Article
Book Review – ‘The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow’ (2022)
Callum J. Jones reviews Kate Gordon’s latest novel, ‘The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow’.
“Better hope he does something mighty grand with his life, don’t you think? To make it all worthwhile…”
The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow, written by Kate Gordon, was published in March 2022.
It is the third instalment in the Direleaf Hall series, which is set in the Tasmanian Midlands.
Blurb
The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow is an evocative story about a boy searching for his place in the world.
When Jackdaw Hollow is orphaned by a lightning strike, he is taken in by Mrs Beekman, the headmistress of Direleafe Hall.
Even though Jackdaw grows up with her love and care, he feels undeserving, as if the universe made a mistake in sparing him.
As he searches for the reason why he survived the storm, he befriends Angeline, a girl who knows where her destiny lies – the circus!
But when Jackdaw goes too far in trying to find his own calling, he loses sight of what is most important.
Review
The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow is a simple and easy novel to read, but its themes are deep and complex. So, while it is aimed at young people, adults can also read it and take something away from it.
What the novel needs, in my view, is more description and characterisation. I had a hard time imagining how the characters spoke and behaved, and also found it difficult to visualise events and places.
But overall, The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow is an enjoyable read. A lot of thought and effort has clearly gone into it, and Kate Gordon is to be applauded for this.
Jackdaw’s story will stay with you, long after you have finished it.
Technical Information
Kate Gordon, The Calling of Jackdaw Hollow, University of Queensland Press, 2022, 199pp, ISBN 9780702263484, paperback.
About Kate Gordon
Kate Gordon was raised in Tasmania.
Her first book, Three Things About Daisy Blue, was published in 2010.
Her most recent books include Writing Clementine, Girl Running, Boy Falling, The Heartsong of Wonder Quinn, and the junior fiction series Juno Jones.
“My whole aim in writing books is to make the lives of young people better somehow,” she says.
Gordon writes for every child, but especially for her daughter.
Callum J. Jones studied English, History, and Journalism at the University of Tasmania. He has written fiction and non-fiction for The Tasmanian Times since 2018. He can be traced by the smell of fresh coffee.
Follow him on Twitter (@Callum_Jones_10) and Facebook (@callum.j.jones.creative).