Drylands
Drylands by Thea Astley, published by Penguin Group Australia on April 3, 2000, is a reprint edition comprising 293 pages. The narrative centers around Janet Deakin, who resides in a flat above a newsagency in the town of Drylands, where she is engaged in writing a book for the world’s last reader. Set against a backdrop of persistent drought, the town experiences a slow decline, revealing the complexities of loneliness and the pervasive nature of small-town life.
Readers will encounter a range of characters grappling with their circumstances, from those forced out by council rates and bigotry to others risking everything to pursue their dreams. The story explores themes of psychological struggle and the impact of a shrinking community, where violence looms over the inhabitants. Through its portrayal of these individuals, Drylands delves into the emotional landscape of a town facing existential challenges, making it a poignant reflection on human resilience and the desire for connection.
Official synopsis Publisher
In her flat above Drylands’ newsagency, Janet Deakin is writing a book for the world’s last reader. Little has changed here in 50 years, except for the coming of cable TV. Loneliness is almost a religion, and still everyone knows your business. The town is being outmanoeuvred by drought and begins to empty, pouring itself out like water into sand. Small minds shrink even smaller in the vastness of the land. One man is forced out by council rates and bigotry; another sells his property, risking the lot to build his dream. And all of them are shadowed by violence of some sort – these people whose only victory over the town is in leaving it.
“Drylands is a wake-up call for millennial Australia… Astley’s brilliance rests not only in her distinctive prose style but her willingness and courage to make social statements, to assemble portraits of pain as a bridge to compassion.”
The Bulletin
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