A Big Life - Susan Johnson

I’ve read a fair bit of Oz literature from the last 20 years and I’ve detected a few patterns, as follows;

1) Themes of emigration/immigration and displacement
2) Analogies about the indigenous Australian experience
3) Anglo protagonists with a multiracial supporting cast
4) Larrikins
5) Lavish descriptions of the landscape
6) A note that “this novel was made possible by the generous funding of the xyz Arts Council”

I guess the arts council types know what they like.

A Big Life falls squarely into this tradition, but is nevertheless very readable. I found the Sydney passages more effective than the passages set in London, but the central character is compelling and the descriptions of the acrobatic shows are beautifully done.