The Piper's Son by Melina Marchetta

My rating: 5 of 5 stars
There are some books that you devour - you read through them at a lightning pace, racing toward the end; there are some books you plod through, slogging through to the end just because of some sense of obligation; there are still other books that you start and abandon, lured on by something else more appealing. And then there are books that you pick up and put down and pick up and put down, not because they aren't appealing or motivating, but because the feelings that well up in you when you read them can overwhelm you on a bad day - or even on a good day. This was, for me, one of those last kind.

For me, many Australian writers have a stronger sense of family than American writers. I am not sure why, perhaps it is only in my own mind. But this book is chock full of examples. Little turns of phrases, gestures, plot elements - they all add up to a very powerful account of the importance of family, and, in this case, also friends. This is a love story about friendship and family - and how they deal with grief.

Years ago, two friends of mine died - one through suicide, the other by murder. Both were an extreme shock to me. I guess you never really come to terms with either. This book deals with two family deaths - one through terrorism, the other through war. And it is a painful journey for them.

It also deals with the complications of relationships - the death of one form of the relationship and then the much more hopeful rebuilding of them. It is this latter aspect that gives hope for the dealing with the deaths.

There are a lot of characters in the story - almost too many to really care about. But each of the glimpses into other characters does add depth to the understanding of family and friends. None are unnecessary distractions. The novel is expertly crafted.

The only question I would have is whether it should be pitched at young adult or as adult fiction. It is certainly aimed at least at the older end of the young adult spectrum. It isn't that it is too risqué for younger YA, but more that they won't get it. The things that are most powerful about the book, the deft turns of phrase, the subtle orchestration of interactions, the ambiguous feelings - these will likely be missed by the young YAs, looking for action and adventure. I have a similar feeling about the book The Giver by Lois Lowry. It can be, and often is, read by children as young as 4th or 5th graders (9 - 11 years old), but there are certain aspects of the book that simply won't have their full power until the reader is a bit older - at least in puberty. This book seems to require that the reader know about loving relationships - their power and, at times, their fragility. Perhaps you can find that in younger children, but not often.
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