Flyaway

"Flyaway" by Kathleen Jennings
Thank you Netgalley for the free ARC of Flyaway.
This is such a beautifully written book. The opening chapter vividly and poetically introduces us to the setting creating the atmosphere of a fairytale. For example “ Trees bled resin like rubies, sprouted goitrous nests, suspended cats-cradles of spiderwebs spinning disks of silk”...see, a fairytale.
Like all good fairy tales, Flyaway has a princess Bettina or “Tink” as she is referred to by those who know her best. For years Bettina has lived alone with her mother with her father and her two cruel brothers having disappeared years ago. Tink isn’t exactly sure how and when her father disappeared for that time in her history is rather fuzzy. And her mother doesn’t help her remember, in fact, her there is something odd about Bettina’s mother..she’s hiding something, some truth. 
Life has been going on rather uneventful for Betinna except for the fact she hs to paint over the word “Monsters” graffitied on the fence in their yard, or because most of the townsfolk treat her with disdain and mistrust. 
One day Betinna receives an envelope in the mail. Inside the envelope are old newspaper clippings with “Youths Run amok”, “Damage and Disturbance”, “Destruction of  Peace” which is unsettling enough but what makes the contents of this letter even more threatening is the ominously scrawled handwriting on it saying “You coward Tink”. 
Bettina knows it was one of her long lost brothers who has sent this letter so, with the help of two childhood friends, she goes in search of her brothers in order to finally find out the truth behind her father’s disappearance. 
Interspersed throughout the novel are chapters that are literally written in fairy tale form. These chapters are tale from her family’s past as well as the folklore of the community. 
This is a fairly short novel that packs a tonne of story, not in terms of plot, but rather in terms of theme and character. It deserves to be read slowly, especially the chapters written in fairy tale form. So that you can truly appreciate the style and languages used by the author. In fact, I am tempted to by this novel in hard copy so that I can share some of the beautifully poetic language with my students.  To me, toe story is written a bit like a puzzle with each chapter seeming like an individual piece on its own, but once put together displays an intriguing and elaborate picture.

What a strange, beautiful, eerie book! Small-town closeness that is claustrophobic and fraught with secrets, a missing father and siblings, a magical weed choking the town, and a prim and proper young woman, Bettina, at the center of it all. The book peels away all the layers of mystery in a slow but consistent manner, unveiling the dark truth that will rock Bettina's world and leave the reader with thoughts aswirl about this book for days to come.

We tend to associate dark fiction with “literal” darkness – with shadows, haunted houses, twilight apparitions and “things that go bump in the night”.  Similarly, the “North”, with its long winter nights and its mythology of fairies, trolls and diverse monsters, seems more attuned to conventional supernatural fiction than the Southern Hemisphere.

But just as Ari Aster’s movie Midsommar showed us that there can be dark horror in the unending daylight of a Nordic summer, Kathleen Jennings’ beguiling debut Flyway successfully challenges tradition by transplanting tropes of Gothic, fantasy and supernatural fiction to an Australian context.  

The novel(la) is set in a small rural settlement in Western Queensland in the recent past – early to mid-nineties, judging by the references to early internet and mobile phones. The main storyline is narrated by nineteen-year-old Bettina Scott, although between each chapter there are short interludes – fairytale-like stories-within-stories – narrated by other characters.  Bettina, we learn, was a feisty teenager, but since the sudden disappearance of her father and two brothers a few years back, she has lived a secluded life under the zealous protection of her mother Nerida.  One day, she receives a mysterious message which suggests that her brothers might still be alive.  With the help of two old friends, Gary and Trish, she sets out on a modern-day quest, to find her brothers and, in the process, discover hidden truths about her family. 

Admittedly, Flyaway takes some time getting into.  Jennings does not spell out things for the reader and the first few chapters of the novel felt somewhat disorienting.  However, the narrative is well worth the initial effort and as things start falling into place, it gets increasingly gripping.  A small hint… it helps to keep some notes about the different characters and the families they belong to – as in any self-respecting Gothic work, surnames are more than just identifiers…

A thrilling blend of Gothic mystery, modern fairytale and folk horror, Kathleen Jennings’ Flyaway proves that a cattle town in Australia can be as atmospheric and uncanny a setting as the magical forests of the North.

This is a fantasy book like no other you'll read in a long time. It is part gothic horror, part mystery, and part horror. The revelation at the end of the story is nothing short of phenomenal. If you are interested in a quick and very entertaining read then this is highly recommended. I did not want to stop reading and wished for more. But in the end I think the amount of story and content are just perfect. Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for this opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Actual Rating: 4.5/5

Oh, this book. I was enthralled from the first page, from the first sentence. Lush and deep and gorgeous and grotesque and utterly alien at times, the prose takes you on a journey so vivid you can almost imagine yourself alive in the yellow grass and purple shadows of Western Australia. 

This book requires a lot of focus. If you are someone who falls into a habit of skim reading, I don’t think this book if for you. You need to read every sentence, every word, to experience the full effect of the story. I spent a bit of the beginning confused by the uniqueness of the author’s writing style, but once I adjusted to it I found it lyrical, almost like a modern fable. 

The plot also jumps around, and it took me a few chapters to find my footing in the story. My immense curiosity about Bettina, and what was going on in the strange towns, and the sense of mystery that unravels even in the first few pages kept me reading, but I can see people getting frustrated early on. My advice is, of course, to KEEP READING! Like any truly good novel in my opinion, it takes time for the story to unfold. I’ll also note that the story reminded me of Robert Jackson Bennett’s American Elsewhere, a personal favorite of mine, with its way of painting familiar things just left of normal enough that it sets your teeth on edge deliciously. I’d recommend Flyway to anyway who enjoys the darker side of fairy tales, and wants to be taking on a winding journey of mystery, magic and the seeping influence of memories once forgotten.

Thank you to TOR for providing me an ARC of this book! What can I say other than beautiful beautiful beautiful? 

Every detail of this story was so poetic and gorgeous. The imagery was incredible and unique and it felt like an entirely new form of folklore. The length was short and sweet and worked well for the story itself, though I think I could have read 200 more pages where the environment could be built up some more. I was so fascinated by the history of the town that I was a little sad to be leaving it so soon. Even so, I think it wrapped up quite perfectly in its length. 

A fantastic little bite-sized myth!

An atmospheric, Gothic delight which blends mystery, folk horror and family drama to great effect. Nineteen year old Bettina Scott is determined to unravel the family mystery all whilst her mother's voice in her head chides her to be more lady-like. The mystery unfolds in a series of creepy folktales and its only at the very end that you see how it all fits together. This was very clever and enjoyable.