Adam Byatt set out, in Mount Pleasant, to offer the reader an Australian chapbook of suburban realism in which the snippets of lives on display are communicated through beautifully sculpted prose, are relatable, and evoke a sense of nostalgia. He achieved his aim with flying colours. He delivered the goods. As an Aussie now living overseas, this book really touched me, taking me on a journey back through time and space to another world where I rode my bike through quiet streets (remember those?), climbed mulberry trees, and felt the first butterflies of sexual attraction. Our clothes were cheap and from K-Mart or Lowes, and indulging in fish'n'chips was one of life's simple luxuries. It wasn't all roses for everyone, of course. The struggles of working-class life shaped the individual's psyche, restrictively defined gender roles, and put an expiry date on innocence. That's all part of the story of Mount Pleasant...of our Mount Pleasants. Get on ya bike and go for a spin!
Reading updates
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Started reading
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25 January, 2021:
Finished reading
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25 January, 2021:
Reviewed
