The River and the Book

August 6, 2015
Sim is the Keeper of the Book, a role of standing in her village. The Book contains the village’s soul; it answers the villagers’ questions, nourishes their lives and contains their history. The village’s other treasure is the River, which the villagers worship; it feeds them and is their lifeline. The Book predicts change, and events align as the river levels drop dangerously and the westerner Jane Watson arrives at the village. Sympathetic and interested, she befriends Sim as she explores village culture. Despite the trust placed in her, Watson leaves with the Book, thus destroying the very fabric of the village and leaving Sim purposeless. This story is more than a simple fable juxtaposing good and evil; it is satisfyingly complex. In finding Watson, Sim makes a new life for herself and discovers a world she would have otherwise been ignorant of, and, despite having done a terrible thing, Watson’s work may ultimately save Sim’s village from destruction. This is a lyrical and rewarding story that will appeal to a broad range of age groups from late primary upwards. It raises complex issues about the rights of Indigenous peoples, environmental degradation and the impact of Western society in ways that are engaging and thought-provoking.

Susan La Marca is head of library services at Genazzano FCJ College