My experience with Tim Winton (isn't he one of Australia's living treasures or something?) doesn't extend past his teenage tales of Lockie Leonard, Human Torpedo. Saying that though - they proved quite entertaining, so I'm hoping his more mature fiction is of the same standard!

In support of Australian writers, this is being sent off to Canada :) Incidentally to the city where I was born. Enjoy, geishabird!

Received today...thank you! I've heard good things about this book. (You were born in Toronto, hunnyb? How about that!)

Marvellous book. I just finished it a few hours ago so my thoughts are still jelling a bit...but a beautiful piece of writing, achingly sad and painful yet ultimately a book about strength and endurance and love. The character of Billie is superb; heartbreakingly resilient, reminds me of a little girl I know. Wonderful characterizations overall. Scully a remarkably figure; even when you wanted to slap him upside the head you didn't want him to completely give up. And this book isn't about giving up, it's about the things that endure and knowing how to distinguish them from the things that do not. And the last few pages present an extraordinarily powerful and lasting image. Will definitely be looking for more of Tim Winton's stuff - in fact, I picked up "Dirt Music" in a discount bin recently. Thanks, hunnyb! Be proud of this Australian son!

received at the 2006 Toronto Convention. Thank you so much!

My mom, AceofHearts, passed away from breast cancer on September 17, 2013. Aside from being one of the best people I know, she was an avid reader and took immense pleasure in Bookcrossing, her book club, and reading many great books. Unfortunately she didn't get around to reading this book.
I will be releasing this in my mom's memory.

Scully moves to Ireland ahead of his expecting wife and child, as they purchased a cottage in Ireland on whim. Scully needs to fix the house up, Jennifer his wife needs to sell their home in Australia. The Irish quickly notice a new person in the area, despite the cottage being rather remote, and Scully makes friends with Pete-the-Post who delivers his mail but also helps him with odd jobs. Pete delivers a telegram informing Scully that Jennifer has sold the house and she's coming with Billie on Sunday.

Sunday arrives and Scully travels to the airport to pick up his family but only Billie arrives. She refuses to talk about what's happened so they wait, expecting Jennifer on another plane but she never comes. Scully is determined to figure out what happened and travels across Europe with his daughter to find Jennifer.

Through Greece, Paris, and Amsterdam, we learn about Scully and Jennifer's background. Jennifer had a passion for art but no talent to back it up. Scully worked odd jobs with illegals which made Jennifer's friends look down on him.

I had a love/hate relationship with Scully. At first he seemed rather sensible and like a good dad but then he descended in to something he didn't seem to be. Chasing around Europe with a child, how is that good for your child? Eventually, Billie has to save her father from himself when he should be watching out for her. So many weird things happen to Billie, they all can be tied back to Scully's inability to parent her correctly.

I think this book can best be described as beautiful writing with no plot to back it up. There were times when I was confused about what was going on because the author was so vague in his descriptions as he went for literary beauty over comprehension. The ending left me miffed. There was a lot of build up for a big fizzle out.

To the finder of this book: I hope you enjoy reading this book. Please keep it or set it free when you're done. If the book is of no interest to you, please release it into the wild for someone else to find and enjoy. I hope you will make a journal entry so its journey can be tracked and to let me know the book has been found. You can remain anonymous if you wish, but if you join BookCrossing, you are in for a great experience and I do hope you will use my mom, AceofHearts, as a referring member.