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Five Bells
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Check link for latest rating. ( 1,054 ratings, 164 reviews)
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Five Bells
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and
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Description
Winner of the Kibble Literary Award. Shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Prize for Fiction, the Adelaide Festival Award for Literature, The ALS Gold Medal, the Barbara Jefferis Prize, and the Indies Award.
On a radiant day in Sydney, four adults converge on Circular Quay, site of the iconic Opera House and the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Crowds of tourists mix with the locals, enjoying the glorious surroundings and the play of light on water. But each of the four carries a complicated history from elsewhere; each is haunted by past intimacies, secrets, and guilt.
Ellie is preoccupied by her sexual experiences as a girl. James is troubled by a tragedy for which he feels responsible. Catherine is afflicted by the loss of her beloved brother in Dublin, and Pei Xing is tormented by her imprisonment during China's Cultural Revolution.
Told over the course of a single Saturday, Five Bells describes four lives which chime and resonate, sharing mysterious patterns and symbols. A fifth figure at the Quay, a barely glimpsed child, reminds us that some patterns are imprecise and do not resolve. By night-time, when Sydney is drenched in a rainstorm, each life has been transformed.
Five Bells is a novel of singular beauty and power by one of Australia's most gifted novelists.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Five Bells by Gail Jones is lauded for its lyrical prose and exploration of complex themes. Reviewers often appreciate the vividly rendered setting of Sydney and how it intertwines with the characters' emotional landscapes. The narrative's focus on memory, loss, and interconnected lives garners praise, highlighting Jones's ability to weave poignant storytelling with deep reflection.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780143790815
Publisher: Penguin Random House Australia
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 19 March 2018
Country: Australia
Imprint: Penguin Random House Australia
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 17.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 197.0mm
Weight: 174g
Pages: 224
Collections
About the Author
Gail Jones is the author of two short-story collections, a critical monograph, and the novels BLACK MIRROR, SIXTY LIGHTS, DREAMS OF SPEAKING, SORRY and FIVE BELLS. Three times shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award, her prizes include the WA Premier's Award for Fiction, the Nita B. Kibble Award, the Steele Rudd Award, the Age Book of the Year Award, the Adelaide Festival Award for Fiction and the ASAL Gold Medal. She has also been shortlisted for international awards, including the IMPAC and the Prix Femina. Her fiction has been translated into nine languages. Gail has recently taken up a Professorship at UWS.
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