Book description
A tale about a boy’s vision of the world beyond, and the blurry
distinctions between the natural and supernatural
At twelve years old, Morton - Ort for short - is not quite a child, but
not yet an adult; his isolated outback world is an intriguing
combination of boyish innocence, adolescent confusion and burgeoning
awareness. When his father is seriously injured in a car crash, however,
that world is suddenly thrown into complete disarray and the whole
family have to adjust.
As Ort, his sister, mother and grandmother are struggling to come to
terms with what has happened, a stranger appears in their midst.
Preaching God’s word, Henry Warburton’s unexpected arrival seems eerily
prescient, at a time when the family most need a helping hand, and Henry
quickly makes himself indispensable. In fact, for Ort in particular, it
is Henry’s presence, perhaps more even than his father’s accident, that
brings the greatest change to his world.
‘Towards the end of the novel Ort prays for a miracle: “Funny when you
talk to God. He’s like the sky . . . Never says anything. But you know
he listens.” Though God hasn’t answered Ort yet, Mr. Winton convinces us
he might’ New York Times
‘The great strength of the novel is in the way the grotesque contrasts
and parallels in human life are spread out, examined and accepted’
Los Angeles Times
Tim Winton was born in Perth in 1960. He is the author of fifteen
books, including novels, a collection of stories, non-fiction and books
for children. He has been shortlisted for the Booker Prize twice, for
The Riders
(1995) and Dirt Music
(2002).
