Ellie Marney’s new novel takes the grass-roots feeling of a tight-knit country town, and throws in an explosive mixture of cult ideologies, peer pressure and moral dilemmas. Set in a small town in rural Victoria, White Night tells the story of a status quo shaken by one secretive community, and a boy and a girl who challenge the beliefs of both worlds.
The novel is quintessentially Australian: from the familiar tone of the dialogue to the vividly described settings, Marney expertly crafts a rich world for her characters so that their story takes on a life outside of the book. The way that the natural oasis of Eden is described transports the reader into the scene, delighting all of the senses.
While the story’s main thread revolves around the clashing of mainstream society and an environmental cult, minor plotlines are abundant. When not learning about the obscure community of Eden, the protagonist Bo is dealing with family secrets, doubt about his future, drama with his friends, and the organising of a fateful fundraiser. It can be easy to get lost in these subplots and forget that there’s a focal point to this story.
What begins as a feel-good rural story takes a turn darker than one would expect. No one chooses to write about polarising subject matter like cults and off-the-grid societies without having some kind of strong opinion, but while White Night attempts to show both sides of Eden in the beginning, Marney’s views come across too strongly and suddenly.
Whether communities like Eden are “good” or “bad” is kept purposefully vague for a long time, so long that it seems like Marney is letting the readers make up their own minds. But then the tone of the story takes a sharp twist, as if Marney is afraid her stance isn’t coming across. White Night wouldn’t be a story without Marney pushing Eden one way or the other, but it just needed more time to make the twist believable.
Full of ethical dilemmas and the power of community, White Night is a treasure trove of secrets and much more than it appears.
The Conference of the Birds offers readers with a fifth dive into Ransom Rigg’s world of the much-adored literary peculiars. In this novel, which carries on directly from ‘A Map of Days’–released as the fourth book in 2019–Jacob and his peculiar friends return to uncover the mystery surrounding their newest companion Noor, most namely piecing …
Contagion by Teri Terry is a ticking time bomb of a novel, each chapter bringing the reader closer to the point of impact. This pre-apocalyptic dystopian novel set in Scotland follows two unique and compelling viewpoints; Shay, whose world is about to be changed forever, and Callie, who has seen everything but can communicate nothing. …
A heartwarming and honest read, Finding Nevo is a charming story of self-discovery and love. The memoir deals with some complex and relevant issues such as sexuality and gender identity, and while these kinds of stories tend to take on a tragic or depressing tone, Nevo keeps it light and relatable, making it an enjoyable read …
Stalking Jack the Ripper is a gripping, fast-paced novel written by first-time author Kerri Maniscalco. The novel follows Audrey Rose Wadsworth, a young woman apprenticing with her Uncle in a mortuary deep within the alleyways and public houses in 1800s London. Wadsworth is soon caught up in a dangerous set of mass murderers as a …
In 1984, one of modern literature’s most celebrated works, readers are introduced to Winston Smith, who lives in a dystopian society in which everything–from actions, movements, careers, and, even in some cases, thoughts–are monitored and recorded tirelessly. In this society, all individuals are governed by organisations who mandate conformity and allegiance, and who will cause …
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 …
Book Review – White Night by Ellie Marney
Ellie Marney’s new novel takes the grass-roots feeling of a tight-knit country town, and throws in an explosive mixture of cult ideologies, peer pressure and moral dilemmas. Set in a small town in rural Victoria, White Night tells the story of a status quo shaken by one secretive community, and a boy and a girl who challenge the beliefs of both worlds.
The novel is quintessentially Australian: from the familiar tone of the dialogue to the vividly described settings, Marney expertly crafts a rich world for her characters so that their story takes on a life outside of the book. The way that the natural oasis of Eden is described transports the reader into the scene, delighting all of the senses.
While the story’s main thread revolves around the clashing of mainstream society and an environmental cult, minor plotlines are abundant. When not learning about the obscure community of Eden, the protagonist Bo is dealing with family secrets, doubt about his future, drama with his friends, and the organising of a fateful fundraiser. It can be easy to get lost in these subplots and forget that there’s a focal point to this story.
What begins as a feel-good rural story takes a turn darker than one would expect. No one chooses to write about polarising subject matter like cults and off-the-grid societies without having some kind of strong opinion, but while White Night attempts to show both sides of Eden in the beginning, Marney’s views come across too strongly and suddenly.
Whether communities like Eden are “good” or “bad” is kept purposefully vague for a long time, so long that it seems like Marney is letting the readers make up their own minds. But then the tone of the story takes a sharp twist, as if Marney is afraid her stance isn’t coming across. White Night wouldn’t be a story without Marney pushing Eden one way or the other, but it just needed more time to make the twist believable.
Full of ethical dilemmas and the power of community, White Night is a treasure trove of secrets and much more than it appears.
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The Conference of the Birds offers readers with a fifth dive into Ransom Rigg’s world of the much-adored literary peculiars. In this novel, which carries on directly from ‘A Map of Days’–released as the fourth book in 2019–Jacob and his peculiar friends return to uncover the mystery surrounding their newest companion Noor, most namely piecing …
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