-A brilliantly written but ultimately tedious novel. While the characters are real and attractive, the dominant story is juvenile and silly. As a minor character observes at some point: it's an Enid Blyton, Jack and the Beanstalk tale.
- There are two time frames. The first is a century ago, in the early 1900’s. The second is in 1993. An Englishman, Thomas Wrenfether, has inherited a fortune from his wealthy parents, and is persuaded by a business colleague to invest in a newly discovered European timber called cherrywood. He could ship it to Melbourne and build a new type of ship, a paddlesteamer. Once in Melbourne he hires the right builders, carpenters and other crewmen, and fulfils his dream. Until the ship's launch.
- 1993 in Melbourne we meet Martha, a formidable young lawyer. She's frustrated at work, and yearns for something far more meaningful. One night in Fitzroy she happens upon a small pub called the Cherrywood, and becomes immediately attracted to the young barman. She wants to return but, surprisingly, can't find it. Here's where the Disney-like fantasy element begins.
- I started to get Serong's point. Successful people in their daily work worlds can be deeply confused, unstable and unsettled, and it frequently doesn't end well. 'The grounded life...doesn't satisfy'. He has also written a love paean to Fitzroy. There are connections to ancient histories and English-named streets, and people to old families. When reality is harsh we create our own haven. Our imaginations and creative sensibilities save us. Like the concept of ‘salvation’.
- ‘How is the irrational alternative world I’m inhabiting any more batshit crazy than Christianity, or Thatcherism, or betting on greyhounds?’ Martha proclaims at one point.
- As the novel proceeds the history and real identity of the pub becomes clear. Unfortunately it's a magical tale that becomes increasingly silly and meaningless, and goes on and on and on...
- So half good, half bad.
