So glad that I finally got around to reading this Australian masterpiece. It is an absolute credit to Tim Winton. I enjoy his writing and the imagery it creates. The depth of his characters really makes you feel empathy for them and all their trials and tribulations - when they succeed you want to cheer for them and when they make a mess of their lives you want to cry and shake them. Winton makes me care about his characters and feel like I know them in a way that is rare in so many novels. A true masterpiece.