Australian Winton's fifth novel is chock-full, depicting birth, death, resurrection, marriage, miscarriage, gambling, drunkenness, adultery, anorexia, depression, love, and joy. From 1944 to 1964, the Pickles and Lamb families share a large house in a suburb of Perth on the wrong side of the tracks. The Pickles own the house and are slothful, he a gambler with long streaks of bad luck, she often drunk and adulterous. The tenant Lambs are hard-working. After the latter open a successful grocery on the first floor of the house, the families' lives become intertwined, and home and hearth become an anchor. World War II, Australian politics, the Cuban missle crisis, and Kennedy's assassination take a backseat to their trials and final joy. Biblical imagery, a talking pig, a house that cracks its knuckles, a son who glows in the dark, and a mysterious black "guardian angel" add spice to a book whose language resonates and charms. Highly recommended for most fiction collections.

Off to Briz-cowgirl as a Boxing Day 2007 - New Years 2008 RABCK.

Received from gillg as a RABCK - thank you so much!
I've wanted to read this novel for a long time, since it is just about classed as a classic Australian novel now. Read "That Eye The Sky" by Winton and liked his writing style, so I hope that I enjoy this one too.
Next on my list of books to be read as of 8 Jan 2008.

I was a little disappointed with Cloudstreet, given that it is a Miles Franklin Award winner and is considered a modern Australian classic novel.

It tells the story of the Lamb and Pickles families, living in the one house in Perth over a period of twenty years. It was a bit slow to get started, but it was quite engaging once everyone had settled into the house. Some of the characters were barely fleshed out (Elaine, Chub, Red) whilst others I could have cared less about (Dolly) had more than enough text time. It definitely livened up with the murder hunt, and I really wanted to find out what was to become of Fish, Quick and Rose.

I did enjoy the novel as a whole, but I thought I would enjoy it more given its status and other reviews. The story just meandered along a little too much for me to give it a higher rating than 8/10. Hopefully others out there will enjoy it a bit more!