Burning hot and mysterious, I couldn't have asked for more!
True, I do love sweltering heated climates, but no book ever gave me the same sensation I have when I'm sprawled under the sun of a crowded beach in the middle of August. More than the heat, Mrs. Harper made me see and feel the vastness of the land stretching for miles on end, as wide and boundless as any ocean you'd care to check out, as though I were inconsequential if compared to these limitless expanses. And this sensation is what stays with me even now that I've finished the novel.
What I also found extremely compelling were the descriptions of how to survive in such a particular environment as the Outbacks. How to stock materials, the do's and dont's of everyday life were a revelation for me and a thoroughly enjoyable one.
I also liked the characters, although at times they seemed to lack depth, almost like they were two-dimensional. Still, they seemed to suit the setting like no three-dimensional character would have.
Needless to say, a trip to Australia has just jumped to first place on my to do list!
An Imperfect Crime by Fred G. Baker