Review: Desire Lines by Felicity Volk

Posted on 14 July, 2020

I have been attending the most wonderful bookclub at Kingston’s Muse bookstore for several years now.

We read only new release books by Australian authors—predominantly fiction—but we try for 1-2 non-fiction each year. One of my favourite things about this is that it has exposed me to authors and stories I would never have thought to read.

While not every month results in a hit, and some months as a collective we are quite divided, it has gifted me with new favourite authors.

Our first book back post-COVID lockdown was Desire Lines by Canberra’s own Felicity Volk. This was one of our more substantial bookclub reads, coming in at 435 pages (and I confess I was madly cramming the last few pages in the carpark of East Hotel just before our catch up!).

While the book was longer than our usual reads, it did not feel overly long, in fact, it felt just enough pages to really establish depth and familiarity with the two central characters Evie and Paddy. The story follows Evie and Paddy, from their individual childhoods to their chance encounter as teenagers, and explores the trajectories of their lives.

This is a story with heart and soul, a mature grounding that unashamedly depicts some hard realities. Especially in the beginning, the story truly pushed me outside of my own comfort zone, particularly with depictions of Paddy’s early years.

Yet it was the impact of these formative experiences and how they continued to play out for Paddy throughout his life that really demonstrated the depth of both this character and the research and investment that went into this story.

As Felicity is a local, we were lucky enough to have her join us in person at the book club, which is always a treat, but with no book events having been able to be scheduled for some time this was even more exciting for the rarity right now.

Felicity was generous in her explanations of the research and editing that went into this book, but what truly came across to me was her love of her craft, which translates into this beautifully told story.

From international travel, to researching the audio histories at the National Library, the work invested into this story translates to a level of authenticity that helps transport the reader into the story.

While I have been conscious that the pandemic has impacted on the arts, what had not occurred to me prior to our book club discussion was the level of the impact and the many ways the pandemic has impacted. Felicity’s book was released in March 2020, and while she was able to get in one promotion event in the days prior to the lockdown, the pandemic resulted in her not being able to travel and promote the book as originally planned. Which is truly unfortunate because this is a book that should be on your radar.

For Australians, and particularly Canberrans, the historic detail around our central monuments and the emergence of our city along with significant occasions in our history is another storyline that grows alongside that of Paddy and Evie.

The research and exploration is evident in Felicity’s ability to describe landmark buildings and events in ways that, as a Canberran, feel like coming home.

It even made me feel a little homesick for pre-COVID days when you were free to go to Manuka swimming pool and appreciate the beauty of the architecture, or stroll past the High Court on your way to a lake walk (thankfully now more accessible—albeit in a clockwise fashion).

However, it is not so overdone that it feels like a Canberra plug, nor too abstract that it would not be a beautiful read for anyone not familiar with our city.

I thoroughly enjoyed Desire Lines, and while the early chapters are raw and confronting, they are also necessary for this story. It was a stay-up-late-could-not-put-it-down kind of read for me, and one that I look forward to reading again.

Desire Lines is available at all good bookstores. Feature image by Helene Walsh