Description
Sixteen-year-old Lucy Hart has been counting the days till she can get the hell out of Digger's Landing - a small Queensland fishing hamlet home to fifteen families, a posse of mongrel dogs, and Parkers Corner Store (no apostrophe and nowhere near a corner).
But just like the tides Lucy's luck is on the turn, and as graduation nears her escape plans begin to falter; her best friend, Polly, is dropping out of school to help pay the bills, and Tom has been shipped off to boarding school, away from the flotsam of this place. And then there's Lucy's nightlife, which is filled with dreams that just don't seem to belong to her at all . . .
When the fish stop biting, like they did when her mum was still around, Lucy realises she isn't the only one with a secret.
Review
This is a wonderful story and you will be drawn to our main character Lucy. She has already endured so much with the death of her mother, only one year earlier. It is a death that she doesn’t understand and one that has had a severe impact on both Lucy and her father, leaving Lucy struggling to communicate with him.
Lucy lives in the small fishing town of Digger’s Landing, where everyone knows everything about everyone, and life is tough. Lucy just can’t wait to get out of the place and head to the city. But her plans are falling apart! Both her best friends have deserted her, and she feels more alone than ever.
But it is her dreams that are causing her the most trouble. Are these ‘dream walks’ into the lives of others that now haunt her all linked, and what connection do they have to her dead mother, the lack of fish and the bad feelings towards her family?
This story touches on and deals with a real mix of social and family issues including family violence, grief, bullying, alcoholism and suicide. But it is also a story of friendship, love and hope. It has a very ‘magical realism’ feel to it, where the boundaries of dreams and reality merge together.
It is a fantastic read for all those who believe in the power of dreams, and is best suited to those 14+.
Reviewed by Sam
