Last Day in the Dynamite Factory by Annah Faulkner

I confess that nothing puts me off a book more than 'Book Prize Winner' stamped on the cover. Nonetheless I chose to ignore that this book was shortlisted for the Australian literary award The Miles Franklin as I was intrigued by its quirky title and divergent cover (the reason for both are revealed in the story).

From outward appearances the Brights are a normal Australian family. Christopher is a well-respected conservation architect with a devoted wife and two grown up children. On the death of his adoptive mother, Christopher uncovers long held secrets that threaten to spill over and dislodge Christopher’s own secrets as well as disrupt his seemingly contented life.

Although the Brights are not a seriously dysfunctional family the characters are flawed. Christopher, a middle aged man who mostly knows what he doesn’t want but is short of ideas on what his passions are; and Diane, his stoic and just a wee bit dreary wife appears incapable of showing her husband her true passions.

Characters that I don’t love or identify with usually mean I don’t enjoy the book. However this book is so well told it draws you into the Bright family and unlike some other prizewinning novels Last Day in the Dynamite Factory’s engaging style had me reading until every last secret was revealed even though, maybe, it was better not to reveal them at all.

I’ll let you be the judge.

Posted by Miss Moneypenny

Catalogue Link: Last Day at the Dynamite Factory