Kate O’Donnell’s debut novel, Untidy Towns, sets up an escapist fantasy, and then fills it with the reality of running away from your troubles.
Who hasn’t dreamed of abandoning school and clinging to the safety of home? When Adelaide walks out of her suffocating boarding school, she thinks she’s free to live her life however she chooses. However, she’s quick to find that reality isn’t that easy to hide from, and she isn’t as sure of what she wants as she thought.
Untidy Towns is a coming-of-age story that describes that turbulent time between childhood and adulthood. Adelaide returns home to discover that her hometown wasn’t frozen in time, waiting for her to come home; she’s changed, but so are the people she’s known her whole life. She has to learn to fit back into a world that has moved on without her.
The sense of doubt felt by everyone facing life after high school is prominent in this novel, with the disapproval from Adelaide’s family becoming almost tangible. Addie is in constant limbo between feeling scrutinised by her loved ones, and sticking to her decision. It’s a feeling familiar to anyone whose dreams are different to the expectations of the people around you.
Untidy Towns comments on the unique experience of adolescence. Ambitions change, and sometimes the path laid out isn’t always the right one. Adelaide’s journey is one that forces her to face the consequences of her own actions, but she does find rewards for staying true to herself.
O’Donnell encapsulates the adventure of first love in a way that’s rare for the young adult genre. The romance in this novel is not explosive or poetic – it starts off with two people who like each other, and simply keep finding things to like. It’s an honest reflection of how sometimes, love can be awkward and clumsy, but it’s worth it as long as both parties are willing to work for it.
Following a character who is trapped simultaneously in the past and the future, Untidy Towns is a great read for anyone who’s ever felt unsure of themselves.
Meet Me at the Intersection is a rich short story anthology written by a diverse range of Australian authors and lovingly edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina. The anthology aims to showcase the experiences of marginalised groups through “own voice” stories, whose authors fit into those groups. The first thing about the anthology that …
Astrid Sholte’s novel combines urban fantasy and murder mystery in a setting that echoes the popular dystopian-style factions of young adult fiction, but with enough unique elements to make it stand out. The world of Four Dead Queens is reminiscent of fantasy, but instead of magic, there is strange and interesting technology that serves as …
Highway Bodies is the second novel from Australian author Alison Evans after their debut novel Ida, which received a mixed opinion from readers, reviewers and critics. Set to be released in the February of 2019, Highway Bodies tells the tale of three distinct groups of Melbourne teenagers as the world around them falls victim to …
Eoin Colfer’s bestselling middle-grade adventure mystery novels chronicle the lives of twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl. In the first Artemis Fowl novel, we meet our eponymous character, who is more devious and clever than most adults. The novel follows Fowl after he attempts to catch a fairy in order to obtain gold for ransom. His main motive …
The Wishing Spell follows twin siblings Alex and Conner Bailey, who grew up with fairy tales read to them by their grandmother. But when Alex and Conner are magically transported inside their grandmother’s fairy tale treasury, they will be thrust into a world where all their fairy tale characters are extremely real. The two will …
Melissa Keil’s The Secret Science of Magic is a unique and compelling twist on the typical romance novel. Shift away from the typical “quirky” star-crossed lover archetypes, Keil has created the kind of relatable and complex character that exist in real life, but rarely ever play a starring role in the media. Sophia is so …
Book Review – Untidy Towns by Kate O’Donnell
Kate O’Donnell’s debut novel, Untidy Towns, sets up an escapist fantasy, and then fills it with the reality of running away from your troubles.
Who hasn’t dreamed of abandoning school and clinging to the safety of home? When Adelaide walks out of her suffocating boarding school, she thinks she’s free to live her life however she chooses. However, she’s quick to find that reality isn’t that easy to hide from, and she isn’t as sure of what she wants as she thought.
Untidy Towns is a coming-of-age story that describes that turbulent time between childhood and adulthood. Adelaide returns home to discover that her hometown wasn’t frozen in time, waiting for her to come home; she’s changed, but so are the people she’s known her whole life. She has to learn to fit back into a world that has moved on without her.
The sense of doubt felt by everyone facing life after high school is prominent in this novel, with the disapproval from Adelaide’s family becoming almost tangible. Addie is in constant limbo between feeling scrutinised by her loved ones, and sticking to her decision. It’s a feeling familiar to anyone whose dreams are different to the expectations of the people around you.
Untidy Towns comments on the unique experience of adolescence. Ambitions change, and sometimes the path laid out isn’t always the right one. Adelaide’s journey is one that forces her to face the consequences of her own actions, but she does find rewards for staying true to herself.
O’Donnell encapsulates the adventure of first love in a way that’s rare for the young adult genre. The romance in this novel is not explosive or poetic – it starts off with two people who like each other, and simply keep finding things to like. It’s an honest reflection of how sometimes, love can be awkward and clumsy, but it’s worth it as long as both parties are willing to work for it.
Following a character who is trapped simultaneously in the past and the future, Untidy Towns is a great read for anyone who’s ever felt unsure of themselves.
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Meet Me at the Intersection is a rich short story anthology written by a diverse range of Australian authors and lovingly edited by Rebecca Lim and Ambelin Kwaymullina. The anthology aims to showcase the experiences of marginalised groups through “own voice” stories, whose authors fit into those groups. The first thing about the anthology that …
Book Review – Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte
Astrid Sholte’s novel combines urban fantasy and murder mystery in a setting that echoes the popular dystopian-style factions of young adult fiction, but with enough unique elements to make it stand out. The world of Four Dead Queens is reminiscent of fantasy, but instead of magic, there is strange and interesting technology that serves as …
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Highway Bodies is the second novel from Australian author Alison Evans after their debut novel Ida, which received a mixed opinion from readers, reviewers and critics. Set to be released in the February of 2019, Highway Bodies tells the tale of three distinct groups of Melbourne teenagers as the world around them falls victim to …
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Eoin Colfer’s bestselling middle-grade adventure mystery novels chronicle the lives of twelve-year-old Artemis Fowl. In the first Artemis Fowl novel, we meet our eponymous character, who is more devious and clever than most adults. The novel follows Fowl after he attempts to catch a fairy in order to obtain gold for ransom. His main motive …
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The Wishing Spell follows twin siblings Alex and Conner Bailey, who grew up with fairy tales read to them by their grandmother. But when Alex and Conner are magically transported inside their grandmother’s fairy tale treasury, they will be thrust into a world where all their fairy tale characters are extremely real. The two will …
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