A Flash in the Dust

A Flash in the Dust by Meg Caddy (University of Queensland Press) RRP: $21.99 ISBN 9780702271090

Reviewed by Rebecca Fung

A Flash in the Dust is promoted as a YA historical thriller with queer romance. It attempts to integrate several genres and switches points of view as it tells the story - an ambitious project.

The prologue is set in Mundaring where a horrific crime is perpetrated on an unnamed woman by The Whistling Man. It's a strong and gripping opening.

Then we are taken to an asylum. The narrative shifts between Gilberta Brady and Norah Devaney. The voices are very distinct: the restrained, quiet voice of Brady, contrasted with the angry, emotional voice of Norah. Norah claims she's witnessed her mother's murder, and she's been locked up to be silenced. But no one believes her.

Brady, on the other hand, is in the asylum for keeping quiet. She doesn't get along with people

When Brady and Norah break out of the asylum, two unlikely companions join forces to find the man who murdered Norah's mother. They meet up with others and form a group of bushrangers.

The strength of this story was in the enticing opening and how well the two main characters were set up. However, as the narrative develops, another point of view is introduced: a third-person voice. I didn't enjoy this as much. The story moved between action and a queer love story. The love story spent a bit too much time exploring ideas of queerness, and it felt like the author was trying to explain queerness rather than revealing the relationship in a natural way that would make it compelling.

While plenty happens, for some reason, perhaps the movement between points of view, the restraint in Brady's voice, or the love story that's more about exploring ideas than love, made it hard for me to get into the real excitement of the action.

I think the story tried to be many things. It held a lot of promise and in terms of representing queer characters and separating different points of view, it did well. The balance of romance and tension in an historical adventure that included some very bleak settings was more difficult.