Songlines
3.5/5
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About this ebook
"We belong to the Earth, Lainie-Bug. We were sent here in human form for a reason. If you don’t know what to do, then just be human."
Right. Like that was ever a simple thing to do.
In the heart of the Wimmera region of Victoria, an ancient gateway to Eden is kept hidden and safe by a creature so powerful that even the moon would obey her commands – at least it would if she had any idea that she wasn’t just a normal girl about to finish high school.
When a mining company begins exploratory sampling near Lainie’s sheep farm, a family secret is revealed that makes her regret not having learnt more about her Indigenous heritage.
What she’s told by their farmhand, Harry – an Aboriginal Elder – can’t possibly be true, but then the most irritating guy in class, Bane, begins to act even more insanely toward her than ever, until she can no longer deny that something very unusual is going on.
When Harry doesn’t return from his quest to seek help to protect the area from the miners, Lainie sets out to discover the truth of her heritage, and of the secret she’s been born to protect.
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Reviews for Songlines
3 ratings4 reviews
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Beautifully imagined and executed story, set in rural Australia.Lainie and Noah, living on neighbouring farms, have been best friends all their lives, sparring, teasing and fighting each other like brother and sister. They are in their final year at school with the total upheaval of university and careers on the horizon.From the outset of the story it is evident that there is something unusual about Lainie. She has extraordinarily vivid dreams which sometimes prove to be real pictures of what is happening elsewhere. One of these takes her to where her aunt is trying to stave off the incursion of a mining company onto their farm.As they try to fight off the company, Lainie discovers that their farm extends over a much greater area than she ever imagined, and that it protects something that has to be kept hidden at all costs. She is told that she has an inescapable duty to guard that secret, and that much of what she thought she knew about her family was a lie. She discovers allies and foes where she (and the reader!) least expects them.The characters are wonderfully well drawn, especially Lainie, Noah and Bane (as in "the bane of my life", the school thug). so that you care deeply about what happens to them (even, surprisingly, Bane). The writing is entertaining, funny, and at times very moving. In fact the last few pages had me in tears. Excuse me, now. I'm off to buy the next one in the series.Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book through LibraryThing Member Giveaways, in exchange for a review.
- Rating: 2 out of 5 stars2/5The goodThe idea of guardians protecting the entrance to the Garden of Eden definitely is unique. It's intriguing and I honestly think it's one of the more unique stories I've read.Connected to that, it also has to be said that Carolyn Denman really does as much as she can to stay respectful to the beliefs mentioned in her novel. That alone deserves a little round of applause.But this is where it ends for me...The badSometimes it felt like there were way too many details, unnecessary parts and overall just too much information I didn't really need. Although it didn't ruin the story for me, it did make it harder to read on and not feel like it's dragging on and on.I didn't feel the romance in this story. I knew up front what would happen so it's a bit predictable, but apart from that I just couldn't feel that spark we all love feeling. I might be putting it a bit too harsh but I had the idea that the romance wasn't real. It didn't feel authentic.Something that's completely on myself is that I couldn't connect with the characters. The MC, Laini, just isn't my kind of girl. She goes from acting like an adult to being childish and impulsive to trying to be an adult and... It just didn't feel genuine after a while.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5I really enjoyed this book. It was so much fun to think about the possibilities of the Garden of Eden still existing, hidden in today's world. I frequently felt I could relate to the thoughts going through Lainie's head. I loved the transition of her relationship with Bane. I can't wait to read the nest book in the series.
- Rating: 4 out of 5 stars4/5Songlines by Carolyn Denman is a YA urban fantasy set on a sheep station in a fictional town in Victoria, Australia. Drawing on the beliefs of a number of religions, including Judeo-Christian and Indigenous traditions, the story revolves around the idea of an Eden that was transported to Australia for protection. The novel starts out as Lainie Gracewood and her best friend Noah Ashbree are about to finish high school. When a mining company starts exploring near Lainie’s aunt’s sheep station, their farmhand, Harry, an Aboriginal Elder, reveals a family secret that rocks her to her core. She is unwilling to believe what he has told her, until Harry disappears on a quest to save the area from the miners, and Lainie discovers a link between herself, Noah, and Bane, the boy who has been the bane of her existence since she was five, that make it impossible to discount the revelation. She also realises that, with Harry gone, it is up to her and Noah to protect the land.Denman’s depiction of the Australian landscape, life in a small rural town, and her version of Eden are clear and concise, the characters and their relationships well developed. The dialogue is vernacular and authentic, and Lainie has a clear teen voice. At times I found the plot somewhat slow, which reduced the build-up of suspense, however the second half of the book picked up the pace to an exciting and dramatic conclusion. An enjoyable read for those who like speculative fiction of a supernatural nature. 3 ½ starsReview first published on my blog. To view it and other reviews go to sonyaspreenbates.wordpress.com
Book preview
Songlines - Carolyn Denman
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