Sorry

Sorry is a coming-of-age story set in Western Australia during World War II, following a young girl named Perdita who lives on a remote station with her troubled parents. The protagonist forms deep bonds with the local Aboriginal people who work on the property, particularly with Mary, who becomes her closest friend and teacher. The narrative spans across the 1930s and 1940s, depicting life in the Australian outback against the backdrop of global conflict and domestic tensions. Perdita's journey intertwines with broader historical events and social issues, including the treatment of Aboriginal people and the impact of war on the Australian home front. The story explores silence, language, and the power of human connection in the face of trauma and isolation. Through its focus on relationships and memory, the novel confronts Australia's complex colonial history and the ongoing need for acknowledgment and reconciliation.

Readers appreciate Jones' poetic prose style and her portrayal of grief, trauma, and Aboriginal Australian experiences. Many note the book's exploration of time, memory, and reconciliation resonates emotionally. Readers liked: - Complex character relationships - Rich descriptions of Western Australia - Integration of historical events with personal stories - Careful handling of cultural themes Readers disliked: - Slow pacing in the first third - Too many literary references - Some found the writing style overly dense - Multiple timeline shifts can be confusing Ratings: Goodreads: 3.7/5 (1,200+ ratings) Amazon: 4.1/5 (50+ ratings) Common review quotes: "Beautiful writing but requires patience" - Goodreads reviewer "The story unfolds like poetry" - Amazon reviewer "Takes time to get into but worth the effort" - BookPage "Sometimes gets lost in its own metaphors" - LibraryThing reviewer

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🔷 The novel draws its title from a pivotal moment in Australian history - Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's 2008 formal apology to Indigenous Australians, particularly the Stolen Generations. 🔷 Gail Jones is a professor of writing at Western Sydney University and has written seven novels, with her works translated into more than 14 languages worldwide. 🔷 The Stolen Generations refers to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children who were forcibly removed from their families between 1910 and 1970 under government policies of assimilation. 🔷 The novel was shortlisted for both the Prime Minister's Literary Award and the Nita Kibble Literary Award in 2008, highlighting its significant contribution to Australian literature. 🔷 The book's Western Australian setting reflects Jones's own upbringing in the remote mining town of Mount Tom Price, lending authenticity to her portrayal of rural Australian life.