There is Claire – living in a world much like our own, with a mother and a father and an uncle and aunt coming to visit. Since watching the trailer for this film I have found myself fascinated with the idea of parallel worlds and parallel-selves – so much so that I thought the release of Russon’s novel happily fortuitous, since she explores similar themes in ‘Only Ever Always’. The 2011 indie film ‘ Another Earth ’ from director Mike Cahill is the story of a duplicate earth – a replica planet where doppelganger’s mirror earth’s residents. But I was willing to give the benefit of the doubt, thanks to a film trailer I watched recently.
Normally I wouldn’t be overly interested in a novel like ‘Only Ever Always’ (much as it shames me to admit). ‘Only Ever Always’ will be a rewarding read for the intrepid young bibliophile who dares to try – but it’s also a novel to captivate and challenge older readers, as I found. But the toughness is part of the charm, as Russon explores complicated literary illusions and offers up a very different form of storytelling. I’ll be honest and say that ‘Only Ever Always’ is not your typical YA novel, nor will it tickle the fancy of every young reader.
‘Only Ever Always’ is the new young adult novel from Australian author, Penni Russon. In another time and place, Clara is on the wrong side of the river – a slum girl in a desolate world where zones have kings and Clara is torn between her own Andrew, and the brown-water eyed Groom, who begs her to cross the river with him.īoth girls dream of music boxes and keys, and eventually their worlds cross and interlace – Clara imprisoned in Miss Boedica’s palace cage and Claire on the verge of heartache in her bed.īut who is the dreamer and who is the dream?
While Claire waits to hear news from the hospital, she thinks about Charlie’s wife, Pia, and the baby on the way – Claire’s little cousin to-be. Her uncle Charlie has been in an accident, and no amount of promising from Claire’s mum will guarantee his health.
Original and poetic, this captivating novel explores dreams, grief, friendship and love through a brilliantly constructed dystopian fantasy world.Ĭlaire is an ordinary girl whose world is about to be ripped to shreds. She finds broken things to swap at the markets she walks the treacherous route past the brown river where lone dogs prowl she avoids the seamy side when she can, but with powerful people pulling the strings, it's not always possible.Ĭlaire's and Clara's paths are set to collide, and each has much to lose - or gain. The silvery notes of her music box allow her an escape from her grief into a dream-world, into Clara's world.Ĭlara's world has always been broken. Claire lives in an ordinary world where everything is whole.
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