of our blessings. Perhaps we can only carry our good fortune with us if we don’t know that we are doing it - otherwise we would be overwhelmed by anxiety at the possibility of its loss.’�
February 5, 2019
I run the risk of gushing over this Australian novel, but it truly was exceptional.
This beautiful story of a damaged family over the course of one rainy Sydney day is exquisitely written. Each of the characters are well constructed and Blain's evocative prose graphically recreates the Australian bush scenes of the family country retreat and the sadness and pain of the characters.
While sadness pervades the novel, it is not a sad book, but hopeful and full of the potential of life.
Highly recommended.
This beautiful story of a damaged family over the course of one rainy Sydney day is exquisitely written. Each of the characters are well constructed and Blain's evocative prose graphically recreates the Australian bush scenes of the family country retreat and the sadness and pain of the characters.
While sadness pervades the novel, it is not a sad book, but hopeful and full of the potential of life.
Highly recommended.
February 8, 2017
Sometimes I think the best novels are those that are set over the course of just one day. Let's face it, a lot can happen. Between A Wolf And A Dog explores the goings on of one rainy day (and a little bit into the next) in Sydney, in the lives of several characters in one family, by blood and by marriage. Blain explores the pain and heartbreak of separation and betrayal, how life as we know it can be over in an instant, and captures the minutiae of life, from the sound of the rain falling to the colour of an enamel ring on a character's hand, with a poet's touch. The plight of one character's fate is all the more poignant knowing that Blain herself passed away not even a month ago.
It's a wonderful novel and hammers home all the more what a loss her passing is to the Australian literary community.
The first book I've finished in 2017 and a good omen for my reading year.
It's a wonderful novel and hammers home all the more what a loss her passing is to the Australian literary community.
The first book I've finished in 2017 and a good omen for my reading year.
July 28, 2017
Hilary lived a lucky, happy life with her creative husband, friends and family. Her story is told with respect and empathy. It is the highlight of the book.
Her daughters don't talk, Ester's patients would depress anyone, Alice knows she needs to grow up and Ester's ex-husband Lawrence is irresponsible.
The story is told over one day, with all characters having a major role at times. Very nicely written but overall I couldn't feel too much sympathy with anyone other than Hilary and the twins.
Her daughters don't talk, Ester's patients would depress anyone, Alice knows she needs to grow up and Ester's ex-husband Lawrence is irresponsible.
The story is told over one day, with all characters having a major role at times. Very nicely written but overall I couldn't feel too much sympathy with anyone other than Hilary and the twins.
October 1, 2018
Exquisite. I didn’t put this down from the moment I began. My favourite read of the year.
January 4, 2018
3.5 stars actually.
Most reviewers showered praise on this book, and it won the 2017 Queensland Literary Prize. However, while I really love the title and its derivation, and found myself quickly immersed in this book, which is undeniably well-observed and well-constructed ... there is something about the plot and characters that seems too contrived to me.
And there's also something vaguely out-dated in the feel or tone of the book, which is not compensated for by the frequent references to modern times and modern technology. Perhaps it was intentional to have this mismatch .... but I feel that Helen Garner's Monkey Grip covered similar emotional and sociological territory much less self-consciously and more authentically decades ago.
I feel bad about not giving the book a more glowing review, given that Blain died from brain cancer not long after she was awarded the 2016 Queensland Literary Award. (And BTW there's a sad "life imitating art" connection with the book here.) Surely I could have been more positive about one of the last books that Georgia Blain wrote, yes? Why didn't I like this book more, given that I quite enjoyed Births Deaths and Marriages?
My assessment of this book is clearly out of step with the judges of that literary prize. That's no surprise to me though, given that I wasn't on the same page as the judges who awarded Charlotte Wood the 2016 Stella Prize for The Natural Way of Things � which I found even more contrived and implausible than Between a Wolf and a Dog. But then, what do I know? Perhaps that I may not end up being a die-hard fan of Georgia Blain's or Charlotte Woods' oeuvre � or on the panel of any major literary prize any time soon ... ?
For all my reservations though, there were some nice lines in Blain's book which I'll add to the bottom of this review ...
Why I thought I should read this book
(or "what the professional reviewers thought")
I put this book on my Want to Read list book because of very positive comments by James Valentine, Kate Evans & Charlotte Wood on The Mix 23 Apr 2016. I can't find a link to the video or any transcript of this show but here are some links to other reviews in the Australian media:
*
*
*
*
*
Quotes
* I loved this para early on in the novel. Most of us have been here before - either on the sending or receiving end:
"Her phone chimes. The text message on the screen is from her mother: Cold Men. She can only assume this means 'Call me', as this is what Hilary usually wants, but as she never wears her glasses, and her phone has an old form of predictive text that she uses in an unpredictable way, the words that she sends usually bear no relation to what she means." (p.6)
* "I don't love you.
The love has gone.
Every time those words are said, there is so much pain, Ester thinks. She has seen it before in this room � the utterance ripping through lives like a gun shot, a bomb, hollowing out the centre and leaving an all-consuming ache. You go to sleep to it, you dream of it, you wake to it; food is dry and tasteless, air is difficult to breathe, colour bleeds away. She knows this.
But there is also relief and the possibility of change, waiting just off centre-stage, hovering and ready to be allowed to tiptoe in. Not straight away, never straight away � in fact, those emotions cannot even be acknowledged for quite some time. But they are there." (p. 182)
* "She had always been a reader � no one else in the family is that interested. She had carted her books from house to house as a student, the boxes growing in number each time, keeping them because she could not imagine doing otherwise, and because she thought that there was something permanent in a book, that it lasted forever. But now, when she takes an older paperback out to reread or loan, she is surprised at how fragile it has become, the paper threatening to tear inher hands as she turns the page, tiny black specks embedded in its tissue pages; bugs, probably. She should have cleared them out, she thinks. Packed them up in boxes for recycling. No one would want them when she was gone.
She comes from an era that has passed. Books, films, theatres, the art world � all are in an extraordinary shakedown. The films she makes no longer have any place in the currency of culture; they are meditations on fragments that take hold of her, often tumbling, looping round and round and round an idea, using images, words, and sounds to play with notions that surface and sink. They would never show on television, they would never get a cinema release, they would not be watched by anyone on Youtube. They screen in festivals, mainly overseas, where she is often invited to talk, and where the few devoted followers of such work know and admire her.
She has never been sad about this, or bitter. She regards herself as exceptionally fortunate, actually. She found her niche at the tail end of this particular incarnation of cinema, and she was able to keep making work. She didn't want fame, although some notoriety ensured her work was screened and she received the occasional funding to produce another film. She also didn't want money. Maurie's success meant they had enough to live well." (p. 185)
* "In the kitchen, she takes a pear from the fruit bowl, and holds it in the palm of her hand. It is firm and round, the brown skin rough, furry enough to send slight shivers up her spine. She slices into it, not because she is hungry, but because she needs to calm herself, absorb herself in a close examination of something, anything. [...] The flesh is creamy-yellow, crisp, the sweetness of the pear almost almond-like, a sugar granulation to the juice along the edge of the knife.
There. And as she sits and takes a bite, disliking the sensation of the skin against her tongue, she focuses her mind on the experience only, her sense of calm returning, cautiously, like a whipped dog creeping back to its master." (p. 191-192) --- I love that last image!
* "It's how most of us live, paying so little attention to the good fortune we enjoy. Perhaps we have to stay ignorant of our blessings. Perhaps we can only carry our good fortune with us if we don't know that we are doing it � otherwise we would be overwhelmed by anxiety at the possibility of its loss." (p. 204)
* "Ester nods. 'You have learnt to be extraordinarily self-reliant, and to do without people. This was probably very necessary as a child. It helped you survive. But the survival skills we develop as a child often don't work so well for us when we are older. And breaking down patterns, habits, ways of being that are entrenched, can be a slow process.' " (p. 224)
* "They all come in here, day after day, session after session. Loneliness, heartache, despair, anger. Most of her clients are there at the uncomfortable edge of one of the darker facets of life. She could stand up now in her room and open the window, let the rain pour in, across her desk, onto the beautiful carpet, her papers curling up, ink smudging, the sound of the downpour uncomfortably loud and close, and she could look at Hannah and tell her to just go for it � have sex, have it often, throw herself into life with no reserve.
But she does not utter those words to Hannah. Of course she doesn't.
This temptation often creeps in at the end of the day. And she always resists." (p. 225)
Most reviewers showered praise on this book, and it won the 2017 Queensland Literary Prize. However, while I really love the title and its derivation, and found myself quickly immersed in this book, which is undeniably well-observed and well-constructed ... there is something about the plot and characters that seems too contrived to me.
And there's also something vaguely out-dated in the feel or tone of the book, which is not compensated for by the frequent references to modern times and modern technology. Perhaps it was intentional to have this mismatch .... but I feel that Helen Garner's Monkey Grip covered similar emotional and sociological territory much less self-consciously and more authentically decades ago.
I feel bad about not giving the book a more glowing review, given that Blain died from brain cancer not long after she was awarded the 2016 Queensland Literary Award. (And BTW there's a sad "life imitating art" connection with the book here.) Surely I could have been more positive about one of the last books that Georgia Blain wrote, yes? Why didn't I like this book more, given that I quite enjoyed Births Deaths and Marriages?
My assessment of this book is clearly out of step with the judges of that literary prize. That's no surprise to me though, given that I wasn't on the same page as the judges who awarded Charlotte Wood the 2016 Stella Prize for The Natural Way of Things � which I found even more contrived and implausible than Between a Wolf and a Dog. But then, what do I know? Perhaps that I may not end up being a die-hard fan of Georgia Blain's or Charlotte Woods' oeuvre � or on the panel of any major literary prize any time soon ... ?
For all my reservations though, there were some nice lines in Blain's book which I'll add to the bottom of this review ...
Why I thought I should read this book
(or "what the professional reviewers thought")
I put this book on my Want to Read list book because of very positive comments by James Valentine, Kate Evans & Charlotte Wood on The Mix 23 Apr 2016. I can't find a link to the video or any transcript of this show but here are some links to other reviews in the Australian media:
*
*
*
*
*
Quotes
* I loved this para early on in the novel. Most of us have been here before - either on the sending or receiving end:
"Her phone chimes. The text message on the screen is from her mother: Cold Men. She can only assume this means 'Call me', as this is what Hilary usually wants, but as she never wears her glasses, and her phone has an old form of predictive text that she uses in an unpredictable way, the words that she sends usually bear no relation to what she means." (p.6)
* "I don't love you.
The love has gone.
Every time those words are said, there is so much pain, Ester thinks. She has seen it before in this room � the utterance ripping through lives like a gun shot, a bomb, hollowing out the centre and leaving an all-consuming ache. You go to sleep to it, you dream of it, you wake to it; food is dry and tasteless, air is difficult to breathe, colour bleeds away. She knows this.
But there is also relief and the possibility of change, waiting just off centre-stage, hovering and ready to be allowed to tiptoe in. Not straight away, never straight away � in fact, those emotions cannot even be acknowledged for quite some time. But they are there." (p. 182)
* "She had always been a reader � no one else in the family is that interested. She had carted her books from house to house as a student, the boxes growing in number each time, keeping them because she could not imagine doing otherwise, and because she thought that there was something permanent in a book, that it lasted forever. But now, when she takes an older paperback out to reread or loan, she is surprised at how fragile it has become, the paper threatening to tear inher hands as she turns the page, tiny black specks embedded in its tissue pages; bugs, probably. She should have cleared them out, she thinks. Packed them up in boxes for recycling. No one would want them when she was gone.
She comes from an era that has passed. Books, films, theatres, the art world � all are in an extraordinary shakedown. The films she makes no longer have any place in the currency of culture; they are meditations on fragments that take hold of her, often tumbling, looping round and round and round an idea, using images, words, and sounds to play with notions that surface and sink. They would never show on television, they would never get a cinema release, they would not be watched by anyone on Youtube. They screen in festivals, mainly overseas, where she is often invited to talk, and where the few devoted followers of such work know and admire her.
She has never been sad about this, or bitter. She regards herself as exceptionally fortunate, actually. She found her niche at the tail end of this particular incarnation of cinema, and she was able to keep making work. She didn't want fame, although some notoriety ensured her work was screened and she received the occasional funding to produce another film. She also didn't want money. Maurie's success meant they had enough to live well." (p. 185)
* "In the kitchen, she takes a pear from the fruit bowl, and holds it in the palm of her hand. It is firm and round, the brown skin rough, furry enough to send slight shivers up her spine. She slices into it, not because she is hungry, but because she needs to calm herself, absorb herself in a close examination of something, anything. [...] The flesh is creamy-yellow, crisp, the sweetness of the pear almost almond-like, a sugar granulation to the juice along the edge of the knife.
There. And as she sits and takes a bite, disliking the sensation of the skin against her tongue, she focuses her mind on the experience only, her sense of calm returning, cautiously, like a whipped dog creeping back to its master." (p. 191-192) --- I love that last image!
* "It's how most of us live, paying so little attention to the good fortune we enjoy. Perhaps we have to stay ignorant of our blessings. Perhaps we can only carry our good fortune with us if we don't know that we are doing it � otherwise we would be overwhelmed by anxiety at the possibility of its loss." (p. 204)
* "Ester nods. 'You have learnt to be extraordinarily self-reliant, and to do without people. This was probably very necessary as a child. It helped you survive. But the survival skills we develop as a child often don't work so well for us when we are older. And breaking down patterns, habits, ways of being that are entrenched, can be a slow process.' " (p. 224)
* "They all come in here, day after day, session after session. Loneliness, heartache, despair, anger. Most of her clients are there at the uncomfortable edge of one of the darker facets of life. She could stand up now in her room and open the window, let the rain pour in, across her desk, onto the beautiful carpet, her papers curling up, ink smudging, the sound of the downpour uncomfortably loud and close, and she could look at Hannah and tell her to just go for it � have sex, have it often, throw herself into life with no reserve.
But she does not utter those words to Hannah. Of course she doesn't.
This temptation often creeps in at the end of the day. And she always resists." (p. 225)
April 16, 2017
Sometimes a book comes along at exactly the right time and it’s exactly the book you want to read. Such was the case with Georgia Blain’s Between a Wolf and a Dog.
The story takes place predominantly over one rainy day. Ester is a single mother to twin girls and works as a family therapist.
“It’s rare that she hears about love in her consulting room. Most of her clients talk of anger, failure, boredom, depression, conflict: the flipside of love.�
Although Ester spends her days helping others find happiness, her own family relationships are in disarray. She’s estranged from her directionless sister, April, and also from her ex-husband, Lawrence, whose reckless decisions are catching up with him. Ester and April’s mother, Hilary, is desperate for her daughters to reconcile.
The delicacy and brilliance of this book is captured in the title, translated from the French phrase, ‘l’heure entre chien et loupe�. Literally, ‘the hour between dog and wolf�, it refers to twilight, the time when distinguishing between a dog and a wolf might be tricky. The title reveals the duality of Blain’s story � friend and foe; outward calm and inner turmoil; what to discard and what to keep; safety and danger; what we reveal and what we keep hidden.
Flashbacks to the past reveal the history of Ester, April, Hilary and Lawrence’s relationships and although there are a handful of key moments, there’s nothing in the plot that’s there to shock. It’s a quiet, careful novel, in which Blain ever-so-slowly increases the emotional load � it’s compelling and by the end, you’re completely in its grip.
Blain’s writing is fantastic � for story about emotions, it’s heartfelt without being sentimental (or depressing). The shift between characters is seamless and the inner voice of each is rich and lucid.
“It has been � two years since Lawrence sat in front of her and confessed. And despite being so tired of the taste of it, she has held his betrayal close.�
It’s a book that reveals the truths and lies we tell ourselves. The intersect between the stories Ester hears as a therapist � many terribly sad and depressing � and her own problems, very gently explores the extent of unhappiness and how it’s impossible to compare one person’s situation with another. Ester compares the intensity of her clients� experiences with her own, thinking that they were often “blanching her own of any colour or substance�. She describes how she compartmentalises her feelings, presenting a facade of ‘calm curiosity� �
“It was strange, this blank slate you presented to each client. You existed only for them. Nothing else happened in this room, before or after. They came, they went, and then the next one arrived. None would know how much sorrow and shame and grief and fear this room had seen, from small ordinary madness to great howling despair.�
It’s also a story that explores themes of forgiveness, when to let go and when to move forward. It’s done in a thoughtful, subtle and realistic way and culminates in an ending that is particularly poignant.
“…last night, when he had returned from the river, there had been no shimmer, just a momentary bravado, and then a sadness that had shocked her.�
4.5/5 Half a mark off for all the rainy bits. Other than that, perfect.
The story takes place predominantly over one rainy day. Ester is a single mother to twin girls and works as a family therapist.
“It’s rare that she hears about love in her consulting room. Most of her clients talk of anger, failure, boredom, depression, conflict: the flipside of love.�
Although Ester spends her days helping others find happiness, her own family relationships are in disarray. She’s estranged from her directionless sister, April, and also from her ex-husband, Lawrence, whose reckless decisions are catching up with him. Ester and April’s mother, Hilary, is desperate for her daughters to reconcile.
The delicacy and brilliance of this book is captured in the title, translated from the French phrase, ‘l’heure entre chien et loupe�. Literally, ‘the hour between dog and wolf�, it refers to twilight, the time when distinguishing between a dog and a wolf might be tricky. The title reveals the duality of Blain’s story � friend and foe; outward calm and inner turmoil; what to discard and what to keep; safety and danger; what we reveal and what we keep hidden.
Flashbacks to the past reveal the history of Ester, April, Hilary and Lawrence’s relationships and although there are a handful of key moments, there’s nothing in the plot that’s there to shock. It’s a quiet, careful novel, in which Blain ever-so-slowly increases the emotional load � it’s compelling and by the end, you’re completely in its grip.
Blain’s writing is fantastic � for story about emotions, it’s heartfelt without being sentimental (or depressing). The shift between characters is seamless and the inner voice of each is rich and lucid.
“It has been � two years since Lawrence sat in front of her and confessed. And despite being so tired of the taste of it, she has held his betrayal close.�
It’s a book that reveals the truths and lies we tell ourselves. The intersect between the stories Ester hears as a therapist � many terribly sad and depressing � and her own problems, very gently explores the extent of unhappiness and how it’s impossible to compare one person’s situation with another. Ester compares the intensity of her clients� experiences with her own, thinking that they were often “blanching her own of any colour or substance�. She describes how she compartmentalises her feelings, presenting a facade of ‘calm curiosity� �
“It was strange, this blank slate you presented to each client. You existed only for them. Nothing else happened in this room, before or after. They came, they went, and then the next one arrived. None would know how much sorrow and shame and grief and fear this room had seen, from small ordinary madness to great howling despair.�
It’s also a story that explores themes of forgiveness, when to let go and when to move forward. It’s done in a thoughtful, subtle and realistic way and culminates in an ending that is particularly poignant.
“…last night, when he had returned from the river, there had been no shimmer, just a momentary bravado, and then a sadness that had shocked her.�
4.5/5 Half a mark off for all the rainy bits. Other than that, perfect.
November 8, 2019
A really lovely book. The author immersed me into the family til I felt almost a part of it. Every character was so well developed and authentic - something I highly value in a good read. To me, there's nothing worse than a book whose character actions/reactions are so preposterous as to be laughable. Those books I toss. But this one I'll cherish. As a book centred around family, there was melancholy and sadness, of course, but there was joy and happiness too. And as it came to an end, I sighed and thought, "Wow. That was just perfect."
September 15, 2016
What a beautiful book. It shows the importance of the big and small things, the indignities and pleasures of life. These characters are deeply drawn and no one is perfect. The ending feels like a new beginning and I hope they'll all find a way to get by.
May 18, 2024
wow. i am blown away. i came across this book on vinted a few weeks ago, and was intrigued by the title and blurb so decided to take a punt, it was only £1. and im so bloody glad i did because this is one of the best books ive ever read. never heard of georgia blain and she sadly died not long after this book was published. her books seem to be pretty hard to get hold of in the uk as she was australian, but im determined to read anything else she wrote. please do yourself a favour and try and read this book.
July 24, 2024
A well constructed but joyless novel.
Like a methodical watchmaker Blain has put all the parts together but the result is just a simple device to keep the time. Many reviewers have commented on the ever present rain. Well the novel is set on a single rainy day so the ubiquity of the rain is to be expected but I think far more disappointing than the ever present pathetic fallacy is the relentlessly grim inner lives of the characters.
Esther, the central character, seems expected to forgive her philandering husband and her sister's ultimate betrayal. But that act is all but impossible given how contemptible they are as people. Her sister April has a bit of light boho artist to her which makes her slightly charming but the husband is a scumbag's scumbag. Even if Esther could bring herself to forgive them the reader certainly never will. Why couldn't their supposed charm and intelligence have been written into the story? They really needed some more facets. They look rather like old cut stones than the brilliant cut diamonds that a domestic drama like this needs. When the plot is just mundane middle class activities, the story lives and dies by character.
Given the nature of Blain's death it would be hard not to read autobiography into this, even though other critics and her friends have assured us there's none.
The clever plot device of Esther unwittingly working through the central problems of the novel with each of her clients is smart in theory.
But nothing of huge importance is said in those therapy sessions, we get a few glimpses into Esther but that's about it. The analysis needs to done by the reader in their own head.
It's no surprise this book was published before 2017, when Donald Trump's election basically ended polls as a serious part of society. In some ways Blain's character Lawrence's fiddling with his numbers almost comes as some sort of prescience with regards to how spectacularly wrong the polls came to be in that seismic event a year later.
I feel like I've levelled the same criticism at quite a few works in a row. So I want to make it clear, I don't mind a book that's bleak. My favourite writer is probably Erich Maria Maria Remarque who writes about some incredibly bleak circumstances from WWI, the Great Depression, and then WWII. But the difference with Remarque is that he knows the value of hope. He knows that when you have nothing else, you can make meaning out of the air and breathe magic upon it. And that to live without meaning is to die.
The other thing you learn from Remarque's work is that humans perceive through contrast. We need shadow and light to be able to make things out. Without the combination you end up with impenetrable darkness or blinding light. While Blain seems to understand the need for contrast, such as by setting the novel in a single day but scattering it with flashbacks from 3 years prior, or her use of Esther's client's issues against her own, she doesn't fully achieve contrast with her tone. And so rather than bold colours, or even stark black and white, we just get a relentless and pervasive grey. Which is probably an apt way of summarising the existential issues of the middle class.
Like a methodical watchmaker Blain has put all the parts together but the result is just a simple device to keep the time. Many reviewers have commented on the ever present rain. Well the novel is set on a single rainy day so the ubiquity of the rain is to be expected but I think far more disappointing than the ever present pathetic fallacy is the relentlessly grim inner lives of the characters.
Esther, the central character, seems expected to forgive her philandering husband and her sister's ultimate betrayal. But that act is all but impossible given how contemptible they are as people. Her sister April has a bit of light boho artist to her which makes her slightly charming but the husband is a scumbag's scumbag. Even if Esther could bring herself to forgive them the reader certainly never will. Why couldn't their supposed charm and intelligence have been written into the story? They really needed some more facets. They look rather like old cut stones than the brilliant cut diamonds that a domestic drama like this needs. When the plot is just mundane middle class activities, the story lives and dies by character.
Given the nature of Blain's death it would be hard not to read autobiography into this, even though other critics and her friends have assured us there's none.
The clever plot device of Esther unwittingly working through the central problems of the novel with each of her clients is smart in theory.
Ester’s appointment diary is open.
9.30am: Louisa
11.00am: The Harcourts
1.00pm: Daniel and Sarah
2.15pm: Chris
4.00pm: Hannah
In her head she sees the structure of her day: post-natal depression, school aversion, relationship crisis, death and loneliness. Lawrence used to call her diary the Happiness Book.
But nothing of huge importance is said in those therapy sessions, we get a few glimpses into Esther but that's about it. The analysis needs to done by the reader in their own head.
It's no surprise this book was published before 2017, when Donald Trump's election basically ended polls as a serious part of society. In some ways Blain's character Lawrence's fiddling with his numbers almost comes as some sort of prescience with regards to how spectacularly wrong the polls came to be in that seismic event a year later.
I feel like I've levelled the same criticism at quite a few works in a row. So I want to make it clear, I don't mind a book that's bleak. My favourite writer is probably Erich Maria Maria Remarque who writes about some incredibly bleak circumstances from WWI, the Great Depression, and then WWII. But the difference with Remarque is that he knows the value of hope. He knows that when you have nothing else, you can make meaning out of the air and breathe magic upon it. And that to live without meaning is to die.
The other thing you learn from Remarque's work is that humans perceive through contrast. We need shadow and light to be able to make things out. Without the combination you end up with impenetrable darkness or blinding light. While Blain seems to understand the need for contrast, such as by setting the novel in a single day but scattering it with flashbacks from 3 years prior, or her use of Esther's client's issues against her own, she doesn't fully achieve contrast with her tone. And so rather than bold colours, or even stark black and white, we just get a relentless and pervasive grey. Which is probably an apt way of summarising the existential issues of the middle class.
July 29, 2018
Update: I read yesterday that Georgia Blain died last week as a result of her brain tumour. Another strong writerly voice that we will miss greatly. Sadly, her remarkable mother, Anne Deveson, died (from Alzheimers disease) only a few days later.
It is many years since I read a Georgia Blain novel and I'm so pleased that I chose to read this one. My only criticism is that the one day when most of the action takes place, with all of its backstory being told in flashbacks, seems unbelievably long. At times I became a little lost and confused about what part of the day we were up to.
The title is taken from the Latin for dawn ('inter lupum et canem') - the same expression in French is the idiom for twilight. Blain's new novel largely takes place on a gloomy, rainy day in Sydney - a day of half light and half formed thoughts and intentions. Her characters are all psychologically 'between' one place or another: Esther, a competent therapist, is still adrift three years after her marriage broke up; Lawrence, her ex-husband, is caught in a potential scandal that may change his career path completely; April (Esther's sister) wants to write music again after her early success faded; Hilary (the women's mother) is deciding what to do in the face of being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
This is a melancholy novel, but with some spirited characters that Blain portrays with a clear eye and carefully chosen prose. Despite the gloom of the day and the situations the characters face, there is much that is optimistic, even joyous. There is a tragic irony in that the writer herself has, since completing the novel, been diagnosed with a brain tumour. In an interview Blain remains resolute and determined to enjoy what each day offers.
Something of this philosophy shines through her characters in this novel, which I found very satisfying (in a quietly sad but hopeful way).
It is many years since I read a Georgia Blain novel and I'm so pleased that I chose to read this one. My only criticism is that the one day when most of the action takes place, with all of its backstory being told in flashbacks, seems unbelievably long. At times I became a little lost and confused about what part of the day we were up to.
The title is taken from the Latin for dawn ('inter lupum et canem') - the same expression in French is the idiom for twilight. Blain's new novel largely takes place on a gloomy, rainy day in Sydney - a day of half light and half formed thoughts and intentions. Her characters are all psychologically 'between' one place or another: Esther, a competent therapist, is still adrift three years after her marriage broke up; Lawrence, her ex-husband, is caught in a potential scandal that may change his career path completely; April (Esther's sister) wants to write music again after her early success faded; Hilary (the women's mother) is deciding what to do in the face of being diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour.
This is a melancholy novel, but with some spirited characters that Blain portrays with a clear eye and carefully chosen prose. Despite the gloom of the day and the situations the characters face, there is much that is optimistic, even joyous. There is a tragic irony in that the writer herself has, since completing the novel, been diagnosed with a brain tumour. In an interview Blain remains resolute and determined to enjoy what each day offers.
Something of this philosophy shines through her characters in this novel, which I found very satisfying (in a quietly sad but hopeful way).
April 30, 2016
Truly special and insightful book. Georgia Blain is one of our best and this book is all the more poignant given her brain tumour diagnosis. Gorgeous writing and exploration of euthanasia, marriage, therapy and, well life.
December 18, 2024
I will never be able to put into words how much I loved this book.
April 7, 2018
I loved this book.
The story is told from each main character's points of view over the course of a rainy day in Sydney, with flashbacks to a significant event 3 years prior. Ester is a family therapist who's own family is fractured. She is estranged from her sister, April, and her ex-husband Lawrence. We know early on that something is wrong with Ester and April's mother, Hilary, but what? I think multiple perspective books can be tricky, but here the switching of narrator offered deeper insights into the relationships and individuals and, coupled with the relatively short chapters, kept me hooked. Each character was richly rendered, and real- they seemed ready to walk right off the page and onto the street. Each with their own human flaws and qualities, I could see why they acted as they did because Blain showed me their inner workings, I understood them.
I was mesmerised by the writing. Blain's descriptions of the character's particular emotions or situations resonated so strongly, I sometimes felt she were describing my own emotions to me.
One of my favourite parts of the book is at the end of her day of clients, Ester sits in her consulting room alone she sees her reflection in the window, and she talks to herself,
" 'What am I afraid of?' Ester repeats the question.
Letting go of that anger and hatred. She tries to imagine it, while knowing that the remnants she hangs onto now are tattered scraps, frayed and symbolic only. What would she have left without it?...
'The truth is really very simple,' Ester the client says to Ester the therapist. 'And also very complicated.' They laugh."
The story is told from each main character's points of view over the course of a rainy day in Sydney, with flashbacks to a significant event 3 years prior. Ester is a family therapist who's own family is fractured. She is estranged from her sister, April, and her ex-husband Lawrence. We know early on that something is wrong with Ester and April's mother, Hilary, but what? I think multiple perspective books can be tricky, but here the switching of narrator offered deeper insights into the relationships and individuals and, coupled with the relatively short chapters, kept me hooked. Each character was richly rendered, and real- they seemed ready to walk right off the page and onto the street. Each with their own human flaws and qualities, I could see why they acted as they did because Blain showed me their inner workings, I understood them.
I was mesmerised by the writing. Blain's descriptions of the character's particular emotions or situations resonated so strongly, I sometimes felt she were describing my own emotions to me.
One of my favourite parts of the book is at the end of her day of clients, Ester sits in her consulting room alone she sees her reflection in the window, and she talks to herself,
" 'What am I afraid of?' Ester repeats the question.
Letting go of that anger and hatred. She tries to imagine it, while knowing that the remnants she hangs onto now are tattered scraps, frayed and symbolic only. What would she have left without it?...
'The truth is really very simple,' Ester the client says to Ester the therapist. 'And also very complicated.' They laugh."
April 16, 2022
4.5/5 stars
November 10, 2016
Every so often, you read a book that takes your breath away. I was not familiar with Georgia Blain's writing, but was intrigued to read Between a Wolf and a Dog after it won the 2016 Queensland Literary Fiction Award. The judges made a worthy choice.
Told over the period of one rainy Sydney day, with chosen sections taking us back to three years earlier, we are introduced to a family in crisis, comprised of damaged individuals, each with their own secrets. Hilary, the matriarch, a 70-year-old filmmaker, is torn by the chasm that has developed between her daughters, and by the decision she has made that will have a profound affect on her family. Her daughter Ester is a family therapist, and on the day in question we see her as she meets with five different clients or couples, attempting to help them navigate through the challenges of their lives while having trouble steering through the problems in her own. Her sister, April, has made an unforgiveable mistake, and doesn't know how to make amends. Ester's ex, Laurence, is also burdened by mistakes and poor choices.
This story draws you in from the very first pages and refuses to let you go. In her clear-eyed and direct prose, Blain depicts a family at war with itself, unsure or unable to move forward from past pain. The language is beautifully descriptive, immersing us in a rain-soaked landscape for the entirety of the book.
Blain, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour whilst completing this book, has managed - through the narrative - to celebrate and honour life, to pay homage to the redemptive power of art, and to explore the gaping holes of human sorrow. No-one is without sin; no-one is beyond hope; forgiveness is within reach of us all. In the end, we are each responsible for our own journey, for accepting the consequences of our own behaviour, and for deciding how to treat those around us. Forgiveness, hate, love, jealousy, betrayal, loyalty, compassion - the choice is ours.
This is a remarkable book and one I highly recommend.
Told over the period of one rainy Sydney day, with chosen sections taking us back to three years earlier, we are introduced to a family in crisis, comprised of damaged individuals, each with their own secrets. Hilary, the matriarch, a 70-year-old filmmaker, is torn by the chasm that has developed between her daughters, and by the decision she has made that will have a profound affect on her family. Her daughter Ester is a family therapist, and on the day in question we see her as she meets with five different clients or couples, attempting to help them navigate through the challenges of their lives while having trouble steering through the problems in her own. Her sister, April, has made an unforgiveable mistake, and doesn't know how to make amends. Ester's ex, Laurence, is also burdened by mistakes and poor choices.
This story draws you in from the very first pages and refuses to let you go. In her clear-eyed and direct prose, Blain depicts a family at war with itself, unsure or unable to move forward from past pain. The language is beautifully descriptive, immersing us in a rain-soaked landscape for the entirety of the book.
Blain, who was diagnosed with a brain tumour whilst completing this book, has managed - through the narrative - to celebrate and honour life, to pay homage to the redemptive power of art, and to explore the gaping holes of human sorrow. No-one is without sin; no-one is beyond hope; forgiveness is within reach of us all. In the end, we are each responsible for our own journey, for accepting the consequences of our own behaviour, and for deciding how to treat those around us. Forgiveness, hate, love, jealousy, betrayal, loyalty, compassion - the choice is ours.
This is a remarkable book and one I highly recommend.
October 14, 2016
This was easy to read. At times I was wondering why I kept reading because I didn't much care for some of the characters. It is a contemporary story. Perhaps one could even say very much a first world story. Hilary, a filmmaker, is dying and wants to choose her own death. Her husband has predeceased her and her daughters, now grownup with their own issues, are loving towards her but estranged from each other. The author's frank depiction of her characters keeps sentimentality at bay, but her lyrical voice resonates with love for them, and ultimately all our efforts to make the best of this fragile existence on this earth despite our faults.
July 13, 2018
I have just finished this novel and I always make a habit of heading to Good Reads to see what others think. I am in the ‘loved it ‘camp which I can see a lot of reviewers do not share my feelings. I thought it profound in the portrayal of how we can hurt the ones we are supposed to love and for me it is a very human story and feel enriched for the reading experience.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 349 reviews
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get help and learn more about the design.