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All Our Shimmering Skies
All Our Shimmering Skies | Trent Dalton
The bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe, Trent Dalton returns with All Our Shimmering Skies a glorious novel destined to become another Australian classic. Darwin, 1942, and as Japanese bombs rain down, motherless Molly Hook, the gravedigger's daughter, is looking to the skies and running for her life. Inside a duffel bag, she carries a stone heart, alongside a map to lead her to Longcoat Bob, the deep-country sorcerer who she believes put a curse on her family. By her side are the most unlikely travelling companions: Greta, a razor-tongued actress and Yukio, a fallen Japanese fighter pilot. The treasure lies before them, but close behind them trails the dark. And above them, always, are the shimmering skies. A story about gifts that fall from the sky, curses we dig from the earth and the secrets we bury inside ourselves, All Our Shimmering Skies is an odyssey of true love and grave danger, of darkness and light, of bones and blue skies. It is a love letter to Australia and an ode to the art of looking up - a buoyant, beautiful and magical novel, abrim with warmth, wit and wonder. 'All Our Shimmering Skies is the follow-up to Boy Swallows Universe we could have never imagined, but the one Dalton was destined to gift us. It's a story of heroes and villains, foxes and water buffalo, fighter planes and birds of prey, real magic and real love, epitaphs and aphorisms, lost treasure and lost life. It's a love letter to the nation. It's your favourite childhood adventure story dictated by Emily Dickinson, Walt Whitman and William Shakespeare, with a score by Franz Liszt. It's dead serious. It's completely ridiculous. It's all of these things and more.' Booktopia
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JayneBence
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Mehso-so

I have enjoyed Trent Daltons books and this was good but not as enjoyable. I felt like his detail about every little description of rocks, dirt and forest was too descriptive! It was a good story and a had some beautiful and sad moments. Worth a read but not his best.

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rachaich
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Pickpick

This was great! The characters were so full, and cleverly thought out so not to be stereotypes. The detail snout indigenous people was essential to the story and incredibly interesting to me.
Looking forward to reading another before it hits Netflix...

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LapReader
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Pickpick

Yesterday was Boxing Day in Oz & it was fab. My bones are finally starting to warm up with these 35 degree days. I went to the sales in the morn with my mum & sister & scored some bargain clothes then swam all afternoon while taste testing my sister‘s excellent cocktail creations. My nephews & nieces couldn‘t even wreck the serenity. They did try. Then I had a bath & got in my new pjs & had yummy Indian take away & a nice glass of red for dinner

Beatlefan129 That sounds like the best day ever! 😊 2y
mcctrish That sounds amazing 2y
Crazeedi A perfect day from the sounds of it!💖 2y
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Megabooks Love your swimsuit! So colorful! 2y
LapReader Thankyou @Megabooks It‘s by Australian designers Romance Was Born. It‘s made using fabric with a classic Australian kid‘s story printed on it, The Gumnut Babies by May Gibbs. (edited) 2y
BarbaraBB Your swimsuit matches your book 🥰 2y
AlaMich That pool looks delightful! 2y
50 likes7 comments
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Megbert
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Pickpick

All Our Shimmering Skies is Trent Daltons second book and left me clasping it in silence at the end. A rich and magical fable that describes west coast Australian desert as some kind of mythical Avatar-esque jungle. Very much thé héros journey for a 12 year old gravediggers daughter, spellbinding, terrifying and richly woven. Incredibly visual and I hope we‘ll get to see it on the big screen sometime soon. Def one of my favs ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

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Madison91
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Pickpick

I didn‘t expect to like this so much, however I never had any clue where this was going

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Madison91
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May reads super early! Looks like I‘ll be through my TBR in no time. And allowed to buy books again 😅

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Cathy_J
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Mehso-so

There was quite a bit I liked about this one but ultimately I found it a bit too fantastical - which is strange since I read quite a lot of fantasy books 🤣 The cover is gorgeous and the descriptions of the landscape, plants and animals were great but ⭐⭐⭐ for me.

perfectsinner That cover is definitely something 😀 3y
readordierachel Gorgeous indeed 😍 Sorry it wasn't more enjoyable to read 3y
71 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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Messiejessie
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Pickpick

A book to savour slowly...
Highly descriptive. A feast for the senses and a tribute to the raw beauty and wonder that is Australia.
All the characters came to life for me. There‘s so much to enjoy in this book.

readingjedi Love that cover 😍 4y
15 likes1 stack add1 comment
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WormForWords
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Pickpick

This book was everything I thought it would be and more!! I fell in love with characters, I hated characters, I mourned them, I rooted for them! Absolutely brilliant writing with lovely themes and development of characters and plots. This will be going in my to reread pile! LOVE! (Read Dec 23rd 2020 - Jan 4th 2021)

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Eva_B
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Mehso-so

I really wanted to love this book but sadly I struggled with it. I loved his previous novel ‘Boy Swallows Universe‘ but I just couldn‘t connect with this one.

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CourtSmall
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Pickpick

200-2020⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Aside from the beautiful Australian Flora on the cover this book is a masterpiece. The writing is superb, very atmospheric and at times whimsical. Not a quick read though as I found myself pondering over chapters I had read quite often. This is nothing like Boy Swallows Universe, and I liked this book better.

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Yanya
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Pickpick

Brilliant read! Love his style!

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Jeg
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Pickpick

Beautiful. Towards the end I slowed my reading right down as I didn‘t want it to end. Such beautiful writing. Then I realised I had another book to read for book club so I got a wiggle on and finished it. I love his writing but I know a few people who don‘t. If you liked his first I think you will like this . It is like an Aussie fairytale.
#2020joybooks @MrsMalaprop

CarolynM Glad you enjoyed it. 4y
MrsMalaprop Yep, I‘m one of the few who don‘t 😂. You and I have similar reading taste, but Dalton is an exception. 4y
Jeg @MrsMalaprop I agree we are similar but we do differ when it comes to some Aussie authors, Tim Winton I only like one of his books, Craig S I like his themes but not his writing style. I believe you are big fan of both??? 😏 4y
See All 6 Comments
Jeg @MrsMalaprop I promise not to pick for book club.😊 4y
MrsMalaprop You‘re right. I looovve Winton & really like Craig Silvey. I just discovered a beautiful children‘s book by Silvey about the dog in his novel Rhubarb 4y
TheLudicReader That is a gorgeous cover. 4y
15 likes1 stack add6 comments
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Jeg
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I am loving this book. I‘ve read about a third. I love the way he writes. I love his characters. The description are amazing. I‘m right there with Molly. When I was at school I learnt that Darwin was bombed , end of story. This story brings that bombing to life and is telling me things I never knew or imagined. Trent is fast becoming one of my favourite Aussie authors along with Jane Harper and a few others.

Centique How are you doing Joy? This book looks great - stacking it! 4y
Jeg @Centique I‘m doing very well right now. Thank you for asking. My reading slowed up for a while but I think I‘m back on track for me. Health wise and mentally I‘m on top of things again. 4y
Centique @Jeg that‘s so good to hear! 😍 As we say in NZ (you might say it too) “Go you good thing!” 4y
15 likes1 stack add3 comments
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Tashreads
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Pickpick

This is a fairytale, an odyssey, an adventure. ⁣

During WWII in Darwin, through the mysterious and mythical Australian top end comes the thrilling and magical tale of Molly Hook, who goes on a journey (with the help of a few friends and Sky gifts) to beg an ancient Indigenous sorcerer to lift a curse that has turned her heart to stone. ⁣
⁣A story that will enchant and delight even the most jaded reader. Have an adventure and discover pure gold.⁣

47 likes3 stack adds
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MrB1
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Very keen to read this as I love Boy Swallows Universe. Living in remote Far North Queensland in Australia also gives great appreciation for the descriptions of the weather, setting and characters. Loving it so far! I wonder if people outside of Australia that have never been here would truly love Trent‘s writing?

CarolynM I'm in Melbourne and I'm one of the few who really didn't like Boy Swallows Universe. I didn't think the writing was anything more than fine. Don't hate me 😬 Quite a few non Australians on here have enjoyed the book - @erofan just gave it a glowing review and she's in Russia (I think). 4y
5 likes1 comment
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Missusb
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I have spent my last few days of holidays (sob) madly writing a bunch of reviews I promised people. So reading has been non existent. Anyhoo, I went to this book‘s launch back on Monday night. It was COVID friendly which meant everyone was separate and the books were all signed beforehand, but Trent is an amazing person and speaker and this book sounds amazing, so diving in. #currentlyreading #Darwin1942 #magicrealism #curses #coverlove

mjtwo Also looking forward to reading this 4y
21 likes1 stack add1 comment
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McFarchie
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Pickpick

To accept every gift this book is trying to give you, you must suspend disbelief and enjoy the ride. Dalton‘s prose is sublime. You can see, hear, smell, taste and touch the world he has woven. Magnificent.
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

CarolynM I think the need for suspending disbelief was a big problem for me with his first book so this one's probably not for me either. Glad you enjoyed it, though🙂 4y
37 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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Tashreads
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September bookhaul. Have you read any of these beauties yet? I‘ve read A Girl Made of Air and next up is All Our Shimmering Skies. So many books so little time, am I right?

Emilymdxn I just finished Piranesi and it was incredible!! Really can‘t recommend enough. I really really want to read transcendent kingdom, it‘s on the payday list, can‘t wait to see what you think 4y
emz711 @Emilymdxn I just finished it too! So great. 4y
emz711 These books look amazing! 4y
57 likes3 comments
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McFarchie
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I have just started this. I love Dalton‘s use of repetition and short punchy sentences to hammer home a characters emotional state.

CarolynM I really didn't like Boy Swallows Universe so I'm not inclined to read this, but I'll be very interested to see your review when you finish🙂 4y
MrsMalaprop I‘m with you on this @CarolynM but I fear we may be the only ones! 4y
41 likes2 comments
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Tashreads
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Here are some of my most anticipated releases of the second half of 2020. I‘d love to know what you are looking forward to so I can add it to my endless TBR ❤️📚

Crazeedi These all look good! You are trashing my tbr!! LOL!! 4y
CarolynM I'm looking forward to the new ones from Jane Harper, Lily King and Ali Smith. 4y
53 likes2 comments