Ruby Moonlight by Ali Cobby Eckermann

A novel in poetry format? My immediate reaction: "Boooooring!" I'd read another poetic novel years ago and it was trite and unispiring, I'd hated it. As far as I was concerned, conversation over. I was greeted by silence from across the desk. I looked up to see me colleague's look of disappointment at my judgemental reaction. Master manipu... I mean motivator? You betcha. So, feeling a little guilty I picked up Ruby Moonlight...

And loved it. It gave me a whole new perspective on the possibilities of verse! It's a short read so I read it in less than an hour but was left thinking about it long after the final page.

Ruby Moonlight is set in colonial Australia, a time of great tension between Aboriginals and white settlers. Amid the harsh landscape and the brutality of it’s inhabitants a young aboriginal woman and an Irish loner build their own oasis, a relationship extraordinary and fragile. The tale is both beautiful and heartbreaking, even more so for the elegance of it’s telling.

Ruby Moonlight is a unique, delicately crafted treasure. Don't miss out on reading it like I almost did, grab a copy at your local library ;-)

~ K