What I like best about this novel is that it is an adventure story that encapsulates both a physical and spiritual journey. In the beginning we meet a confused and depressed young woman, Fern, who seems to have an extreme case of the ‘teenage blues’. She has withdrawn from the world and refuses to leave her attic for months on end. Eventually she tries to run away, but she can’t outrun the frightening dreams and disturbing visions that haunt her. With the help of friends from both the physical and metaphysical world, Fern embarks on a journey that takes her from the streets of Sydney to the Tasmanian wilderness, where she will confront her past and lay her demons to rest. This is Rosie Dub’s second novel (Gathering Storm was published in 2008), and while it’s not the most suspenseful thriller I’ve read this year, it does get rather spooky in parts. Dub’s approach to the genre is interesting and original. Her writing is detailed and descriptive, with some startling contrasts between the ordinary and extraordinary. While this book is pitched at an adult readership, it will also appeal to mature YA readers.
Shannon Wood is an editing student and administration assistant for Bookseller+Publisher’s Weekly Book Newsletter. This review first appeared in the Summer issue of Bookseller+Publisher magazine.
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Tags: Flight, Fourth Estate, Rosie Dub, Shannon Wood
