Saint Antony in His Desert

A difficult novel to keep up with. A priest wanders into the desert outside Alice Springs to try to work through his crisis of faith. He starts to write a treatise where he imagines a conversation between two philosophers that he thinks might each have something to say to him.

Alongside that narrative is a story of living a chaotic life in inner city Sydney as a young man, weaving through the various worlds of Redfern's indigenous community, early indy rock concerts and the beginnings of community radio as people try to stake a claim in the local culture.

It reads in part as a personal memoir but uses the priest in the desert to frame a deeper sense of aimlessness and despair. It's not the easiest read but rewards the concentration needed to see it through.

You could probably say this book is set across three timelines, and looking for the parallels between the events in 1922, 1981, and what's close to the present day, gave the story its intrigue. Or that's what I thought, though it's entirely possible I missed the point. Those familiar with the inner suburbs of Sydney, including Redfern, will feel as though they are right amongst the happenings of the 1981 story. 3.5/5 (can't give half star ratings).