I have come to expect (and really enjoy) Caroline Overington's unique storytelling style and was definitely not disappointed with her latest novel Sisters of Mercy.
Snow Delaney has been jailed for a series of sickening crimes against the children entrusted in her care and after reading a newspaper article about her case she begins a correspondence with the journalist Jack Fawcett. Although unorthodox (and possibly unethical)he continues to stay in touch with Snow, hoping to also get to the bottom of the mysterious disappearance of Snow's long lost sister Agnes. As it typical of Overington, it takes some time to get to the plot depicted on the blurb and the story is mainly told through the eyes of the third party (Jack).
The development of Snow's character is carefully crafted and I must admit I did initially feel quite sympathetic towards her as I read about her emotionally bereft upbringing and her early working life. Having trained as a nurse, she gets a rude shock when she takes a job at a mental hospital in Victoria. Initially full of hope and enthusiasm that she can change the lives of those in her care, she gradually becomes jaded as she realises just how the system works.
Equally important to the story is Jack's character and it is here (as always) that Overington shines. Her stories are all told mainly through the eyes of a middle aged man and she gets this voice amazingly right. From the language/dialogue to the personality traits and beyond, you can picture Jack to a T.
Sad subject matter aside (another common theme of Overington's books), the suspense in Sisters of Mercy was great, building as the story unravelled. I really liked how she used a true event (the huge Sydney dust storm of 2009) as the central point around which the story is told. It was on this day that Snow's sister Agnes disappeared from her hotel room, having come all the way from the UK to meet her previously unknown sibling.
As an Australian writer Caroline Overington manages to insert multiple one word references within her stories that immediately transport you to a time and place in our history and culture - brand names, expressions no longer in use, places etc. I love the fact this is done so seamlessly without feeling like you are being "told".
This is probably my favourite Caroline Overington book, my only criticism would be the ambiguous ending. I must admit I felt a bit ripped off having to draw my own conclusion. That aside, it was a fabulous (if not disturbing) read.
No comments:
Post a Comment