Text Publishing, 2023. ISBN: 9781922790347. (Age:15+) Highly recommended.
This easy-to-read book takes place in and around Newcastle. It takes us into the mind of Dale, a Year 11 student, and presents an honest, authentic and compelling insight into the complexity of his life.
The reader is inserted into the lives of Dale and his father who are floundering in the aftermath of Dale’s mother leaving and moving interstate. The relationship between Dale and his father is awkward and the arrival of Max (Dale’s cousin) is a buffer that supports them both in progressing from an “intergenerational share house” to a new kind of family.
In her first published novel, Robyn Dennison has deftly explored the confronting themes of sexual assault and eating disorders and what it means to be a bystander. Dale feels accountable for his role as witness to a sexual assault and this follows him throughout the book. This book deftly tackles the issues of consent and communication through the eyes of Dale and Max.
Dale reveals the socially acceptable practice of teenagers using alcohol and drugs recreationally and as anaesthesia for strong emotions. The writing gently, but powerfully, captures the misery felt when friendships are broken and the hope engendered when they are repaired. The reader cannot help but be touched by the characters and their struggles.
Robyn Dennison has expertly crafted a romance between Dale and Brent that avoids overworked ideas, such as the need to come out, to relate the blossoming and the heartbreak of first love. You won’t be able to put this book down.
Blind Spot was shortlisted for the 2021 Text Prize.
Bloomsbury, 2019. ISBN: 9781526600868.
(Age: 13+) Highly recommended. Highly inspirational, this work will
be the perfect read for young women and men everywhere. The main
characters, Jasmine and Chelsea, take turns in fleshing out a
refreshingly satisfying multi-layered story of making a difference
in today's world. There is an accessible complexity to this work
that embraces intersectionality to explore feminism, discrimination,
misogyny and institutionalised racism through poetry and prose. The
writing highlights influencers such as: The Dark Room Collective,
Tracy K. Smith, Kevin Young, Dorothy Pitman Hughes, Gloria Steinem,
Natalie Diaz, Sarah Jones, Reena Saini Kallat and Henrietta Lacks.
Jasmine and Chelsea want to make a difference - now. They both, in
differing ways, struggle with how to 'Write like a girl' and
negotiate the political landscape that seeks to restrain public
advocacy by women. One touching aspect of the work is the way it
sensitively reflects on blind spots. Even a woke activist can act in
ways that others see as unjust - and importantly a true friend will
help you see your blind spot and stand by you as you move forward.
This work gently encourages intergenerational relationships as
fundamental to fully developing as a human being and plotting a path
for effective change making in the world. These relationships
(positive and negative) provide an impetus for growth in the
characters portrayed in the story.
Additionally the work explores love and grief through family and
romantic relationships. Everyday lives are complex and it is this
complexity that balances the fervent desire for change Jasmine and
Chelsea fight for.
Linda Guthrie
