Blood

By Tony Birch

From the much-loved author of Shadowboxing comes a stunning debut novel in the spirit of Honey Brown and Chris Womersley. From the moment he saw her, wrapped in a blanket at the hospital, Jesse knew that he'd be the one to look after his little sister, Rachel. Mum was always on the move and always bringing home trouble. When his mum's appetite for destruction leads the little family into the arms of Ray Crow, beneath the charm and charisma, Jesse sees the brooding violence and knows that, this time, the trouble is real. But Jesse is just a kid and even as he tries to save his sister, he makes a fatal error that exposes them to the kind of danger he has sworn to protect Rachel from. As their little world is torn to pieces, the children learn that, when you are lost and alone, the only thing you can trust is what's in your blood. Blood is an epic moral fable, a gothic odyssey set on the back roads of Australia. In understated prose touched with poetry, it finds tenderness in a world without sanctuary and the strength of innocence amidst violence and genuine evil.

• Language: English
• Publisher: University of Queensland Press
• Release date: Oct 1, 2011
• ISBN: 9780702247590

Tony Birch

Tony Birch is the author of three novels: the bestselling The White Girl, winner of the 2020 NSW Premier’s Award for Indigenous Writing, and shortlisted for the 2020 Miles Franklin literary prize; Ghost River, winner of the 2016 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Indigenous Writing; and Blood, which was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award in 2012. He is also the author of Shadowboxing and four short story collections, Dark As Last Night, Father’s Day, The Promise and Common People; and the poetry collections, Broken Teeth and Whisper Songs. In 2017 he was awarded the Patrick White Literary Award for his contribution to Australian literature. Tony Birch is also an activist, historian and essayist. His website is: tony-birch.com

Reviews for Blood

[zmagic69 · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

The writing is first rate but the story is depressing and the mother Gwen, is not a character you want to see succeed , quite the opposite, the rest of the story centers on Jesse and his sister Rachael, who have to endure like with a drunk, drug addict, whore (Gwen) for a mother, and her filthy boyfriends. As I said the writing is great so I think I will search it another book by the author.

[mjlivi · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

A tense, taut read, set amongst Birch's typically troubled characters, Blood tells the story of Jesse and Rachel, two kids whose lives are transient, loveless and deprived. The first half of the novel paints the bleak story of their lives, while the second ratchets up the tension with some edge-of-the-seat set pieces as the kids' lives completely fall apart around them.

The writing is punchy and minimalist, with not a wasted word and the characters (particularly of the kids) are solidly drawn. The plotting is well paced and the tension towards the end almost unbearable (although the denouement itself is slightly unbelievable). There's a dark Aussie film waiting to be adapted from this material.