It is a shame that my reading of this book was very much distracted by the recent Ukraine crisis which caused it to be a disjointed reading experience, reflected in perhaps a lower star count than it would have received under normal circumstances.īut on completion the resulting work feels accomplished. The characters are all highly believable and the sense of being displaced and yet connected is pervasive throughout the three strands. The concept of language as power - be it as a weapon when erased or as a treasure when preserved - is central to the book's message. We also find out that the ancestral lands of her and her people are imminently going to be taken over by a mining company.ģ) Plaited through these two storylines we have Albert Gondiwindi's (aka Poppy) going through the entries of his native language dictionary (the language used by the author is Wiradjuri) and spinning a good, and at times sad, yarn while doing so. Through her we hear about her difficult upbringing, the disappearance of her sister Jedda and other traumas and losses. The story and themes are narrated across 3 strands.ġ) The letter of a German-heritage Christian missionary in rural Australia around the 1st world war gives the historical background surrounding the horrendous treatment of First Nation Australians by the invaders, settlers and authorities including slavery and the Stolen Generations.Ģ) Another story line is centred around August Gondiwindi's life which we enter as she is returning to Australia for her grandfather's (Poppy) funeral.

The Yield is a book written by Australian Wiradjuri author Tara June Winch which won the Miles Franklin Literary Award in 2020, among others. Turns out Winch go me thinking about what it means to be a white fella living on Country that was never conceded. I came to this review thinking I had nothing to say.

Is this another metaphor for Australian life though? Everyone loves the coastline, the beaches, the subtropical rainforests of far north Queensland but the red centre is equally as beautiful because life still exists even if our limited eyes and knowledge don't witness it. The Yield is a difficult book to maintain engagement with. Is it because of childhood trauma, or because she ran away to London & now is coping with family centred culture shock? From her though, I feel almost a dissociation. It's August Gondiwindi though who is the bridge between the storylines. It feels casual but loving to read Rev Greenleaf's letters. It's gently shocking to read Albert 'Poppy' Gondiwindi's story. I felt disconnected from the story and I know it's because of, by luck of birth, my white skin.

It isn't difficult to see why #TheYield by #TaraJuneWinch is rated so highly, nor why it has been nominated for prestigious awards.

Tara june winch the yield review