Illywhacker - Peter Carey

This is a self-conscious attempt at Australian myth-making, taking in such ocker icons as the outback, poisonous snakes, Vegemite, immigration and, most importantly, the larrikin. The scope is epic (covering 4 generations of one family) as is the length (600 pages).

Language and ideas are thrown around with great abandon by our narrator, the confessed con-man and liar of the title. The effect is often very exciting but at times wearying, and the feeling is as much of wrestling against the text as much as with it. By the end I was knackered, but full of admiration.