In this section:
May 1868 – an Aboriginal Australian cricket team begins a tour of England. One of the players is on a quest to explore his Truth, or Dreaming.
Sarah Larkin’s quiet routine, divided between her father's sick room and the British Library, takes on a completely new aspect when King Cole, aka Brippoki, arrives unannounced on her doorstep, requesting her help. A curious friendship develops as together they research the fate and fortune of Joseph Druce, a convicted felon, transported to New South Wales nearly eighty years earlier: sneak thief, drunkard, cattle rustler, Royal Navy deserter – and quite possibly a murderer.
From Lord's cricket ground to the Royal Naval Hospital at Greenwich and the muddy banks of the River Thames – the Great Serpent coiled at the heart of his London Dreaming – diabolical spirits rage in pursuit of the hapless Aborigine. His health and sanity unravelling, Brippoki is a man out of place, and running out of time.
In this powerful début novel, Ed Hillyer has created an epic brimming with memorable characters and historical intrigue, and etched with documentary detail that brings both Regency and Victorian London vividly to life.
An effortless blend of history, religion, philosophy, travel, adventure and the great British sport of cricket, this beautifully written novel is the best first novel I've read in a very long time. I loved it.
This reads like an author on their fourth or fifth book rather than their debut novel. The prose is masterly, the characters are fully drawn. It’s also the Afterword and additional information after the story closes that has a huge impact on the book as you find out the true story it’s based on. It certainly adds an emotional punch and also a sense of further wonderment at Hillyer’s work. He is clearly an author to keep our eyes on. It’s not a book to be read quickly, nor an easy read by any means (ideally it’s one to be read slowly with no great rush and allowed to unfold in front of the readers eyes – perfect for on your holidays) but it is one that I don’t think people should miss out on. 9/10 (I wouldn’t mind this getting a nod on the Man Booker Longlist this year.) See Simon Savidge's Longlist choices
A love of cricket is no requirement, for this is a human tale and a story of London and its great river, but perhaps you too might find an unexpected connection that draws you into this delightful tale.
Every single page is full to bursting. Yet every single word earns its place...The whole novel is breathtaking in its scope and originality. This is a multi-layered literary read. Thoroughly recommended.
This vibrant, intelligent book draws its inspiration from possibly cricket's most remarkable team: the almost forgotten Australian Aborigine side that toured England in 1868. From this unlikely source Hillyer, a first time novelist but possessing considerable assurance as a storyteller, has drafted an intricate tale about two unusual men who effectively exchanged destinies.
Hillyer's meticulous research and gift for atmosphere brings London and its rich history to life, from the prim and proper arena that was Lord's in the Victorian era to the ragged filth of the city's backstreets and its inhabitants, his handling of Brippoki's hallucinogenic episodes are skilfully done and his use of Dreaming, a concept often used in modern literature but rarely with a great deal of success, is sensitive and understated. But perhaps his greatest achievement is his ability to inject structure and humour into this tale (fantastic incidental characters steal the spotlight on a regular basis) and the result is a charming, unusual and poignant book.
– also known as ILYA – is a British writer and artist. His books include the award-winning graphic novel series The End of the Century Club, noir anthology It’s Dark in London and, most recently, a daring adaptation of King Lear for Manga Shakespeare.
Ed is interviewed in Waterstone's Books Quarterly
