Changing Gear by Scott Gardner
Allen and Unwin, 2018. ISBN 9781760631468
(Age: 14+) Recommended. Themes: relationships, family,
self-discovery, nature. Year 12 is over and Merrick Hilton has two
weeks to study for his final exams. He tells his amicably separated
parents he is staying at the other's place and takes off on his
restored postie bike. Since the death six months before, of his
grandfather, his rock and mentor, Merrick has been disengaged with
life, slipping through the space between the two families, and the
road trip is a spur of the moment decision. "If you feel like shit,
don't just sit around; make something, clean something, smash
something - Grandad" p 33. Leaving behind his broken phone and
forgetting his wallet, Merrick gathers up his swag, a handful of
muesli bars and some cash he had stashed away and rides. Life on the
road is challenging in many ways but the constant movement and
passing landscape meets his needs, challenging his entrenched habits
and when he reaches Little Desert National Park the slower pace
required by sandy roads allows him to observe nature more closely.
When the chain breaks on his bike Merrick reaches a low point. "I
needed boobs, but there were none. I needed food. Proper food, not
just muesli bars and bruised fruit. If I'd given this trip more than
a moment's thought before I barrelled out the gate, I'd be in a much
better place right now." p 69. On the remote desert track Merrick is
forced to push his bike a considerable distance until he meets an
old man walking the track who reminds him of his grandfather. Victor
makes a temporary repair to the bike chain but it soon fails again
and they walk together towards the nearest town. Somehow slowing
down to a walking pace has grounded Merrick and the two find
companionship while facing the challenges of the road.
Merrick's road trip is more than a simple coming of age story; it
canvasses a wide range of issues including grief, relationships,
real versus internet/media experience, values and a philosophy of
life. The vast empty beauty of the land and the walking pace allows
for a clarity of thought rarely possible in our modern world.
Merrick is not afraid to listen and to learn to respect the land as
he pursues his life-affirming inner and outer journey.
This is a robust and
engaging story recommended especially for boys fourteen and over.
Sue Speck
