The idea of perfection

by Kate Grenville | Literature & Fiction |
ISBN: 0330392611 Global Overview for this book
Registered by wingmeganhwing of Preston, Victoria Australia on 4/14/2005
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2 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by wingmeganhwing from Preston, Victoria Australia on Thursday, April 14, 2005
Wow, I am now officially bookcrossing addicted. This book is part of a collection of 100 brand new books I received from AFS friends in Maryborough on Sunday 13th February – how lucky am I! I am slowly registering these books, some of which will be put on Mt TBR before being released into the wild over time.

Journal Entry 2 by wingmeganhwing from Preston, Victoria Australia on Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Reserved for reading and sending as a RABCK to my friend LindyLouMac in Italy. Celebrating 5 years of bookcrossing on 12th August.

Journal Entry 3 by wingmeganhwing from Preston, Victoria Australia on Thursday, October 9, 2008
I am enjoying this novel. I can feel the heat of the small town of Karakarook. I like the way Kate Grenville has concentrated her story on three people who are not locals. Felicity, the banker's wife is a very strange woman and she does not want to fit in with the townspeople at all so her affair is a bit of a surprise. The two visitors who are staying there for almost opposite purposes are also eccentric characters. An interesting story!
I am passing this on to LindyLouMac who I hope will enjoy it - but please note these characters are not typical of the Australian character.

Journal Entry 4 by LindyLouMac from Tywyn, Wales United Kingdom on Saturday, October 18, 2008
Another book for Mt TBR from Australian Bookcrosser Meganh when she joined us with her husband for a Bookcrossing Lunch at my house yesterday.

We all enjoyed meeting you Meganh and Leith and were so glad you could join us while here in Italy!

I know that you selected this one especially for me, so am looking forward to reading it with particular interest.

Journal Entry 5 by LindyLouMac from Tywyn, Wales United Kingdom on Sunday, February 8, 2009
This novel was for me an introduction to the writing of Australian writer Kate Grenville. It was passed on to me by an Australian Bookcrossing friend, while she was visiting Italy last year and I have been looking forward to reading it since then. I am really glad that she warned me that the characters in this novel are not typical Australians, as they are certainly a strange collection of eccentrics!

In my opinion it took the first two thirds of the book for the story to build, the last third was the most enjoyable. However althought I felt that although the story line was somewhat weak the characters were strongly portrayed especially the protagonists, Douglas and Harley also Felicity the bankers wife and Mr Chang the butcher.
The story is based in and around the bush town of Karakarook, although the two protagonists actually come from out of town. They are a strange pair whom you would never expect to be attracted to each other, but it is between this socially inept couple that romance blossoms! The story is at times as painful and cringe making as it is touching and laugh out loud funny.
There is an old bent bridge in Karakarook and Douglas is there to replace it, whilst Harley is there to save it by helping set up a museum as an attraction to tourists. It is no surprise really that the book felt slow as it is perhaps reflecting the way of life in the Australian bush.
Not one thing about life or the people in Karakarook seems perfect in complete contrast to the title The Idea of Perfection!

My husband is now reading this before I decide how to it should continue on its travels.

Journal Entry 6 by LindyLouMac at Bookham Grange Hotel in Great Bookham, Surrey United Kingdom on Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Released 15 yrs ago (2/20/2009 UTC) at Bookham Grange Hotel in Great Bookham, Surrey United Kingdom

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

WILD RELEASE NOTES:

Dear Finder of this book,

I'm so glad it has found a home with you. I hope you enjoy reading it and that you might take a few moments to jot down here what you thought about the book, or about finding it, or about bookcrossing.

You don't have to join or sign up or anything to bookcrossing to leave a comment here but if you do join, you will receive emails to alert you when others make a journal entry for this book and track its travels across the world. If you decide to join bookcrossing, now that you have discovered the site, I'd be delighted if you would mention me - LindyLouMac - as the person who introduced you to the site.

Happy reading

LindyLouMac

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