Gould's Book of Fish

Richard Flanagan

I just finished this book for one of my book groups. WOW....I don't even know quite where to begin.The author of this book, Richard Flanagan, is a native of Tasmania. The story takes place in the early 1800s at the Sarah Island penal colony of Van Diemen's Land ---- now Tasmania. Many of the characters in the book are actual historical figures. ( Gould was a prisoner ). Flanagan has written a story about one of the most horrific places on earth, the subject is crude and dark, the happenings are unbelievably harsh yet..........Flanagan's language is beautiful. His use of words and his descriptions are awesome. As I read this book I felt like I did as a child when I read "Alice in Wonderland" , it is an experience in the surreal. Flanagan also manages to inject some humor in this dark tale. Richard Flanagan himself is a descendant of two prisoners of Sarah Island his "Feeling" for his subject matter and the harsh landscape seems to be heartfelt and very realistic. This is not a book one could recommend to anyone ( pretty sure this will not go over all that well in my book group ) but for those who love language and words and a appreciate a beautiful application of them....this would be your book. In my library this book receives 5 stars !!!!!