Christian White appreciation post

I'm not normally a lover of Australian writers, but Christian White is unique. His books are unlike anything I have read before. This is my Christian White appreciation post 💞.

I wrote this post after I'd finished Wild place, Christian White's third novel. If you haven't read the former screenwriter's books, then go out and find them. Why? He's an Australian author and all three of his novels are knee-deep in Ozness. I admit I usually gravitate towards stories set in Britain and Europe so I'm glad to have found Australian stories I like. Christian White novels are a master class in storytelling and misdirection. They can be read in an afternoon and you can bet you'll come away feeling satisfied yet left to ponder the complexities of human behaviour. The endings and the actions that characterise them are shocking but also somehow understandable, given what the protagonist is trying to protect.

I can't choose my favourite. I loved the journey to find the truth in Nowhere child, the time jump and intricacies of The wife and the widow, and the 1980s suburbia vibe of Wild place. The twists and turns in White's books leave you unable to put the books down. I like to be surprised, I admire clever writing, and I love a good story about ordinary people doing bad things. All of Christian White's book are a disturbing exploration of human nature and that's totally my jam. For a male writer, Christian White also does a bang-up job of writing female characters who are both relatable and who do the unexpected.

It's hard to write about the stories themselves without giving too much away. Just take my word for it, you won't want to stop reading once you start.

Christian White rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐