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Raw Blue
Carly has dropped out of uni to spend her days surfing and her nights working as a cook in a Manly cafe. Surfing is the one thing she loves doing... and the only thing that helps her stop thinking about what happened two years ago at schoolies week.
And then Carly meets Ryan, a local at the break, fresh out of jail. When Ryan learns the truth, Carly has to decide. Will she let the past bury her? Or can she let go of her anger and shame, and find the courage to be happy?
And then Carly meets Ryan, a local at the break, fresh out of jail. When Ryan learns the truth, Carly has to decide. Will she let the past bury her? Or can she let go of her anger and shame, and find the courage to be happy?
274 pages, Paperback
First published June 28, 2009
24 people are currently reading
9,224 people want to read
About the author
Kirsty Eagar
4 books313 followersKirsty Eagar grew up on a central Queensland cattle property and spent her school holidays at the beach. After studying economics, she worked on trading desks in Sydney and London before changing careers, wanting a life where she could surf every day. She travelled around Australia for a couple of years, worked a variety of jobs and began writing fiction. Her debut novel, Raw Blue, was published by Penguin in 2009, and won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for Young Adult fiction. Saltwater Vampires, her second novel, was shortlisted for the 2011 New South Wales Premier’s Literary Awards. Kirsty lives with her husband and two daughters on Sydney’s northern beaches.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 387 reviews
October 22, 2019
thank goodness for goodreads.
without it, i would never have discovered this book, and i would never have been able to get my little hands on it.
because, yeah, i have become quite a fan of the contemporary YA novel, but my tastes generally run to the dystopia/survival sector, not the realistic stuff. and seriously, in what universe do you see me reading and liking a teen novel about surfing? SURFING!
karen does not surf. karen has no interest in surfing, nor even of getting within three miles of the ocean, which is gross, if you ask me. it is full of...animals, most of whom have defense mechanisms like stingies and slimies and teethies. and they all poop! and there are pointy rocks and glass and shells and kids on spring break full of hpv and coconut oils... evolution means i never have to go back into the ocean again, and i am glad of it.
so for me to want to read a book about a girl who spends most of her time in the ocean, you know there has got to be a good reason for it.
and that reason is: australian YA. aussie YA is incredibly hard to get over here, for some reason. and you people keep reviewing it and making it sound so good! and it is maddening! why can i get three different flavors of squeezable marshmallow paste, but i can't get a book??? the world is unfair.
long story short , bill thompson is amazing. everyone should have a bill thompson to get those hard-to-reach books from authors that everyone is praising.
now, the book.
kirsty eagar is a fantastic writer, like so damn many of these australian YA-ers. her characters are so complete. despite the leaps and bounds YA lit has made since i was its intended target, so much of it is still written with one-dimensional characters.this is especially common in the dystopian genre, where characters are frequently simply "that which is acted upon."
there is so much more nuance here.
i like to read characters i am not necessarily rooting for. i don't need to fall in love with them. it's better when i want to smack them a little and say "don't do that, dummy!!" why should my literary characters be treated any differently than people i know and can see?
i think the biggest difference between olde YA lit and the contemporary batch is that the characters no longer have to be role models. now they can just be characters. this is not a character one wishes to emulate. it is just one girl's story.
carly is incredibly (and understandably) emotionally damaged after a sexual assault, and spends her time throwing herself into things that are bigger than herself. the ocean, for example, or her job, where she works at an understaffed and busy restaurant, and takes great pride in riding the waves of orders and the exhausted exhilaration that comes from surviving a rough night of prepping and cooking.
people... people she mostly tries to avoid.
but for whatever reason, she is sought out. by a dutch expat housemate separated from her husband and living the high life of salsa dancing and new men. by an angelic synesthete who sees the world in shades of joy. by a sex-and-drugs-loving co-worker who is as broken as carly.by a rugged ex-con surf hunk who overlooks all of carly's distancing tactics and skittishness and sees something in her that even the reader is hard-pressed to see.
all of the characters have their own damaged baggage, and are trying to reach out for some connection to ground them.
and carly is just looking for the next wave.
(although how someone with as many germ hangups as she has could ever go into the ocean, which -again- is nature's toilet, is beyond me.)
carly's emotional journey is perfectly done. although i didn't always agree with her decisions, she always struck me as completely believable.
the supporting cast is also handled well, and even characters without much time leave their mark on the reader.
so despite a lot (really, a lot) of description about the mechanics of surfing, the story is touching and powerful and written with a skill i can only call "australian."
now, if we could just work on making them more available...
come to my blog!
without it, i would never have discovered this book, and i would never have been able to get my little hands on it.
because, yeah, i have become quite a fan of the contemporary YA novel, but my tastes generally run to the dystopia/survival sector, not the realistic stuff. and seriously, in what universe do you see me reading and liking a teen novel about surfing? SURFING!
karen does not surf. karen has no interest in surfing, nor even of getting within three miles of the ocean, which is gross, if you ask me. it is full of...animals, most of whom have defense mechanisms like stingies and slimies and teethies. and they all poop! and there are pointy rocks and glass and shells and kids on spring break full of hpv and coconut oils... evolution means i never have to go back into the ocean again, and i am glad of it.
so for me to want to read a book about a girl who spends most of her time in the ocean, you know there has got to be a good reason for it.
and that reason is: australian YA. aussie YA is incredibly hard to get over here, for some reason. and you people keep reviewing it and making it sound so good! and it is maddening! why can i get three different flavors of squeezable marshmallow paste, but i can't get a book??? the world is unfair.
long story short , bill thompson is amazing. everyone should have a bill thompson to get those hard-to-reach books from authors that everyone is praising.
now, the book.
kirsty eagar is a fantastic writer, like so damn many of these australian YA-ers. her characters are so complete. despite the leaps and bounds YA lit has made since i was its intended target, so much of it is still written with one-dimensional characters.this is especially common in the dystopian genre, where characters are frequently simply "that which is acted upon."
there is so much more nuance here.
i like to read characters i am not necessarily rooting for. i don't need to fall in love with them. it's better when i want to smack them a little and say "don't do that, dummy!!" why should my literary characters be treated any differently than people i know and can see?
i think the biggest difference between olde YA lit and the contemporary batch is that the characters no longer have to be role models. now they can just be characters. this is not a character one wishes to emulate. it is just one girl's story.
carly is incredibly (and understandably) emotionally damaged after a sexual assault, and spends her time throwing herself into things that are bigger than herself. the ocean, for example, or her job, where she works at an understaffed and busy restaurant, and takes great pride in riding the waves of orders and the exhausted exhilaration that comes from surviving a rough night of prepping and cooking.
people... people she mostly tries to avoid.
but for whatever reason, she is sought out. by a dutch expat housemate separated from her husband and living the high life of salsa dancing and new men. by an angelic synesthete who sees the world in shades of joy. by a sex-and-drugs-loving co-worker who is as broken as carly.by a rugged ex-con surf hunk who overlooks all of carly's distancing tactics and skittishness and sees something in her that even the reader is hard-pressed to see.
all of the characters have their own damaged baggage, and are trying to reach out for some connection to ground them.
and carly is just looking for the next wave.
(although how someone with as many germ hangups as she has could ever go into the ocean, which -again- is nature's toilet, is beyond me.)
carly's emotional journey is perfectly done. although i didn't always agree with her decisions, she always struck me as completely believable.
the supporting cast is also handled well, and even characters without much time leave their mark on the reader.
so despite a lot (really, a lot) of description about the mechanics of surfing, the story is touching and powerful and written with a skill i can only call "australian."
now, if we could just work on making them more available...
come to my blog!
July 28, 2011
As seen on The Readventurer
I remember this one surfer guy from 10 years ago. I was working a summer in a beach hotel in San Diego, and so was he. It was always very curious to me, how little ambition he had. He was smart and had opportunities to be promoted, to make more money, be a boss, but he always refused. When asked why, he used to say he didn't care to work more or have more responsibilities. All he wanted was to have his mornings open to surf and just enough money to pay for his beachfront apartment he shared with a roommate.
The idea seemed wild to me then and maybe now too, a little. But after reading Raw Blue I think I have a little bit better idea what it is about surfing that attracts people. The way Eagar writes about it, it is an experience, exhilarating and exciting, unlike anything in my calm daily routine (which I love, BTW). I now truly believe that this is something that can transform a person's life, make it better. And Carly, the narrator of the novel, badly needs for something good to pull her out of the abyss of her troubled past.
It is not very often that I come across an author who can capture someone's state of mind so painfully right. Carly's fears, shame, rage, the horror of her memories that come back in waves and sometimes drown her are so, so palpable! My heart broke for her, I suffocated in her pain, I rejoiced with her.
Although Carly's story is often very dark, it is, in the end, about light. Many of us have past experiences that plague us and sometimes they are so disturbing that we think we can never get away from them. But there is a lot of good things in our lives too. We just need to allow ourselves to let these good things define us, not the bad ones.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful novel with me, Flannery. It will stay with me a very, very long time.
I remember this one surfer guy from 10 years ago. I was working a summer in a beach hotel in San Diego, and so was he. It was always very curious to me, how little ambition he had. He was smart and had opportunities to be promoted, to make more money, be a boss, but he always refused. When asked why, he used to say he didn't care to work more or have more responsibilities. All he wanted was to have his mornings open to surf and just enough money to pay for his beachfront apartment he shared with a roommate.
The idea seemed wild to me then and maybe now too, a little. But after reading Raw Blue I think I have a little bit better idea what it is about surfing that attracts people. The way Eagar writes about it, it is an experience, exhilarating and exciting, unlike anything in my calm daily routine (which I love, BTW). I now truly believe that this is something that can transform a person's life, make it better. And Carly, the narrator of the novel, badly needs for something good to pull her out of the abyss of her troubled past.
It is not very often that I come across an author who can capture someone's state of mind so painfully right. Carly's fears, shame, rage, the horror of her memories that come back in waves and sometimes drown her are so, so palpable! My heart broke for her, I suffocated in her pain, I rejoiced with her.
Although Carly's story is often very dark, it is, in the end, about light. Many of us have past experiences that plague us and sometimes they are so disturbing that we think we can never get away from them. But there is a lot of good things in our lives too. We just need to allow ourselves to let these good things define us, not the bad ones.
Thank you for sharing this beautiful novel with me, Flannery. It will stay with me a very, very long time.
February 24, 2012
If you've been around Goodreads for a while, you may have noticed that there's this particular reviewer. Let's call her Smarty McSmart-Pants. This reviewer has a reputation for having near impeccable taste in books. Usually, whatever book she gives five stars, we're bound to love as well. Some of the other reviewers and I have a little thing going where we recommend her books because, clearly, whoever can recommend a book she likes is Queen of Goodreads for that short amount of time.
So when Smarty McSmart-Pants personally descended from her cloud-like residence and recommended this book to me via a burning tree, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. After all, it had everything going for it. Firstly, it’s written by an Australian author. A condition know within the Goodreads community to be like the kiss of the angels. Secondly, it’s recommended by aforementioned reviewer, and thirdly, it was insanely expensive to purchase. So I am completely flabbergasted that I liked this novel a lot, but didn’t really love it.
There’s a lot of words I want to use to describe this novel and its main character, Carly. See, I want to describe it as a graphic reflection on the life of a nineteen year old, traumatized rape victim.
But she wouldn’t appreciate that description. She wouldn’t like being summarized as one horrible moment in her life or to have what happened to her cheapened or used for shock value. Though it may seem silly to kowtow to the wishes of an imaginary literary character, I will.
So this is the story of Carly, nineteen year old soft-hearted surfer-chick, who is hiding out in Manly and working as a kitchen cook to escape her family and the consequences of trauma inflicted upon her. She meets Ryan, another surfer with a shady past, and they spark up an awkward and shaky relationship.
The title of Raw Blue is a very accurate one, reflecting the real state of this novel. The prose are brash and raw with strong emotion.
“I scrabble my fingers in Ryan’s pubic hair and they brush against his penis which is spent, soft and vulnerable."
These prose are interspersed throughout the narrative. They were incredibly tactile and powerful.
The strongest aspect of this novel, undoubtedly, is its dealing with the subject of rape. The guilt, shame and anger is all there in its crippling insidiousness, helping the reader to feel as brittle and impotent as Carly is.
This is Carly’s journey to survive and conquer and the novel focuses on this as opposed to the romance with Ryan who serves as a catalyst for change but ultimately is powerless to rescue Carly from her own crippling emotions and trauma. That she has to do herself.
My major gripe with the novel is in its lackadaisical plot and sudden ending. The novel ends so abruptly and unexpectedly that one gets the impression Eagar was called to dinner just as she came toward the ending and never returned to finish the narrative. It leaves this awkward, unfulfilled feeling like great sex which is cut short and ends unsatisfactorily. There was a climax missed there, I feel, and I finished the novel with a vague frustration. There were plot points that had felt strong all the way through and then suddenly fizzled into limp nothings. Shane and Danny felt like potential completely wasted. What really was their point outside a brief moment each gave to the plot? I felt like there was so much missing, having been cut away from Eagar’s original intent.
I have one more complaint with this novel as silly as it is. I feel it’s my duty to inform international readers that the bulk of Australians do not talk like the characters in this novel. I’ve probably referred to someone as “mate” a total of three times in my life and I’m pretty sure every single one of those was in jest. Perhaps that’s what stopped me from really escaping into this otherwise marvelous narrative. I couldn’t escape the mental images of every Ocker, daggy Australian bloke that Ryan produced in me.
I believe this is the clinical definition of gross.
So when Smarty McSmart-Pants personally descended from her cloud-like residence and recommended this book to me via a burning tree, I jumped at the opportunity to read it. After all, it had everything going for it. Firstly, it’s written by an Australian author. A condition know within the Goodreads community to be like the kiss of the angels. Secondly, it’s recommended by aforementioned reviewer, and thirdly, it was insanely expensive to purchase. So I am completely flabbergasted that I liked this novel a lot, but didn’t really love it.
There’s a lot of words I want to use to describe this novel and its main character, Carly. See, I want to describe it as a graphic reflection on the life of a nineteen year old, traumatized rape victim.
But she wouldn’t appreciate that description. She wouldn’t like being summarized as one horrible moment in her life or to have what happened to her cheapened or used for shock value. Though it may seem silly to kowtow to the wishes of an imaginary literary character, I will.
So this is the story of Carly, nineteen year old soft-hearted surfer-chick, who is hiding out in Manly and working as a kitchen cook to escape her family and the consequences of trauma inflicted upon her. She meets Ryan, another surfer with a shady past, and they spark up an awkward and shaky relationship.
The title of Raw Blue is a very accurate one, reflecting the real state of this novel. The prose are brash and raw with strong emotion.
“I scrabble my fingers in Ryan’s pubic hair and they brush against his penis which is spent, soft and vulnerable."
These prose are interspersed throughout the narrative. They were incredibly tactile and powerful.
The strongest aspect of this novel, undoubtedly, is its dealing with the subject of rape. The guilt, shame and anger is all there in its crippling insidiousness, helping the reader to feel as brittle and impotent as Carly is.
This is Carly’s journey to survive and conquer and the novel focuses on this as opposed to the romance with Ryan who serves as a catalyst for change but ultimately is powerless to rescue Carly from her own crippling emotions and trauma. That she has to do herself.
My major gripe with the novel is in its lackadaisical plot and sudden ending. The novel ends so abruptly and unexpectedly that one gets the impression Eagar was called to dinner just as she came toward the ending and never returned to finish the narrative. It leaves this awkward, unfulfilled feeling like great sex which is cut short and ends unsatisfactorily. There was a climax missed there, I feel, and I finished the novel with a vague frustration. There were plot points that had felt strong all the way through and then suddenly fizzled into limp nothings. Shane and Danny felt like potential completely wasted. What really was their point outside a brief moment each gave to the plot? I felt like there was so much missing, having been cut away from Eagar’s original intent.
I have one more complaint with this novel as silly as it is. I feel it’s my duty to inform international readers that the bulk of Australians do not talk like the characters in this novel. I’ve probably referred to someone as “mate” a total of three times in my life and I’m pretty sure every single one of those was in jest. Perhaps that’s what stopped me from really escaping into this otherwise marvelous narrative. I couldn’t escape the mental images of every Ocker, daggy Australian bloke that Ryan produced in me.
I believe this is the clinical definition of gross.
February 15, 2021
4.5 stars. I came to realize that there's something quite magical in reading books that I can label without any doubt as realistic fiction : trapped in that state of harsh honesty, when they're the most vulnerable to any objective analysis, the characters never annoy me. Give me a special snowflake and my mind will rip any flaw to shreds - not because I'm mean, simply because I cannot help. No matter how much I'll want to enjoy the ride, I won't be able to get past all the little details that bug me.
[That moment, there, when he said that and acted out of character. That dialogue, then, when she told him that and what the hell, really]
It makes sense, actually : serve me archetypes and I will expect them to follow the implied guidelines. Yet if the characters don't shy away from complexity but on the contrary, if I end considering them as human beings, their flaws won't have the same impact : instead of infuriating me, they'll make them dear to me.
Carly, Ryan - Danny, even - are dear to me.
I won't lie, when I saw many reviews stating that Melina Marchetta fans would love this book, I stayed wary. I mean - Just how many times did I read that catchy line only to be disappointed? But for the first time ever, I stopped while reading and thought yes, this is it. There's no magic trick, though. Indeed that feeling doesn't come from the settings or even the issues dealt with, but with a simple while multifaceted truth, named Jonah, Taylor, Thomas, Ryan, Carly, Francesca....
These raw, multi-layered and messed-up characters grab you, remind you of random anecdotes from your past (also that cupboard there? Don't open it), drive you to call your mum because really, it's been a while, tear up but NO YOU DON'T FREAKING KNOW WHY SO WHO CARES THAT YOU KNOW NOTHING ABOUT SURF, you're having a moment there and -
"Shame isn't a quiet grey cloud, shame is a drowning man who claws his way on top of you, scratching and tearing your skin, pushing you under the surface."
ARGGGGG. I'll come back to review this book later. I sure cannot now. In the meantime, please give Raw Blue a chance, because its beautiful writing and its real emotions won't disappoint you. I'm sure many reviewers explained why way better than me, so go read their reviews, okay? At this point, I'm not sure I can talk about it more without shattering into pieces. Sorry about that.
TRIGGER WARNING :
For more of my reviews, please visit:
March 30, 2012
"Raw Blue" really is an accurate title all round for this book. It is very raw and sad and depressing but not in a way that would make me cry like, say, On the Jellicoe Road. I was worried that I wouldn't connect with the characters or the story because, well, it's not like us Brits are getting in some quality surfing time in the North Sea (just thinking about it makes me feel cold). And, I admit, for a while I was thinking "uh-oh, I'm not really getting this".
In the first 70-80 pages it's all surfing and horrible descriptions of hollandaise that made me even less inclined to try the stuff. Plus, after surfing, cooking's up there with the biggies on the list of stuff I cannot do. My culinary attempts have set things on fire, broken a toaster, a microwave and a kettle, and grilled cookies. I jest not one tiny bit.
At this point I was wondering how fast I could get away if I posted a negative review. And then, I got it. No, really, I got it. A book that was meandering somewhere between 2 and 3 stars became 4+ when the story began to unfold a bit more. Up until then, I admired the pretty words but couldn't get inside the head of this surfer/cook girl. But I suddenly realised why this book is so hyped: it's horrible. And disturbing. And brutally honest. I loved it.
Carly is such a sad and tragic character and her story was handled very well. This is always a difficult subject to tackle and Kirsty Eagar really captured that sense of despair, hurt and anger. I'm normally so quick to wonder why people like Carly don't always speak up and this book answered some of my questions for me in a very powerful way:
(It's not difficult to guess what this book's about but just in case)
Everything about this novel was well-written, despite the fact that I wasn't quite with it to start with. The romance between Carly and Ryan was told with a perfect understanding of all the emotions and insecurities that comes with your first 'real' relationship, never cheesy, and the scene where they first sleep together is simultaneously beautiful, awkward and painful (mentally, not S&M or anything like that!), and wonderfully far from being the rose-tinted version of sex that you often find in young adult novels.
I will say, though I'm no prude, there are a lot of things about this book that really won't suit the younger end of the targeted young adult readership. The sex scenes are graphic, and there are quite a few descriptions that will probably make you feel uncomfortable regardless of your age. Just be warned.
July 12, 2011
I wish I could pay someone to write this review for me… I think it will turn out to be one of the hardest I’ve ever written. Or one of the easiest… who knows with these things?
First of all, don't you just love this cover? Maybe you need to read the book to fully appreciate it, so all of you who haven't… what are you waiting for?
There aren’t many authors who can portray emotions and transfer them to the readers like Eagar does. Her writing style is readable and clear, and still it draws you in completely, making you feel so many different things. For me, sometimes those feelings were pleasant, but most of the time powerlessness and sense of detachment overwhelmed me, so much so that I feared I would suffocate. That probably sounds like a bad thing, but it depends on what you’re looking for in a novel.
Some of the most beautiful and the most honest moments in Raw Blue are related to surfing, and while I don’t know anything about it, and despite not being a water person at all (terra firma for me, thank you!), I can certainly understand the passion and the single-mindedness behind it.
Carly is one of those characters that crawl under your skin and stay there. And Ryan… he is the perfect person for Carly precisely because he’s not perfect at all. He doesn’t feed her insecurities by having none of his own. He’s a guy with many flaws, but he’s also the one to find all the undamaged parts of Carly’s personality and bring them to the surface.
I thought that the awkwardness of having sex with someone for the first time was amazingly well described. It makes me happy that there are YA authors who write sex scenes the way they should be written, removing any illusions and silly expectations. We’ve all been there: the little insecurities, self-consciousness, fear of not being accepted, of doing something wrong. Carly worries about all that and much more because her mind is not that of a normal 19-year-old.
The value of this book lies partly in the secondary characters: the neighbor Hannah, whose life is so messy that her symmetrical name is the only thing she’s proud of; Danny, the precious 15-year-old with synaesthesia; Emilio the café manager and others that make this story far more real.
I've posted most of my favorite quotes as status updates.
First of all, don't you just love this cover? Maybe you need to read the book to fully appreciate it, so all of you who haven't… what are you waiting for?
There aren’t many authors who can portray emotions and transfer them to the readers like Eagar does. Her writing style is readable and clear, and still it draws you in completely, making you feel so many different things. For me, sometimes those feelings were pleasant, but most of the time powerlessness and sense of detachment overwhelmed me, so much so that I feared I would suffocate. That probably sounds like a bad thing, but it depends on what you’re looking for in a novel.
Some of the most beautiful and the most honest moments in Raw Blue are related to surfing, and while I don’t know anything about it, and despite not being a water person at all (terra firma for me, thank you!), I can certainly understand the passion and the single-mindedness behind it.
Carly is one of those characters that crawl under your skin and stay there. And Ryan… he is the perfect person for Carly precisely because he’s not perfect at all. He doesn’t feed her insecurities by having none of his own. He’s a guy with many flaws, but he’s also the one to find all the undamaged parts of Carly’s personality and bring them to the surface.
I thought that the awkwardness of having sex with someone for the first time was amazingly well described. It makes me happy that there are YA authors who write sex scenes the way they should be written, removing any illusions and silly expectations. We’ve all been there: the little insecurities, self-consciousness, fear of not being accepted, of doing something wrong. Carly worries about all that and much more because her mind is not that of a normal 19-year-old.
The value of this book lies partly in the secondary characters: the neighbor Hannah, whose life is so messy that her symmetrical name is the only thing she’s proud of; Danny, the precious 15-year-old with synaesthesia; Emilio the café manager and others that make this story far more real.
I've posted most of my favorite quotes as status updates.
August 21, 2010
I was hanging out to read this because:
Melina Marchetta mentioned it as a fave read of 2009.
Author Julia Lawrinson said: 'If you only read one book this year ... it should be Kirsty Eagar's Raw Blue …"
with a 19 year old protag and a 26 year old love interest, it's my kind of fave upper YA
surfing, Sydney, haunted past, Aussie YA :)
My Review: Mate, Raw Blue is so Australian, hey? It is also so authentic that I experienced little pools of tension in my gut and tiny bubbles of hope that Carly would be okay. A powerful, raw and beautiful novel that now sits proudly on my all time faves shelf.
It has this languid, quietly intense pace which you sit back in the pocket, holding your breath. I was only a fifth in when I was startled to discover that Carly had gotten under my skin in a way that a literary character hasn't for a very long time. I was crazily invested in her and felt all ripped up and torn inside-out as the novel progressed. I so wanted her to be okay.
Carly is such an awesome protag - 19, tough surfer girl, vulnerable and alone, hurting (after a traumatic/shocking event @ schoolies) not letting anyone in. Enter Ryan - surfer, 26. With his own dodgy/dangerous past. And, he likes Carly. The scenes of them meeting and starting to hang out and then Carly deciding whether to trust Ryan - it's mesmerising and lip-biting and beautiful and painful all at once. These characters are contemporary YA at it's best.
The characters and dialogue were not only distinctly Australian, but they were so nuanced and authentic that I felt like I was eavesdropping on real life. I loved the surfing scenes, where the ocean was like a living, breathing all-consuming force. Kirsty has such a way with words that you are engaged in the scene with all your five senses.
Also, I have to mention Danny, one of my fave characters. A 15 year old surfer with synaesthesia (so completely fascinating) who befriends Carly and was an awesome dude in general.
I read this in one gulping heap and even now Carly's story continues to linger. Not only was this novel brilliantly engaging - but it's also an important novel about hope and pain and healing. I've re-read it already, as if hoping to absorb some of the magic of Kirsty's writing into my own (ahh, hasn't happened yet). Kirsty Eagar has shot straight up onto my list of whoa-crazy-good authors.
Her sophomore novel, Saltwater Vampires, is out in September and I am so there! If it's half as good as Raw Blue - it'll be the best paranormal out there :)
I hardly ever give 5 stars
I only like to save them for the best of the absolute best.
This is 5 stars all the way.
Melina Marchetta mentioned it as a fave read of 2009.
Author Julia Lawrinson said: 'If you only read one book this year ... it should be Kirsty Eagar's Raw Blue …"
with a 19 year old protag and a 26 year old love interest, it's my kind of fave upper YA
surfing, Sydney, haunted past, Aussie YA :)
My Review: Mate, Raw Blue is so Australian, hey? It is also so authentic that I experienced little pools of tension in my gut and tiny bubbles of hope that Carly would be okay. A powerful, raw and beautiful novel that now sits proudly on my all time faves shelf.
It has this languid, quietly intense pace which you sit back in the pocket, holding your breath. I was only a fifth in when I was startled to discover that Carly had gotten under my skin in a way that a literary character hasn't for a very long time. I was crazily invested in her and felt all ripped up and torn inside-out as the novel progressed. I so wanted her to be okay.
Carly is such an awesome protag - 19, tough surfer girl, vulnerable and alone, hurting (after a traumatic/shocking event @ schoolies) not letting anyone in. Enter Ryan - surfer, 26. With his own dodgy/dangerous past. And, he likes Carly. The scenes of them meeting and starting to hang out and then Carly deciding whether to trust Ryan - it's mesmerising and lip-biting and beautiful and painful all at once. These characters are contemporary YA at it's best.
The characters and dialogue were not only distinctly Australian, but they were so nuanced and authentic that I felt like I was eavesdropping on real life. I loved the surfing scenes, where the ocean was like a living, breathing all-consuming force. Kirsty has such a way with words that you are engaged in the scene with all your five senses.
Also, I have to mention Danny, one of my fave characters. A 15 year old surfer with synaesthesia (so completely fascinating) who befriends Carly and was an awesome dude in general.
I read this in one gulping heap and even now Carly's story continues to linger. Not only was this novel brilliantly engaging - but it's also an important novel about hope and pain and healing. I've re-read it already, as if hoping to absorb some of the magic of Kirsty's writing into my own (ahh, hasn't happened yet). Kirsty Eagar has shot straight up onto my list of whoa-crazy-good authors.
Her sophomore novel, Saltwater Vampires, is out in September and I am so there! If it's half as good as Raw Blue - it'll be the best paranormal out there :)
I hardly ever give 5 stars
I only like to save them for the best of the absolute best.
This is 5 stars all the way.
October 25, 2010
“The ocean is a vivid emerald colour and the wind ruffles the wave faces so that they shatter the sunlight like glass. Seeing that glittering skin always tightens my throat with joy. It’s stupid, but that how I feel: joyous. I forget about the underbelly of things, my secrets, and I feel easy and free. I know that I’m meant to stay on the surface and be happy. Just enjoy being alive.”
I don’t know why but I find it so hard to write reviews for books I love. I have been struggling with this review for hours now and I don't think I will do it the justice it deserves. So I am going to try a different approach. I am going to list Reasons why I loved Raw Blue:-
- This book is truly Australian. The language, the surf culture, the characters, it all feels like home to me.
- It is effortless to read. It just has a nice flow to it. Still can’t believe this is her debut novel.
- It was intense, honest and beautiful. A book that lingers in your thoughts.
- Believable characters. I think characters should work for their happily ever. You want to see them grow and change. And Eagar did this perfectly.
- Carly is such a compelling character. You can’t help but become emotionally invested. And it keeps you up at night reading because you just want to know that things will turn out right for her.
- Ahhh…Ryan 'mate'. I have found a new literary crush. What I liked about him was that he wasn’t letting his past dictate his future and that he never gave up on Carly when a lot of guys would have said it too hard.
- Danny because he made me laugh. Such a smart arse kid.
- Because the way Eagar wrote about the ocean it felt like it was another character. It made me want to go down to the beach and watch the waves roll in.
- Because most of all it was a story about love. Falling in love, doing the things that you love and loving yourself.
An amazing read!
I don’t know why but I find it so hard to write reviews for books I love. I have been struggling with this review for hours now and I don't think I will do it the justice it deserves. So I am going to try a different approach. I am going to list Reasons why I loved Raw Blue:-
- This book is truly Australian. The language, the surf culture, the characters, it all feels like home to me.
- It is effortless to read. It just has a nice flow to it. Still can’t believe this is her debut novel.
- It was intense, honest and beautiful. A book that lingers in your thoughts.
- Believable characters. I think characters should work for their happily ever. You want to see them grow and change. And Eagar did this perfectly.
- Carly is such a compelling character. You can’t help but become emotionally invested. And it keeps you up at night reading because you just want to know that things will turn out right for her.
- Ahhh…Ryan 'mate'. I have found a new literary crush. What I liked about him was that he wasn’t letting his past dictate his future and that he never gave up on Carly when a lot of guys would have said it too hard.
- Danny because he made me laugh. Such a smart arse kid.
- Because the way Eagar wrote about the ocean it felt like it was another character. It made me want to go down to the beach and watch the waves roll in.
- Because most of all it was a story about love. Falling in love, doing the things that you love and loving yourself.
An amazing read!
August 1, 2011
You just have to see those times for what they are: a chance to look down at your life. And when you do, you see it’s a skin made up of shiny little moments.
~whimpers~
Noooooooooo!!!!! Just one more chapter please!
I mean, I can imagine how that conversation went, or I can hope it went a certain way, but I can’t think it better than Kirsty Eagar can pen it. Absolutely beautiful!
I’ve said this so many times before… Aussie writers have this gift. It’s a magical ability to catapult you into a fictional moment that feels so damn real and full of raw emotion that you can’t help but fully connect and when it’s over you feel like you fell on your ass because there’s no more pages left for you to grab onto. It’s like a tight embrace that makes you feel there… in the moment… and when it’s done and releases you, all you feel is the space around you and nothing comes close to that moment when you were in the story. Truly in the story. That my friends is what Raw Blue accomplished.
Absolutely everything about Raw Blue felt so real to me. Maybe because of the setting and how familiar I am with the feel of the sand between my toes, or a wet towel wrapped around me long after I’ve left the beach, the sound of waves crashing, the smell of sunscreen and not wanting it too close to your eyes or stuck on your hands, the taste of the salty water when a wave playfully takes you down. It’s been a part of me my whole life and this book connected with me in a way that felt true and vivid. Kirsty Eagar has what it takes to guide you into that fictional space that commands your attention and your heart. Captivating and emotional!
Carly is a character so carefully flawed to perfection that I couldn’t help but completely fall for her. Everything she went through, every emotion she struggled with, her moments of desperation, and her times of brief happiness. I can’t remember the last time a character made my heart bleed with paper cut precision. Ryan, sweet lord! Rhino! Can someone just tell me he’s real? He’s actually somewhere out there. What an awesome guy! His last voice message, yup, I’m memorizing it. It was a thing of beauty. But, not just the two main characters, Eagar makes me want to believe all of these characters are real and I actually worry about them long after closing the book. Will Marty be okay? Is Kylie going to make it through? What’s going to happen to Danny next? Shane? Roger? All of them are broken somehow and you just want to make sure they’ll be alright.
So if you get the chance to pick up an Australian book, Raw Blue is a perfect example of their greatness. This book is filled with emotional moments, happy events and wish-they-were-real characters. It will stay in my thoughts for a long time and I can see myself reading it over and over again. I absolutely loved it!
Favorite Quotes
8 is just an infinity symbol the right way up.
I have two friends here: a fifteen year old who sees people in colours and a salsa-mad Dutch woman. I didn’t pick them, they just turned up in my life, and I’m really glad. I think this and I’m suddenly struck down with gratitude for all the things this place has given me. The break, the ever-changing moods of the ocean and the best surfs I’ve ever had. Tonight my world is a bubble. Clear, round, perfect and fragile.
“I’ve worked out a tattoo – if I had one” says Ryan. I look at what he’s done. He’s got the outline of my hand over his heart and in it he’s written, Her...
Ryan's last voice message...
Final note Okay, so here’s the deal. If I were offered the choice between free access to U.S. bestsellers for the rest of my life or 10 Aussie books… the choice is pretty clear… hands down. There’s just some things an avid reader can’t live without and that’s fictional greatness, and Aussie writers have what it takes to deliver that. It’s become my favorite writing style and I feel it should be its own genre. Actually, hold on a minute… I’ve made it so. It’s officially a separate genre because hell yeah the writing stands apart and there so denying it. Try one. You won’t regret it…
~whimpers~
Noooooooooo!!!!! Just one more chapter please!
I mean, I can imagine how that conversation went, or I can hope it went a certain way, but I can’t think it better than Kirsty Eagar can pen it. Absolutely beautiful!
I’ve said this so many times before… Aussie writers have this gift. It’s a magical ability to catapult you into a fictional moment that feels so damn real and full of raw emotion that you can’t help but fully connect and when it’s over you feel like you fell on your ass because there’s no more pages left for you to grab onto. It’s like a tight embrace that makes you feel there… in the moment… and when it’s done and releases you, all you feel is the space around you and nothing comes close to that moment when you were in the story. Truly in the story. That my friends is what Raw Blue accomplished.
Absolutely everything about Raw Blue felt so real to me. Maybe because of the setting and how familiar I am with the feel of the sand between my toes, or a wet towel wrapped around me long after I’ve left the beach, the sound of waves crashing, the smell of sunscreen and not wanting it too close to your eyes or stuck on your hands, the taste of the salty water when a wave playfully takes you down. It’s been a part of me my whole life and this book connected with me in a way that felt true and vivid. Kirsty Eagar has what it takes to guide you into that fictional space that commands your attention and your heart. Captivating and emotional!
Carly is a character so carefully flawed to perfection that I couldn’t help but completely fall for her. Everything she went through, every emotion she struggled with, her moments of desperation, and her times of brief happiness. I can’t remember the last time a character made my heart bleed with paper cut precision. Ryan, sweet lord! Rhino! Can someone just tell me he’s real? He’s actually somewhere out there. What an awesome guy! His last voice message, yup, I’m memorizing it. It was a thing of beauty. But, not just the two main characters, Eagar makes me want to believe all of these characters are real and I actually worry about them long after closing the book. Will Marty be okay? Is Kylie going to make it through? What’s going to happen to Danny next? Shane? Roger? All of them are broken somehow and you just want to make sure they’ll be alright.
So if you get the chance to pick up an Australian book, Raw Blue is a perfect example of their greatness. This book is filled with emotional moments, happy events and wish-they-were-real characters. It will stay in my thoughts for a long time and I can see myself reading it over and over again. I absolutely loved it!
Favorite Quotes
8 is just an infinity symbol the right way up.
I have two friends here: a fifteen year old who sees people in colours and a salsa-mad Dutch woman. I didn’t pick them, they just turned up in my life, and I’m really glad. I think this and I’m suddenly struck down with gratitude for all the things this place has given me. The break, the ever-changing moods of the ocean and the best surfs I’ve ever had. Tonight my world is a bubble. Clear, round, perfect and fragile.
“I’ve worked out a tattoo – if I had one” says Ryan. I look at what he’s done. He’s got the outline of my hand over his heart and in it he’s written, Her...
Ryan's last voice message...
Final note Okay, so here’s the deal. If I were offered the choice between free access to U.S. bestsellers for the rest of my life or 10 Aussie books… the choice is pretty clear… hands down. There’s just some things an avid reader can’t live without and that’s fictional greatness, and Aussie writers have what it takes to deliver that. It’s become my favorite writing style and I feel it should be its own genre. Actually, hold on a minute… I’ve made it so. It’s officially a separate genre because hell yeah the writing stands apart and there so denying it. Try one. You won’t regret it…
May 12, 2020
“Even though the world looks grey and gloomy, the water’s warmer than you’d think.”
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
My entire body aches.
High Points.
Secrets. Honesty. Brutal. Raw. Glitter skin. Seeing colours. The ocean. Salsa dancing. Strength. Delicious treats. Accidental best friends. Tattoos. Board shorts. Sex. Love. Forgiveness. Understanding. Her. Him.
Low Points.
The entirety of my knowledge of surfing comes from this song and that one time I got stuck on a train from Manchester to Bangor with approximately A MILLION people heading to Abersoch for Wakestock …. so I got extremely lost in the sea of crows and cutting and boards and gettin’ a few.
But… it didn’t ruin it. Just made me scratch my head a bit and make my frownythinky face.
Heroine.
It’s difficult to write down the feelings I had about Carly without going into spoilery territories, so this section will be brief. Carly is one the strongest, bravest and most memorable and affective narrators I have ever read.
Love Interest.
Sexy? Yes.
Troubled? Yes.
Cliché sexy bad boy with issues. No.
Angry? Yes.
Unnecessarily cruel to heroine because that’s what girls want? No.
Sensitive? Yes.
Realistic? Yes.
Caring? Yes.
Understanding? Yes.
Patient? Yes.
So, it’s Ryan, by the way. Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.
Best Friends.
There is chance I would go deck myself in a wetsuit andflail and possibly drown or at least drink the entire ocean bob around on a surfboard if I could spend an hour each morning with Danny. I seriously loved that kid. I’d even risk getting sunstroke for him… which would happen seeing as I burn in Manchester so I’m guessing I’d just combust if I ever manage to get to Australia.
Or I could just go to salsa class and get horrifically drunk with Hannah.
Either way….
Theme Tune.
Wonderful Life by Kylie Minogue.
I’m kind of cheating with this one because the original version is actually by a British band… but Ms Minogue is the epitome of Australia and I just adore her so and I’m beginning to think I won’t be reading a book that I can fit this song into. Which upsets me greatly.
Anyway, she did this cover on Radio 1’s Live Lounge and I absolutely love it and it makes me tingly in the same way this book does. And I think a lot of the lyrics fit perfectly with this book.
But OK, if you want something truly Australian.
Into My Arms by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
"And I don’t believe in the existence of angels
Looking at you I wonder if that’s true
But if I did I would summon them together
Ask them to watch over you."
This song makes me weep like a small child. This song is perfect…. especially in consideration with the last two pages.
*Sob*
J’adore Nick Cave.
Strictly Savage Garden Story Song.
Crash & Burn by Savage Garden.
Beneath the cheesy music and ridiculous high notes that Darren can hit, there are actually some pretty stunning lyrics/sentiments in this song. And I think they kind of resonate with the feelings covered in this book.
Boy Angst.
What I liked most about this book was that even though Ryan was there, this book wasn’t solely about him. Sure there were some bits that focussed on his and Carly’s relationship, but it was more about the strength and courage of Carly and her thoughts and her feelings and her journey.
It would have been easy for Ms Eagar to have Ryan swoop in and save the day and make everything alright because he’s a boy and he’s strong and whatever. But by not resorting to this and making the book about Carly and creating a relationship with Ryan that is real and awkward and pointy and jaggedy edges and heart-aching, the ending is all the more poignant and perfect but doesn’t strip Carly of her own personality and make her problems his to solve.
Because I think she does just fine solving them on her own.
Sadness Scale.
There isn’t a rating to really convey how much this book destroyed me. In the best possible way. My muscles physically ache because of how still and tense I was reading the last half of this book.
There aren’t many books that I can say make me feel like that.
But by gum, this one did.
Recommended For.
Everyone. Simple as.
Initial Final Page Thoughts.
My entire body aches.
High Points.
Secrets. Honesty. Brutal. Raw. Glitter skin. Seeing colours. The ocean. Salsa dancing. Strength. Delicious treats. Accidental best friends. Tattoos. Board shorts. Sex. Love. Forgiveness. Understanding. Her. Him.
Low Points.
The entirety of my knowledge of surfing comes from this song and that one time I got stuck on a train from Manchester to Bangor with approximately A MILLION people heading to Abersoch for Wakestock …. so I got extremely lost in the sea of crows and cutting and boards and gettin’ a few.
But… it didn’t ruin it. Just made me scratch my head a bit and make my frownythinky face.
Heroine.
It’s difficult to write down the feelings I had about Carly without going into spoilery territories, so this section will be brief. Carly is one the strongest, bravest and most memorable and affective narrators I have ever read.
Love Interest.
Sexy? Yes.
Troubled? Yes.
Cliché sexy bad boy with issues. No.
Angry? Yes.
Unnecessarily cruel to heroine because that’s what girls want? No.
Sensitive? Yes.
Realistic? Yes.
Caring? Yes.
Understanding? Yes.
Patient? Yes.
So, it’s Ryan, by the way. Yes.Yes.Yes.Yes.
Best Friends.
There is chance I would go deck myself in a wetsuit and
Or I could just go to salsa class and get horrifically drunk with Hannah.
Either way….
Theme Tune.
Wonderful Life by Kylie Minogue.
I’m kind of cheating with this one because the original version is actually by a British band… but Ms Minogue is the epitome of Australia and I just adore her so and I’m beginning to think I won’t be reading a book that I can fit this song into. Which upsets me greatly.
Anyway, she did this cover on Radio 1’s Live Lounge and I absolutely love it and it makes me tingly in the same way this book does. And I think a lot of the lyrics fit perfectly with this book.
But OK, if you want something truly Australian.
Into My Arms by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds
"And I don’t believe in the existence of angels
Looking at you I wonder if that’s true
But if I did I would summon them together
Ask them to watch over you."
This song makes me weep like a small child. This song is perfect…. especially in consideration with the last two pages.
*Sob*
J’adore Nick Cave.
Strictly Savage Garden Story Song.
Crash & Burn by Savage Garden.
Beneath the cheesy music and ridiculous high notes that Darren can hit, there are actually some pretty stunning lyrics/sentiments in this song. And I think they kind of resonate with the feelings covered in this book.
Boy Angst.
What I liked most about this book was that even though Ryan was there, this book wasn’t solely about him. Sure there were some bits that focussed on his and Carly’s relationship, but it was more about the strength and courage of Carly and her thoughts and her feelings and her journey.
It would have been easy for Ms Eagar to have Ryan swoop in and save the day and make everything alright because he’s a boy and he’s strong and whatever. But by not resorting to this and making the book about Carly and creating a relationship with Ryan that is real and awkward and pointy and jaggedy edges and heart-aching, the ending is all the more poignant and perfect but doesn’t strip Carly of her own personality and make her problems his to solve.
Because I think she does just fine solving them on her own.
Sadness Scale.
There isn’t a rating to really convey how much this book destroyed me. In the best possible way. My muscles physically ache because of how still and tense I was reading the last half of this book.
There aren’t many books that I can say make me feel like that.
But by gum, this one did.
Recommended For.
Everyone. Simple as.
June 6, 2012
3.5 stars, although the book deserves more stars than this. I'll explain my rating later.
This is a book about the aftereffects of rape and abuse. It's not pretty, it's not fluffy, there's no "feel good" romance to soften the blow.
This book is a prime example of just how hard it is to heal after going through sexual assault. I recently read another book dealing with a similar subject (Easy) and while I rated that one higher strictly for entertainment value, I still felt like something was missing while I was reading it. Afterward, as I went back and finished this book, the realization of what was missing hit me. Romance is tricky path to walk after you've been emotionally and physically traumatized. In the book Easy, the process for Jackie was much more simple than the same situation would have been for something going through the same thing in real life. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time but knew there was something holding me back from going higher than a 4 star rating on that book. It was entertaining; I swooned at the romance; I enjoyed the book and will continue to recommend it to others...but yeah...sexual assault isn't the best jumping off point for starting a romance. Here's how Carly in Raw Blue felt :
So does this mean that Raw Blue is all doom and gloom? Does our girl get her shot at happiness? No, the book is not all depressing. The tone is serious and a bit melancholy in places, but Carly does find her start on the long road to healing. She even manages to find a person who might be someone to help her learn to trust again. The romance took a while to develop but it was sweet to watch as Carly took baby steps out into an entirely new world for her.
I'm taking a sec to address the terminology here...
It's an Australian book and I had a hard time with some of the terms. Yes, I'm embarrassed to have so many great friends from this country, yet I'm still completely clueless. A vacation overseas might be in order.
My poor Nook was hating me because its very "American" dictionary didn't have the definitions for most of these words :
~ bitumen (best I gathered was some sort of paving material), rashie, Moulinex (an appliance?), fibro, doona, donga, singlet (tank top I think)
If the book was good, why not a higher rating?
Someone should have told me that this was like a Marchetta book, where if you push past the first section, you'll be rewarded for your effort in spades. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware and ended up reading this book in parts. Frankly, the first 30% didn't grab me. Nothing was happening other than Carly's daily routine, which was pretty boring. So I put the book away to catch up on other stuff, which killed it for me, trying to come back much later and finish. I was confused at first, trying to remember the characters. However, the last half of the book was astonishing. Carly's journey was inspiring to watch. Her flashbacks made me emotional. The ending was perfect. Had I read this book in one sitting, I probably would have figured a 4 to 4.5 rating because when you put the parts together as one sum, there is a story worth telling.
I wonder if that's true, if he'd still want me knowing who'd been there before him and what they did.
This is a book about the aftereffects of rape and abuse. It's not pretty, it's not fluffy, there's no "feel good" romance to soften the blow.
This book is a prime example of just how hard it is to heal after going through sexual assault. I recently read another book dealing with a similar subject (Easy) and while I rated that one higher strictly for entertainment value, I still felt like something was missing while I was reading it. Afterward, as I went back and finished this book, the realization of what was missing hit me. Romance is tricky path to walk after you've been emotionally and physically traumatized. In the book Easy, the process for Jackie was much more simple than the same situation would have been for something going through the same thing in real life. I couldn't put my finger on it at the time but knew there was something holding me back from going higher than a 4 star rating on that book. It was entertaining; I swooned at the romance; I enjoyed the book and will continue to recommend it to others...but yeah...sexual assault isn't the best jumping off point for starting a romance. Here's how Carly in Raw Blue felt :
I think that the person who was raped should own the copyright on what happened to them.
I can't watch these shows. The way they treat it, as thought it was nothing, just a thing, a fact. Rape for entertainment value.
So does this mean that Raw Blue is all doom and gloom? Does our girl get her shot at happiness? No, the book is not all depressing. The tone is serious and a bit melancholy in places, but Carly does find her start on the long road to healing. She even manages to find a person who might be someone to help her learn to trust again. The romance took a while to develop but it was sweet to watch as Carly took baby steps out into an entirely new world for her.
I'm taking a sec to address the terminology here...
It's an Australian book and I had a hard time with some of the terms. Yes, I'm embarrassed to have so many great friends from this country, yet I'm still completely clueless. A vacation overseas might be in order.
My poor Nook was hating me because its very "American" dictionary didn't have the definitions for most of these words :
~ bitumen (best I gathered was some sort of paving material), rashie, Moulinex (an appliance?), fibro, doona, donga, singlet (tank top I think)
If the book was good, why not a higher rating?
Someone should have told me that this was like a Marchetta book, where if you push past the first section, you'll be rewarded for your effort in spades. Unfortunately, I wasn't aware and ended up reading this book in parts. Frankly, the first 30% didn't grab me. Nothing was happening other than Carly's daily routine, which was pretty boring. So I put the book away to catch up on other stuff, which killed it for me, trying to come back much later and finish. I was confused at first, trying to remember the characters. However, the last half of the book was astonishing. Carly's journey was inspiring to watch. Her flashbacks made me emotional. The ending was perfect. Had I read this book in one sitting, I probably would have figured a 4 to 4.5 rating because when you put the parts together as one sum, there is a story worth telling.
I rode the foam all the way in. Even now I can remember the magic of it : the sensation of movement, the way time slowed, and that one moment lasted forever. As I'd expected the feat had gone ignored, but it didn't matter. The gift was mine. I didn't need them any more. I had that.
July 8, 2011
4.5 to 5 stars.
Another great writer delivered to us from Down Under. And NOW I understand why even at McDonald's they are so adamant on putting on the wrappings "100% Australian beef", it must be something they're putting in the food there. Aside from having the most poisonous snakes and the most dangerous animals, it wouldn't be wrong to say they also have the best YA writers at the moment. Kirsty Eagar is, without a doubt, one of such writers.
Carly is 19 and she is running away from her life. She has dropped out of Uni, reneged her family and is trying to forget a painful event in her past. Her only love is surfing and so she's relocated on the Central Coast, got a job as a cook in a café and works the night shift to surf during the day. Carly is surrounded by some truly amazing characters: Hannah the Dutch neighbor, a kid who surfs with her with synesthesia and Ryan, a guy she is interested in but who also she seems unable to let into her life. There isn't really much to say about the plot because this is one of those books, just like Melina Marchetta's books, which are founded on characters, rather than on the plot. And if you liked Marchetta, you won't be disappointed by Raw Blue.
To be honest, I didn't love this book from the beginning. My main problem, but this is probably mainly MY problem, was the surfing-related jargon. I come from a country where surfing is not really the national beach sport seeing how we have a puddle rather than an ocean here and I know NOTHING about it. Add to that the fact that I am a non native English speaker and it's easy to understand how I was really struggling with the surfing descriptions and slang. Like, REALLY struggling. I know a wave is called a wave, I know nothing about its "body parts". It made me think of that exam in sociolinguistic I took in my first year at Uni where I read that the Inuit have something like 18 different ways of describing snow. To me snow is snow. It's powdery or wet at the most. Same thing with waves. So yeah, I felt a bit on the ignorant side there and slightly bored. I definitely understood that surfing is not as easy as it looks, though.
But what I most loved about this book, aside from the amazing characters, is that it sounds so truly Australian. I complained in my review of Mercy by Rebecca Lim that I couldn't find Australia in that book, that it could have been written by an American author. Well, that doesn't happen here. This book is 100% Australian (beef). You find Australia in the scenery's descriptions, in the language (a bit too many bitumens there by the way) in the character's dialogues (I guess if husbands and wives in Aussie land call each other mate?)... everywhere. And that's what I wanted to read actually. Australian author? Australia has to be in it.
So even though I got a rather bumpy start, by half book I was in love with it. Eagar excels, like Marchetta, at describing emotions and this book is so, so realistic and honest it completely blew my mind. I'm taking away half a star only because I felt the ending was a bit rushed for my taste, I would have wanted the situation with Ryan resolved more extensively and also with Shane but I have to say that this book deserves five stars only for its writing. I hope they publish it internationally very soon because it completely deserves it - much more than other Ya authors out there nowadays.
Highly recommended!
Another great writer delivered to us from Down Under. And NOW I understand why even at McDonald's they are so adamant on putting on the wrappings "100% Australian beef", it must be something they're putting in the food there. Aside from having the most poisonous snakes and the most dangerous animals, it wouldn't be wrong to say they also have the best YA writers at the moment. Kirsty Eagar is, without a doubt, one of such writers.
Carly is 19 and she is running away from her life. She has dropped out of Uni, reneged her family and is trying to forget a painful event in her past. Her only love is surfing and so she's relocated on the Central Coast, got a job as a cook in a café and works the night shift to surf during the day. Carly is surrounded by some truly amazing characters: Hannah the Dutch neighbor, a kid who surfs with her with synesthesia and Ryan, a guy she is interested in but who also she seems unable to let into her life. There isn't really much to say about the plot because this is one of those books, just like Melina Marchetta's books, which are founded on characters, rather than on the plot. And if you liked Marchetta, you won't be disappointed by Raw Blue.
To be honest, I didn't love this book from the beginning. My main problem, but this is probably mainly MY problem, was the surfing-related jargon. I come from a country where surfing is not really the national beach sport seeing how we have a puddle rather than an ocean here and I know NOTHING about it. Add to that the fact that I am a non native English speaker and it's easy to understand how I was really struggling with the surfing descriptions and slang. Like, REALLY struggling. I know a wave is called a wave, I know nothing about its "body parts". It made me think of that exam in sociolinguistic I took in my first year at Uni where I read that the Inuit have something like 18 different ways of describing snow. To me snow is snow. It's powdery or wet at the most. Same thing with waves. So yeah, I felt a bit on the ignorant side there and slightly bored. I definitely understood that surfing is not as easy as it looks, though.
But what I most loved about this book, aside from the amazing characters, is that it sounds so truly Australian. I complained in my review of Mercy by Rebecca Lim that I couldn't find Australia in that book, that it could have been written by an American author. Well, that doesn't happen here. This book is 100% Australian (beef). You find Australia in the scenery's descriptions, in the language (a bit too many bitumens there by the way) in the character's dialogues (I guess if husbands and wives in Aussie land call each other mate?)... everywhere. And that's what I wanted to read actually. Australian author? Australia has to be in it.
So even though I got a rather bumpy start, by half book I was in love with it. Eagar excels, like Marchetta, at describing emotions and this book is so, so realistic and honest it completely blew my mind. I'm taking away half a star only because I felt the ending was a bit rushed for my taste, I would have wanted the situation with Ryan resolved more extensively and also with Shane but I have to say that this book deserves five stars only for its writing. I hope they publish it internationally very soon because it completely deserves it - much more than other Ya authors out there nowadays.
Highly recommended!
August 7, 2011
Reading Raw Blue had me breathing in, then breathing in some more until... him. Carly read honest and real and possible to me. I 'got' her. Am I being redundant in saying I was hooked by her flaws? She's so hard but she's so fearful too and it's all clear why. But she's still sad that way anyway and that's even given her words that were sometimes profound, sometimes heartbreaking but sometimes frustrating too.
It's the characters that impressed me most:
Carly isn't a simple girl rebelling (at all)... although that's what she seemed at first with her thoughts on "being pressed in a shape that didn't suit." She's Carly, who leaves me feeling as Tom (The Piper's Son) did because they both had me feeling, thinking and feeling some more.
What's got me thinking a little more is it wasn't only about her but also about the people around her; what they were to her and vice versa. That while she's at the center of it, there's Danny, Hanna....and Ryan's as well. Danny who sees people in colour is precisely as she describes him: precious. Hanna her polar oposite, emphasizes what she did have, inhibition, but manages to bring her a little out of her shell.
And Ryan. Why has this guy left such an impression on me? That's easy really: It's because he is such a simple guy. He's not there to save her, though it felt like he could have and might have even wanted to at some point. It's that he didn't and was just present that did it for me. He was just there.
Add the fact that I liked how easily the people around her chose to do things. To do something just because. It's what she needed; they are what she needed.
And the writing! Consider:
It's visual and simple; all so easy to imagine, clear to see. I need to read this author's other stuff.
5/5
READ THIS BOOK!
****
"8 is just an infinity symbol right side up."
"It scares me. I don't want to do it. But sometimes I think it's the only way I'll be able to turn off what's in my head."
"Why is the reality of attraction a;ways so claustrophobic?"
"Some phone calls he doesn't say much and I know he called just to hear my voice. That's all he wants- to hear me tell him about my day, what the surf's like, what work's like. And that's humbling, knowing that your voice can mean so much to another person.
It's the characters that impressed me most:
Carly isn't a simple girl rebelling (at all)... although that's what she seemed at first with her thoughts on "being pressed in a shape that didn't suit." She's Carly, who leaves me feeling as Tom (The Piper's Son) did because they both had me feeling, thinking and feeling some more.
What's got me thinking a little more is it wasn't only about her but also about the people around her; what they were to her and vice versa. That while she's at the center of it, there's Danny, Hanna....and Ryan's as well. Danny who sees people in colour is precisely as she describes him: precious. Hanna her polar oposite, emphasizes what she did have, inhibition, but manages to bring her a little out of her shell.
And Ryan. Why has this guy left such an impression on me? That's easy really: It's because he is such a simple guy. He's not there to save her, though it felt like he could have and might have even wanted to at some point. It's that he didn't and was just present that did it for me. He was just there.
Add the fact that I liked how easily the people around her chose to do things. To do something just because. It's what she needed; they are what she needed.
And the writing! Consider:
It's a glitter skin day. The ocean is a vivid emerald colour and the wind ruffles the waves so that they shatter the sunlightt like glass. Seeing the glittering skin always tightens my thorat with joy. it's stupid, but that's how I feel: joyous.
It's visual and simple; all so easy to imagine, clear to see. I need to read this author's other stuff.
5/5
READ THIS BOOK!
****
"8 is just an infinity symbol right side up."
"It scares me. I don't want to do it. But sometimes I think it's the only way I'll be able to turn off what's in my head."
"Why is the reality of attraction a;ways so claustrophobic?"
"Some phone calls he doesn't say much and I know he called just to hear my voice. That's all he wants- to hear me tell him about my day, what the surf's like, what work's like. And that's humbling, knowing that your voice can mean so much to another person.
April 15, 2011
Aussie Book challenge 2011 #5
Raw Blue is such a powerful and haunting story about a girl named Carly who went through a traumatic experience and channels cooking and surfing to her every single day routine to stop the memories from over powering her life. When she meets Ryan, she doesn't know if she can let him into her heart because of her past. This is a raw and emotional read about letting go, trust and healing the human soul.
I love Australian books. I love how different it feels every time I get the chance to pick one up. I love how different the slang and language is, it always feels like I'm being transported there. I don't know about this book being 'very Australian' but I do know I love the way it writes.
Kirsty Eagar doesn't hold back the emotional punches and pain that this character is going through, but she doesn't do it in an obvious way. When I realized what this book is about, what really happened to Carly, it hit me pretty hard, not being very comfortable with this topic to begin with, but then again, who is? It really breaks me just even thinking about it and what it must have felt like to have that much weight and shame and power hanging over you. How do you trust again or even let go?
Carly is a very sharp and strong character with a very hard shell around her. The moment you meet her you just know that something is very much dead inside. You will not help be completely invested right from minute one till the very last page, hoping against hope that this character will eventually find the peace she so desperately needs. I'm very grateful to Ryan's character and was glad to see him fighting for her even though she pushes him away and even though we don't know exactly how it ends up, it lingers on hope and that's good enough for me. I also really loved Danny, he's funny and sweet and a very cool kid.
Overall, I thought this book was simply amazing. It's intense and touching and heartbreaking and even though I usually tend to stay away from this type of heartbreak-reads, since it takes days to get over it, I'm still very happy to have had a chance to experience this outstanding gem.
Special thanks to Nic (twinie) for sharing and sending this copy. You really are the best girl. xo
Raw Blue is such a powerful and haunting story about a girl named Carly who went through a traumatic experience and channels cooking and surfing to her every single day routine to stop the memories from over powering her life. When she meets Ryan, she doesn't know if she can let him into her heart because of her past. This is a raw and emotional read about letting go, trust and healing the human soul.
I love Australian books. I love how different it feels every time I get the chance to pick one up. I love how different the slang and language is, it always feels like I'm being transported there. I don't know about this book being 'very Australian' but I do know I love the way it writes.
Kirsty Eagar doesn't hold back the emotional punches and pain that this character is going through, but she doesn't do it in an obvious way. When I realized what this book is about, what really happened to Carly, it hit me pretty hard, not being very comfortable with this topic to begin with, but then again, who is? It really breaks me just even thinking about it and what it must have felt like to have that much weight and shame and power hanging over you. How do you trust again or even let go?
Carly is a very sharp and strong character with a very hard shell around her. The moment you meet her you just know that something is very much dead inside. You will not help be completely invested right from minute one till the very last page, hoping against hope that this character will eventually find the peace she so desperately needs. I'm very grateful to Ryan's character and was glad to see him fighting for her even though she pushes him away and even though we don't know exactly how it ends up, it lingers on hope and that's good enough for me. I also really loved Danny, he's funny and sweet and a very cool kid.
Overall, I thought this book was simply amazing. It's intense and touching and heartbreaking and even though I usually tend to stay away from this type of heartbreak-reads, since it takes days to get over it, I'm still very happy to have had a chance to experience this outstanding gem.
Special thanks to Nic (twinie) for sharing and sending this copy. You really are the best girl. xo
August 3, 2014
I don't know why I am even bothering to write a review. How can I adequately express my love for this book? How can I write a review when all I can do is sit around with a stupid grin on my face thinking about how fabulous it was? I am going to try though, because that's what I do and this book deserves another rave review.
To those who haven't read Raw Blue yet: Find a copy immediately. I know it's tough, being an Australian release and all. But don't let that get in the way. Spend your savings on a plane ticket and buy it from one of our nice Aussie bookshops. Alternatively, you could order it online or coerce an Aussie buddy to mail it to you. The moral of the story - read. this. book. You'll love it.
To those who have read Raw Blue: It's amazing, hey?
By now I've realised that if you're going to consider coughing up the big bucks for this little gem you'll want to know exactly why it is so amazing. Alrighty.
In a sentence, Raw Blue is about 19-year-old Carly who has given up a uni degree to spend her days surfing. What makes this book utterly incredible is the setting (Sydney's northern suburbs) - which Kristy Eagar describes with prose that is both passionate and stunning. I have never surfed, but it was amazing how much I actually felt like I was in the water with Carly, being pushed under by waves. I swear I could taste salt water throughout most of this book.
The characters in this novel resonated with me. Somehow, they each had this familiarity about them. They felt like people I had met before. I could easily picture Eagar's characters walking down the Corso in Manly.
When I finished reading it (bleary-eyed at 1am) I felt full and bursting. You know when books just make you love life a little bit more? Yeah, that. I've already started my re-read, which I know will be one of many :)
To those who haven't read Raw Blue yet: Find a copy immediately. I know it's tough, being an Australian release and all. But don't let that get in the way. Spend your savings on a plane ticket and buy it from one of our nice Aussie bookshops. Alternatively, you could order it online or coerce an Aussie buddy to mail it to you. The moral of the story - read. this. book. You'll love it.
To those who have read Raw Blue: It's amazing, hey?
By now I've realised that if you're going to consider coughing up the big bucks for this little gem you'll want to know exactly why it is so amazing. Alrighty.
In a sentence, Raw Blue is about 19-year-old Carly who has given up a uni degree to spend her days surfing. What makes this book utterly incredible is the setting (Sydney's northern suburbs) - which Kristy Eagar describes with prose that is both passionate and stunning. I have never surfed, but it was amazing how much I actually felt like I was in the water with Carly, being pushed under by waves. I swear I could taste salt water throughout most of this book.
The characters in this novel resonated with me. Somehow, they each had this familiarity about them. They felt like people I had met before. I could easily picture Eagar's characters walking down the Corso in Manly.
When I finished reading it (bleary-eyed at 1am) I felt full and bursting. You know when books just make you love life a little bit more? Yeah, that. I've already started my re-read, which I know will be one of many :)
August 26, 2011
3.5 stars
Well apparently I'm the only one in the world who didn't absolutely love this book. It's not bad by any means. I still genuinely enjoyed it, I just didn't completely fall in love with it.
Raw Blue is a deep and dark story about a girl who went through a traumatic ordeal and she's taken up surfing as an outlet to take her mind off of it all and, in a way, punishing herself for having been a victim. Like the title says, this is a raw story. It's dark. It's deeply impassioned and very fragile. Though it never becomes overwhelming; you can feel Carly's anguish throughout the whole story, but it's more than pointless teenage angst, it just feels true. You feel sympathetic and not just towards her, but the side characters as well. They all give Carly reason and esteem to help her move forward.
The protagonist, Carly, has a very strong voice in this story. She hides behind surfing and cooking, just trying to hold everything together. I loved how real she was. She wasn't reckless or superficial, she just was. I loved her way with people and her thought process throughout the story. She's anti-social but she still cares very deeply for the few people she lets in her life - even if she doesn't realize it.
Ryan, the love interest, is also perfect because he's so imperfect. He's got flaws. He's a human being. Not a perfect guy with a perfect life. How refreshing! I also like the way he spoke. It was very Australian-ey (or so I'm presuming anyways).
I did however have a hard time with the surf speak and local slang. I know next to zero in the subject of surfing. I live in Canada - says it all. So all the parts when she was in the water pretty much all went over my head. The story was not affected by it though. Surfing is a big part of the book, yes, but those parts were still not relevant except for demonstrating how surfing is a way of life for some people; An escape; A craving. There was some non-surf jargon that was also new to me, though I found it more endearing than troublesome. It gave it Australian charm.
When I went into this I was expecting a lighter read. A romance of some sort. Not really chick-lit but definitely not this deep. I think it's the main reason I didn't love it. I wasn't prepared and I kept waiting for the story to progress. But overall, this book definitely is a great work and Kirsty is amazing with words. If you haven't, I suggest you give it a try.
Well apparently I'm the only one in the world who didn't absolutely love this book. It's not bad by any means. I still genuinely enjoyed it, I just didn't completely fall in love with it.
Raw Blue is a deep and dark story about a girl who went through a traumatic ordeal and she's taken up surfing as an outlet to take her mind off of it all and, in a way, punishing herself for having been a victim. Like the title says, this is a raw story. It's dark. It's deeply impassioned and very fragile. Though it never becomes overwhelming; you can feel Carly's anguish throughout the whole story, but it's more than pointless teenage angst, it just feels true. You feel sympathetic and not just towards her, but the side characters as well. They all give Carly reason and esteem to help her move forward.
The protagonist, Carly, has a very strong voice in this story. She hides behind surfing and cooking, just trying to hold everything together. I loved how real she was. She wasn't reckless or superficial, she just was. I loved her way with people and her thought process throughout the story. She's anti-social but she still cares very deeply for the few people she lets in her life - even if she doesn't realize it.
Ryan, the love interest, is also perfect because he's so imperfect. He's got flaws. He's a human being. Not a perfect guy with a perfect life. How refreshing! I also like the way he spoke. It was very Australian-ey (or so I'm presuming anyways).
I did however have a hard time with the surf speak and local slang. I know next to zero in the subject of surfing. I live in Canada - says it all. So all the parts when she was in the water pretty much all went over my head. The story was not affected by it though. Surfing is a big part of the book, yes, but those parts were still not relevant except for demonstrating how surfing is a way of life for some people; An escape; A craving. There was some non-surf jargon that was also new to me, though I found it more endearing than troublesome. It gave it Australian charm.
When I went into this I was expecting a lighter read. A romance of some sort. Not really chick-lit but definitely not this deep. I think it's the main reason I didn't love it. I wasn't prepared and I kept waiting for the story to progress. But overall, this book definitely is a great work and Kirsty is amazing with words. If you haven't, I suggest you give it a try.
March 20, 2015
Why is it that we can relate so easily to pain, to struggle, to despair instead of happiness and joy?
When you say "emotional story" there's a small possibility for you to be referring to some positive feelings. You always imagine yourself in your bed, with a book in your hand and a lot of tissues around you.. Why do we remember the bad things in our life with such intensity but we forget so easily all the good things that happen to us?
"If I was a sheep, I’d be black."
For Carly life has never been too easy.
The only thing that she wanted with all her heart was to really be "seen" - as she was quite invisible for all the people she wanted to care for her, starting with her family.
If I were to analyze her life, something broke in her self-esteem the moment she realized that, no matter what she did, her father (and all her family) will never be proud of her, will never care... She felt like she was not enough, not even in her own eyes.
The only thing she did good was surfing. She was happy on her board, flying through the waves, away from all those eyes that looked at her somehow disappointingly.
"My father’s eyes can be the coldest place on earth."
So you might say that this is not enough to make up for all the drama, that this can happen to all of us, but this is just one small drop in a big glass of water representing the mess in her life.
What happened in her past that she never told anyone, keeping all the pain inside, giving up university, banished from her home by her father, working by night as a cook next to some people she just couldn't connect to - these are just some of the problems she is facing.
And what really got to my heart is the way we see her change through the story.
She starts by trying to forget the past, to ignore it, to deny it.
She finds out in the hard way that you can hide from the past, you can't forget if you can't forgive and she really didn't forgive herself for what happened to her. She couldn't get past the shame, the anger, the frustration, and she decided to close herself to the world, she tried to get lost into surfing.
Meeting Ryan is just the missing piece from her puzzle, and being able to see the whole picture, being able to face her deepest fears is what makes her stronger.
But when the reality sinks in, is she strong enough to keep afloat?
‘You can’t just lay down and die'
Kirsty has a way of showing, not only telling, the way Carly feels, and it is simply heartbreaking to watch her everyday struggle, to find her weaknesses, to measure her fears.. When your heart feels like you have lost everything and it falls apart, the only way to unbroke it is to find a new reason for it to beat.. a good friend, a lover, a reason to smile, a reason to wake up in the morning and get out of your bed and live your life.
The only problem I had with this book is a missing connection with the character's passion for surfing. For people leaving in places were surf is just something you see in the movies, too many details become distracting and a little bit frustrating, but don't worry, there's plenty of fish in the sea and you will have enough reasons to love this book.
RAW BLUE is a great story about the different ways to break a heart and also about how hard it is to make it all right again.
"What did he say? You can't always pick your friends. Well, he's damn right there. I have two friends here: a fifteen year old who sees people in colors and a salsa-mad Dutch woman. I didn't pick them, they just turned up in my life, and I'm really glad."
Review originally posted at ReadingAfterMidnight.com
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August 16, 2011
Objectively, this novel is worth much more than the three stars I decided to give it. But on a did-I-deeply-care-for-the-characters and were-my-expectations-met level, I just can’t give it any more. This book has received raving reviews from so many of my friends here, it has been described as life-changing and utterly captivating, it has been compared to Melina Marchetta’s novels (which I love with abandon) … but it just wasn’t any of those things for me (which makes me sad). I expected this to be my book of the year, and I was craving it so … I was blissful the day our Aussie book fairy Nic offered to share it with us ;).
And my biggest problem is … I can’t even tell you why I did not love this book. It is exactly the type of book I normally love oh so much: Often dark and painful, but with just the right shimmer of hope in between. Fleshed-out secondary characters with lovable quirks and “special abilities” (how cool is the synaesthesia thing??) and a main character whose voice is raw with pain and desperation, but also so distinctly her. The Australian vibe is in every sentence, the writing beautiful – forming an unforgettable setting.
Yet, for some reason, the story did not resonate with me. I did feel with Carly, but not as deeply as I had expected. It wasn’t hard for me to put the book down at all, and sometimes very hard to pick it up again. I was tempted to skim some passages that I felt we had gone through so many times before. I did have problems understanding the surfer lingo and getting into those scenes. And … I couldn't really relate to Ryan. He was wonderfully flawed and I just loved his way around Carly, how he tried to get her to come out of her shell, but he didn't stand out for me as a character ...
All in all, certainly not a book I regret reading, but a book I expected so much more from. I recommend you give it a try as well. It is definitely unique.
Nic, thank you so much for touring this! I really appreciated the possibility to experience all the Aussie-ness it offers ;).
#5 Aussie YA Challenge 2011
And my biggest problem is … I can’t even tell you why I did not love this book. It is exactly the type of book I normally love oh so much: Often dark and painful, but with just the right shimmer of hope in between. Fleshed-out secondary characters with lovable quirks and “special abilities” (how cool is the synaesthesia thing??) and a main character whose voice is raw with pain and desperation, but also so distinctly her. The Australian vibe is in every sentence, the writing beautiful – forming an unforgettable setting.
Yet, for some reason, the story did not resonate with me. I did feel with Carly, but not as deeply as I had expected. It wasn’t hard for me to put the book down at all, and sometimes very hard to pick it up again. I was tempted to skim some passages that I felt we had gone through so many times before. I did have problems understanding the surfer lingo and getting into those scenes. And … I couldn't really relate to Ryan. He was wonderfully flawed and I just loved his way around Carly, how he tried to get her to come out of her shell, but he didn't stand out for me as a character ...
All in all, certainly not a book I regret reading, but a book I expected so much more from. I recommend you give it a try as well. It is definitely unique.
Nic, thank you so much for touring this! I really appreciated the possibility to experience all the Aussie-ness it offers ;).
#5 Aussie YA Challenge 2011
August 28, 2011
3.5 personal stars, but deserving more. I honestly do not know how you could deal with the subject - a group rape, which the victim has kept entirely to herself, and its repercussions on her struggle to pretend to live a "normal" life - better than Kristy Eagar does in "Raw Blue". Everything feels so honest, so real, everybody is painted with intrinsical, well-set strokes. There is a lot of old and new pain and hurt and fear and shame and brokenness. Hope glimpses through temporarily like a ray of sunshine in murky water: Mainly in the shape of people who care fo Carly inspite of her prickly exterior - Danny, Hannah and Ryan - and in the form of Carly's contentment when the surf is good.
The writing style is superb, too.
But - and that goes with the topic - it is a difficult book. The pain the reader experiences alongside the heroine is indeed very raw and the anger that boils up occasionally (Don't you hate her Dad and Marty and Shane and Adam and ...?) could melt iron. The feel-good moments that registered on my radar were rather like a small candle-flame in comparison. Therefore, to me, reading "Raw Blue" provided only a limited amount of pleasure.
Thank you, fellow Bookers for recommending this book. I would never have tried to read it without you making contantly admiring noises about it and bringing it up at every possibly and impossible occasion.
Highly recommended to readers who are willing to stomach something raw and blue.
The writing style is superb, too.
But - and that goes with the topic - it is a difficult book. The pain the reader experiences alongside the heroine is indeed very raw and the anger that boils up occasionally (Don't you hate her Dad and Marty and Shane and Adam and ...?) could melt iron. The feel-good moments that registered on my radar were rather like a small candle-flame in comparison. Therefore, to me, reading "Raw Blue" provided only a limited amount of pleasure.
Thank you, fellow Bookers for recommending this book. I would never have tried to read it without you making contantly admiring noises about it and bringing it up at every possibly and impossible occasion.
Highly recommended to readers who are willing to stomach something raw and blue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 6, 2012
Rating: 4.5 Stars
In life we often come across beautiful books - books that have kick-ass characters, amazing plot lines, or descriptive writing - but very rarely do we come across a book that manages to be beautiful simply because it captures the true essence of humanity in all it's raw emotions, confusion of feelings, and awkward moments. In Raw Blue, Kirsty Eagar has created a masterpiece of true emotion, succeeding where very few authors have - not only in writing a provocative and realistic story of group rape and its effect on a victim, but also in capturing the pain, distress, and vulnerability of someone's mind. Raw Blue left my heart in tatters, exhausted from being broken apart and taped back together so many times. It was truly a whirlwind of emotions and pain, but this is one book that will stick with me long after the last pages have been turned.
Life has never been easy for Carly. Before she managed to move away to uni, she was stuck under the piercing gaze of her father; a man who refused to let her live her life her own way. Now, Carly works as a chef, living for the time when she will be able to surf early in the morning and forget the terrible things that have happened to her. Carly's heart is closed off, aloof, and strange to the world, so she little expects Ryan, a fellow surfer at her beach, to actively pursue her, even after she accidentally breaks his board, but when he does, Carly begins to learn that not all men are the same and sometimes, the truth needs to be spoken out, not kept in.
Carly is one of the most heart-wrenching protagonists I have ever come across. Her narration is bold, honest, and hard to read at times, but at the same time, it is completely relate-able. I think what I loved the most about Raw Blue was how palpable Carly's emotions felt to me. Raw Blue is, by no means, the first rape novel I've read, but it's the first one that has truly enabled me to understand what goes on in the mind of a rape victim. Carly's emotions are confusing and distressing and her memories come back in flashes, her fear following her like a plague, but she is more than simply afraid - she is guilty, she is upset, she is angry. Most rape novels will talk about the fear, they will talk about the guilt, but they never talk about the anger; anger, not just at the perpetrators of the crime, but anger at all men just like them. Carly's emotions and her honest appraisal of them made Raw Blue a novel that stood out from all others. Furthermore, Carly acknowledges her issues with her family, her lack of connection with her "friends", her constant knowledge of disappointing her mother, her worry over her co-workers, her confused feelings of trust - all these play just as large of a role in this story as Carly's group rape. Nothing is watered down, nothing is glossed over and that raw, brutal image of rape and sorrow that this book leaves you with is one that is meant to be felt, seen, read, and heard.
However, Raw Blue is so much more than a novel about rape and it doesn't deserve to be titled as such. It is a story of a girl trying to find her place in the world, of a girl trying to find the balance between doing what she loves and what she needs to do in order to live. I've never been the type of adventurous person to ever try surfing nor have I known anyone who has been an avid surfer, yet despite my lack of knowledge on this subject, Kirsty Eagar does a brilliant job introducing the reader into Carly's world. I absolutely loved Carly's passion for this sport and how it kept her going, kept her together. I must admit though, I have an ulterior motive for loving surfing so much: Ryan. Ryan, a fellow surfer at the beach where Carly surfs, has got to be the most incredible hunk of a guy. He is sweet, tentative, caring, and one of the nicest guys I have ever come across in literature. Carly and Ryan's relationship isn't built upon witty dialogue or needless flirting, it's built upon a joint love of surfing, a deep understanding of each other, and is completely realistic. The scenes between them are bittersweet and often awkward, but I love how Eagar never tried to make anything in this story picture perfect and kept it real. I completely fell in love with these two, their rocky start and slow-building encounters, and I constantly wished for more of them.
I think that brings me to my one and only qualm with this book: its length. In my opinion, Raw Blue ended a tad bit abruptly. I found myself turning the page, expecting the next chapter or an epilogue and disappointingly finding nothing. Although the ending was, most definitely, satisfactory, I wish the reader could have seen Carly's character growth and acceptance of her situation till the very end - I wanted to see how her conversation with Ryan would turn out, I wanted to her see tackle her unforgiving family and tell them the truth, I wanted her to slowly begin to piece together the broken puzzle pieces of her life. In many ways, the ending of Raw Blue was really only the beginning of Carly's journey to healing and I desperately wish we could have seen more. Yet, at the same time, I respect Eagar's conscious literary decision to end her novel at a spot where most others picked up. I think the glimpse of Carly's life that Eagar provided us with was powerful, strong, and impactful in a way that a longer story would probably fail to be, so I am grateful for what she gave us.
Raw Blue is a beautiful book: brutal in its honestly, powerful in its message, emotional in its writing, and realistic to a point of uniqueness. The story of Raw Blue manages to transcend that of a regular novel about rape and has only increased my respect for Australian Authors. Furthermore, it should be noted that Raw Blue is one of the most Australian Aussie Novels I've read. I don't know if Australian's truly say 'mate' as often as Ryan did, but I do know that I found myself looking up simple phrases or words that I didn't know simply because they were Aussie Slang. In addition to the surf-feeling this book gave off, I truly felt as if I was in Australia, so Kirsty Eagar gets bonus points for that! Ultimately though, Raw Blue is a story that I would recommend to everyone, regardless of gender (although I must say that this story takes on more serious and adult issues and probably shouldn't be read by less mature readers). It is a novel that demands to be read, understood, and appreciated. It took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that I didn't even think was possible - a vicious cycle of having my heart broken and mended - and any book that inspires that degree of feeling simply has to be read. With just one book Kirsty Eagar has managed to earn a status nearly as high as that of Melina Marchetta in my mind - this is one author I will definitely be reading more of.
In life we often come across beautiful books - books that have kick-ass characters, amazing plot lines, or descriptive writing - but very rarely do we come across a book that manages to be beautiful simply because it captures the true essence of humanity in all it's raw emotions, confusion of feelings, and awkward moments. In Raw Blue, Kirsty Eagar has created a masterpiece of true emotion, succeeding where very few authors have - not only in writing a provocative and realistic story of group rape and its effect on a victim, but also in capturing the pain, distress, and vulnerability of someone's mind. Raw Blue left my heart in tatters, exhausted from being broken apart and taped back together so many times. It was truly a whirlwind of emotions and pain, but this is one book that will stick with me long after the last pages have been turned.
Life has never been easy for Carly. Before she managed to move away to uni, she was stuck under the piercing gaze of her father; a man who refused to let her live her life her own way. Now, Carly works as a chef, living for the time when she will be able to surf early in the morning and forget the terrible things that have happened to her. Carly's heart is closed off, aloof, and strange to the world, so she little expects Ryan, a fellow surfer at her beach, to actively pursue her, even after she accidentally breaks his board, but when he does, Carly begins to learn that not all men are the same and sometimes, the truth needs to be spoken out, not kept in.
Carly is one of the most heart-wrenching protagonists I have ever come across. Her narration is bold, honest, and hard to read at times, but at the same time, it is completely relate-able. I think what I loved the most about Raw Blue was how palpable Carly's emotions felt to me. Raw Blue is, by no means, the first rape novel I've read, but it's the first one that has truly enabled me to understand what goes on in the mind of a rape victim. Carly's emotions are confusing and distressing and her memories come back in flashes, her fear following her like a plague, but she is more than simply afraid - she is guilty, she is upset, she is angry. Most rape novels will talk about the fear, they will talk about the guilt, but they never talk about the anger; anger, not just at the perpetrators of the crime, but anger at all men just like them. Carly's emotions and her honest appraisal of them made Raw Blue a novel that stood out from all others. Furthermore, Carly acknowledges her issues with her family, her lack of connection with her "friends", her constant knowledge of disappointing her mother, her worry over her co-workers, her confused feelings of trust - all these play just as large of a role in this story as Carly's group rape. Nothing is watered down, nothing is glossed over and that raw, brutal image of rape and sorrow that this book leaves you with is one that is meant to be felt, seen, read, and heard.
However, Raw Blue is so much more than a novel about rape and it doesn't deserve to be titled as such. It is a story of a girl trying to find her place in the world, of a girl trying to find the balance between doing what she loves and what she needs to do in order to live. I've never been the type of adventurous person to ever try surfing nor have I known anyone who has been an avid surfer, yet despite my lack of knowledge on this subject, Kirsty Eagar does a brilliant job introducing the reader into Carly's world. I absolutely loved Carly's passion for this sport and how it kept her going, kept her together. I must admit though, I have an ulterior motive for loving surfing so much: Ryan. Ryan, a fellow surfer at the beach where Carly surfs, has got to be the most incredible hunk of a guy. He is sweet, tentative, caring, and one of the nicest guys I have ever come across in literature. Carly and Ryan's relationship isn't built upon witty dialogue or needless flirting, it's built upon a joint love of surfing, a deep understanding of each other, and is completely realistic. The scenes between them are bittersweet and often awkward, but I love how Eagar never tried to make anything in this story picture perfect and kept it real. I completely fell in love with these two, their rocky start and slow-building encounters, and I constantly wished for more of them.
I think that brings me to my one and only qualm with this book: its length. In my opinion, Raw Blue ended a tad bit abruptly. I found myself turning the page, expecting the next chapter or an epilogue and disappointingly finding nothing. Although the ending was, most definitely, satisfactory, I wish the reader could have seen Carly's character growth and acceptance of her situation till the very end - I wanted to see how her conversation with Ryan would turn out, I wanted to her see tackle her unforgiving family and tell them the truth, I wanted her to slowly begin to piece together the broken puzzle pieces of her life. In many ways, the ending of Raw Blue was really only the beginning of Carly's journey to healing and I desperately wish we could have seen more. Yet, at the same time, I respect Eagar's conscious literary decision to end her novel at a spot where most others picked up. I think the glimpse of Carly's life that Eagar provided us with was powerful, strong, and impactful in a way that a longer story would probably fail to be, so I am grateful for what she gave us.
Raw Blue is a beautiful book: brutal in its honestly, powerful in its message, emotional in its writing, and realistic to a point of uniqueness. The story of Raw Blue manages to transcend that of a regular novel about rape and has only increased my respect for Australian Authors. Furthermore, it should be noted that Raw Blue is one of the most Australian Aussie Novels I've read. I don't know if Australian's truly say 'mate' as often as Ryan did, but I do know that I found myself looking up simple phrases or words that I didn't know simply because they were Aussie Slang. In addition to the surf-feeling this book gave off, I truly felt as if I was in Australia, so Kirsty Eagar gets bonus points for that! Ultimately though, Raw Blue is a story that I would recommend to everyone, regardless of gender (although I must say that this story takes on more serious and adult issues and probably shouldn't be read by less mature readers). It is a novel that demands to be read, understood, and appreciated. It took me on an emotional roller coaster ride that I didn't even think was possible - a vicious cycle of having my heart broken and mended - and any book that inspires that degree of feeling simply has to be read. With just one book Kirsty Eagar has managed to earn a status nearly as high as that of Melina Marchetta in my mind - this is one author I will definitely be reading more of.
April 19, 2020
The children are hogging the computer so I'm going to do my best with my phone... Which is usually where I do these anyway but I wanted to give this more effort. Oh well.
The title saws raw and that's what this is. A brutal, knife's edge first person from the perspective of Carly, a 19 year old rape victim who can only get out of her own head in the ocean.
No one writes quite like Eagar, I'm afraid. If I had to draw comparisons I'd say she's similar to Julianna Keyes with romance being slightly less central.
Carly strikes up an unlikely friendship, at one point saying she didn't choose her friends (something pointed out to her in this book) with a 15 year old with synesthesia whose courage and perceptions intrigue her. Her interactions are short, often meaningless, often torn between shame and terror. And I think that's what's effective about this book. Carly is navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in hefty doses. But she's also navigating her life, living for surfing, getting trapped into friendship by well-meaning and pure characters but not really living until a split second decision and chain reaction of things gone wrong send her crashing into another surfer.
And oof, is it well done. You are pulling for this unlikely gentleman. You are pulling for Carly.
It's not the romance. It's the journey. It is how real it all is. It is so well done.
The title saws raw and that's what this is. A brutal, knife's edge first person from the perspective of Carly, a 19 year old rape victim who can only get out of her own head in the ocean.
No one writes quite like Eagar, I'm afraid. If I had to draw comparisons I'd say she's similar to Julianna Keyes with romance being slightly less central.
Carly strikes up an unlikely friendship, at one point saying she didn't choose her friends (something pointed out to her in this book) with a 15 year old with synesthesia whose courage and perceptions intrigue her. Her interactions are short, often meaningless, often torn between shame and terror. And I think that's what's effective about this book. Carly is navigating PTSD, anxiety, depression, and suicidal ideation in hefty doses. But she's also navigating her life, living for surfing, getting trapped into friendship by well-meaning and pure characters but not really living until a split second decision and chain reaction of things gone wrong send her crashing into another surfer.
And oof, is it well done. You are pulling for this unlikely gentleman. You are pulling for Carly.
It's not the romance. It's the journey. It is how real it all is. It is so well done.
September 23, 2011
Melina Marchetta, Cath Crowley and now Kirsty Eagar, these awesome Aussie authors I’ve come across this year never cease to amaze me with their writing. Eagar’s Raw Blue quite literally blew me away, the way her writing flows gently tugging you along, her aching words triggered so many emotions, they niggled under my skin, sneaking their way to my heart and remained there for days afterwards. Her writing had something magnetic about it, constantly making me want to re-read my favourite passages.
“It’s like hearing a song for the first time and being struck by it, haunted by it, wanting to hunt it down and catch it, because the song sums up something you didn’t know you wanted to say, giving you chills and goose bumps. But even as you find out what it’s called, and you’re thinking you’ll download it, you’ve already lost. Because the feeling was right then and there and it’s already fading like a dream.”
Carly’s life has been unbearable for the last year or so, she feels so ashamed and alone, occasionally she just wants to open up and let someone know. Her secret that she’s kept to herself for so long has changed her, she has a hard time trusting other people, she’s not good at talking with other people and she always has this thing that when she hears a new male voice, she tries to match it up with the voices strongly etched into her mind. The only thing that keeps Carly going is surfing; the anticipation of catching a great wave, the sheer thrill of ripping through the water.
“I’m not interested in saving her or anybody else. I’m only interested in a beautiful saltwater skin; in the next time I’ll be thrumming across it. I have to surf every day, sometimes until I’m so physically tired I can feel muscles ripping in my upper back. That way I’m too tired to think or remember, too tired to hate myself, too tired to be angry.”
I was immediately drawn to Carly’s character, she was so fragile and broken, and I just wanted to hug her, tell her everything would be okay. All she wanted was someone to show some concern, it was horrible how she couldn’t even tell anyone like her work colleagues about minor things like breaking Ryan’s board. Where can I start with Ryan? He was so patient and sweet, basically everything Carly needed and he was perfect for her to build her confidence and I loved how he never gave up on her when he found out the truth, I adored his version of a “tattoo” he made for her.
I was extremely “enshooshiastic” about reading Raw Blue, as it was a book highly rated by my Goodreads friends, and it didn’t disappoint. I’m glad I was able to read such a thought evoking powerful little gem!
“It’s like hearing a song for the first time and being struck by it, haunted by it, wanting to hunt it down and catch it, because the song sums up something you didn’t know you wanted to say, giving you chills and goose bumps. But even as you find out what it’s called, and you’re thinking you’ll download it, you’ve already lost. Because the feeling was right then and there and it’s already fading like a dream.”
Carly’s life has been unbearable for the last year or so, she feels so ashamed and alone, occasionally she just wants to open up and let someone know. Her secret that she’s kept to herself for so long has changed her, she has a hard time trusting other people, she’s not good at talking with other people and she always has this thing that when she hears a new male voice, she tries to match it up with the voices strongly etched into her mind. The only thing that keeps Carly going is surfing; the anticipation of catching a great wave, the sheer thrill of ripping through the water.
“I’m not interested in saving her or anybody else. I’m only interested in a beautiful saltwater skin; in the next time I’ll be thrumming across it. I have to surf every day, sometimes until I’m so physically tired I can feel muscles ripping in my upper back. That way I’m too tired to think or remember, too tired to hate myself, too tired to be angry.”
I was immediately drawn to Carly’s character, she was so fragile and broken, and I just wanted to hug her, tell her everything would be okay. All she wanted was someone to show some concern, it was horrible how she couldn’t even tell anyone like her work colleagues about minor things like breaking Ryan’s board. Where can I start with Ryan? He was so patient and sweet, basically everything Carly needed and he was perfect for her to build her confidence and I loved how he never gave up on her when he found out the truth, I adored his version of a “tattoo” he made for her.
I was extremely “enshooshiastic” about reading Raw Blue, as it was a book highly rated by my Goodreads friends, and it didn’t disappoint. I’m glad I was able to read such a thought evoking powerful little gem!
February 28, 2018
Wow. I was not expecting this book to be so amazing. Tough subject; made me think about how differently each woman deals with traumatic experiences. The road is unique and personal, yet there are so many similarities it's kind of eerie.
I love that the book was mainly about Carly's experiences and how she eventually begins to heal. The romance was secondary. Maybe it even took third place, after her unusual and lovely friendships. Fifteen year old Danny was my favorite! About the boy. The most swoony thing about Ryan was his ability to keep reaching out to Carly without any return. He wasn't pushy, didn't show up at her place or force her to see him. Those voice mails! He wasn't gushy or guilt trippy, just persistent. I don't think a younger guy would've been capable of sticking like that. He didn't even need to say the words for us to know how he feels. Sigh.......
The boy didn't heal the broken girl. He and the friends were catalysts for change, but Carly had to find her way by herself. There was a long time that she just needed to be alone, before she was ready to even have a friend. The story begins around the time she starts letting a few people in.
Can I just say how great it was that she was able to start getting better without having the dysfunctional family fixed? Because it's a truth that a lot of people never get that acceptance and unconditional love from their parents. I love stories with great dads and moms who are supportive, but it's nice to hear about healing without family support. That it's possible, probable even.
I love that the book was mainly about Carly's experiences and how she eventually begins to heal. The romance was secondary. Maybe it even took third place, after her unusual and lovely friendships. Fifteen year old Danny was my favorite! About the boy. The most swoony thing about Ryan was his ability to keep reaching out to Carly without any return. He wasn't pushy, didn't show up at her place or force her to see him. Those voice mails! He wasn't gushy or guilt trippy, just persistent. I don't think a younger guy would've been capable of sticking like that. He didn't even need to say the words for us to know how he feels. Sigh.......
The boy didn't heal the broken girl. He and the friends were catalysts for change, but Carly had to find her way by herself. There was a long time that she just needed to be alone, before she was ready to even have a friend. The story begins around the time she starts letting a few people in.
Can I just say how great it was that she was able to start getting better without having the dysfunctional family fixed? Because it's a truth that a lot of people never get that acceptance and unconditional love from their parents. I love stories with great dads and moms who are supportive, but it's nice to hear about healing without family support. That it's possible, probable even.
September 4, 2011
Mate, Raw Blue is well Australian eh? Eeeeeuurgh, mate. (sorry!) You guys, I can't even begin to explain how mind bendingly amazing this book was for being so authentic it made me get all butterflies in my tummy excited. And I can tell you guys right now this is probably one of the most intensely beautifully written books i've ever had the pleasure of reading. I'm going to hit it while it's hot and say it's without a doubt, one of the best books I have EVER read. EVER. and i've read a LOT of books. Like it's completely taken over my life. I've been reading surf blogs. I'M NOT EVEN JOKING.
Carly (real name Carla which is the exact same name as ME omg) is fucking bad ass. She is a straight up hardcore surf fanatic. She literally lives and breathes the surf. Which is why she works the shitty night shift at the dive cafe she works at with her eclectic work mates, because when it's surf time it can't never be work time, mate. Like I can't even begin to wrap my head around how much time she wants to spend in the sea, because now i'm pretty much all grown up, I have seen WAY too many shark attack shows to be getting in the ocean on a board shaped like dinner. So, to me, Carly is kind of a big deal. And she totally snuck up on me, which is the very best kind.
You guys. I think you should read it. No, I KNOW you should read it. It has that sultry feel to it, that feeling you get when you're underwater and everything goes all quiet and still and you know that there's a whole world just above your head but this little pocket of silence you have you want to keep for a while. THAT. That is exactly how this book made me feel. Like I wanted to pitch forward into their story for a little while and forget that this whole world exists, and I totally did and it was fucking unbelievable.
Also, you all probably know that contemporary fiction is my thing. Kind of like surfing for Carly only less bad ass. So you know that awkward moment you get when you stumble into a private conversation that's either personal, private or whatever and you have that weird omg do I walk away and pretend I never heard anything, or do I stand being that plant and listen? I got that weird feeling SO many times, like they was REAL PEOPLE. It was that intense and guys that is what it is all about. Plus, Eagar is insanely talented. She's got it by the bucketful. The surfing scenes blew my head right off because it was like I was there, lay belly down just waiting to catch the next wave and hoping that it'd be a good'un. And it's all done in this stark way thats just as beautiful as it is raw. Because you never see any of it coming, it all sneaks up on you. All of it. And the pure happiness and joy that carly get's from surfing is so profoundly gorgeous because she has the bleak outlook on life that's pretty devastating but totally understandable. I want to give her a hug but I don't think she'd be down for that girly shit. Plus, fuck knows how many 8's are on my hands.
Ryan. HOLY SHIT. I'm going to say it again because y'all it is so totally needed. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. And you know the best thing? it's a major case of role reversal which makes it all the more hotter. It's not the girl helping the troubled boy get over his past, it's the hot guy helping the girl deal with her shit by just being there, refusing to be pushed away because he knows she needs someone to listen and to care. I WANT TO KEEP HIM. (i have just now realised how toned down my caps lock smushing has been until I started on the Ryan talk). Character driven novels will ALWAYS be my favourite. And this was Eager's debut novel. Head. Exloded. From. Sexytimes. Because this chick doesn's mess around. They actually have sex. yay GO VAGINAS. Also, phone messages. I am ruined.
If I could buy all book lovers a copy of this book, I would, without batting an eyelid. Because there is something special about reading a book that makes you feel different when you've turned the last page. Because there is nothing better than feeling like you've just read something magical. Because there is nothing better than feeling thinking to yourself, how good is this?
Carly (real name Carla which is the exact same name as ME omg) is fucking bad ass. She is a straight up hardcore surf fanatic. She literally lives and breathes the surf. Which is why she works the shitty night shift at the dive cafe she works at with her eclectic work mates, because when it's surf time it can't never be work time, mate. Like I can't even begin to wrap my head around how much time she wants to spend in the sea, because now i'm pretty much all grown up, I have seen WAY too many shark attack shows to be getting in the ocean on a board shaped like dinner. So, to me, Carly is kind of a big deal. And she totally snuck up on me, which is the very best kind.
You guys. I think you should read it. No, I KNOW you should read it. It has that sultry feel to it, that feeling you get when you're underwater and everything goes all quiet and still and you know that there's a whole world just above your head but this little pocket of silence you have you want to keep for a while. THAT. That is exactly how this book made me feel. Like I wanted to pitch forward into their story for a little while and forget that this whole world exists, and I totally did and it was fucking unbelievable.
Also, you all probably know that contemporary fiction is my thing. Kind of like surfing for Carly only less bad ass. So you know that awkward moment you get when you stumble into a private conversation that's either personal, private or whatever and you have that weird omg do I walk away and pretend I never heard anything, or do I stand being that plant and listen? I got that weird feeling SO many times, like they was REAL PEOPLE. It was that intense and guys that is what it is all about. Plus, Eagar is insanely talented. She's got it by the bucketful. The surfing scenes blew my head right off because it was like I was there, lay belly down just waiting to catch the next wave and hoping that it'd be a good'un. And it's all done in this stark way thats just as beautiful as it is raw. Because you never see any of it coming, it all sneaks up on you. All of it. And the pure happiness and joy that carly get's from surfing is so profoundly gorgeous because she has the bleak outlook on life that's pretty devastating but totally understandable. I want to give her a hug but I don't think she'd be down for that girly shit. Plus, fuck knows how many 8's are on my hands.
Ryan. HOLY SHIT. I'm going to say it again because y'all it is so totally needed. HOLY FUCKING SHIT. And you know the best thing? it's a major case of role reversal which makes it all the more hotter. It's not the girl helping the troubled boy get over his past, it's the hot guy helping the girl deal with her shit by just being there, refusing to be pushed away because he knows she needs someone to listen and to care. I WANT TO KEEP HIM. (i have just now realised how toned down my caps lock smushing has been until I started on the Ryan talk). Character driven novels will ALWAYS be my favourite. And this was Eager's debut novel. Head. Exloded. From. Sexytimes. Because this chick doesn's mess around. They actually have sex. yay GO VAGINAS. Also, phone messages. I am ruined.
If I could buy all book lovers a copy of this book, I would, without batting an eyelid. Because there is something special about reading a book that makes you feel different when you've turned the last page. Because there is nothing better than feeling like you've just read something magical. Because there is nothing better than feeling thinking to yourself, how good is this?
September 8, 2011
RAW BLUE is one of the many Aussie books that I have bought on a whim after reading lovely reviews. And although books like THE PIPERS SON AND JELLICOE ROAD were amazing, I was quite underwhelmed by this novel. I think the gushing reviews gave me high expectations, but that's my fault, I got a little carried away there.
Carly is a 19 year old girl who two years ago after "it" happened - dropped out of University and was kicked out by her father. So with nowhere to go and with nothing making any sense any more - she heads for the things that are a second home to her. The beach, the waves and most of all, surfing. Surfing makes her forget for a little while, it gives her a thrill and although it hardly keeps the nightmares at bay, it gives her something else to do and look forward to after she comes back from work. Now I have next to nothing experience when it comes to surfing, but through the book I found myself enjoying how the author was able to make me feel like I was riding the waves right alongside her. I was able to see how and why she found it to be an escape.
For the past few years she's lived a life where she has never let anyone come too close. And the minute they even show a hint of compassion she has walked away, but when she comes across Ryan he doesn't push her. He waits for her, is patient with her because he understands without knowing. And then there is Hannah - the women she is living with, and 15 year old Danny who seems to see through her and who she finds herself become protective and caring towards as she would for a little brother. These three characters play a pivotal role in trying to break through the barriers that our MC has built up for so long.
RAW BLUE is achingly realistic. There are countless cringe - worthy and awkward moments when Ryan and Clary are getting to know each other, and the more intimate moments are even worse. I seriously wanted to hide in a corner and wait for it all to be over. Heck I can read about sex, but damn, some of their conversations were even more painful than the two of them doing the deed.
It was actually Danny, and interestingly enough Shane who held my attention. Although many characters could have been explored in more depth, it was these two that really had me intrigued
Although RAW BLUE flowed at a steady pace, what knocks it down a few stars is that I just could not care for the characters. I found Carly very annoying and her tendency to push Ryan away - as much as I understood her reasons - just pissed me off. My thoughts were that if she wasn't ready, then fine, walk away. But to spend the majority of the novel - moaning, self - pitying and then hating herself over the whole situation, just made me want to shake her and tell her to shut up! I lost patience with her real fast. I'd had enough of her by the end. Ryan also didn't do anything for me. There was nothing to him that stood out to me. He had a past that wasn't exactly earth - shattering as it was made out to be, and then him and Carly just spent the remainder of the novel meeting up and sleeping together, riding some waves and going at it all over again. I didn't see a couple who was in love, they hardly knew each other for gods sake. He just happened to be someone who was patient and listened, but I can't imagine it being long - term. I don't think either of them are mature enough for that.
Although I can appreciate what the author was trying to do, I just wasn't all that impressed. I kept waiting for things to change to prove me wrong but it never happened. Yes there's a girl who has been through something traumatic, she's hurting, she has a hobby which helps her heal her through that, she has a crap family - which by the way majorly sucked, she meets the nice guy = pretty much the whole book.
I know some wonderful bloggers who have a very different opinion. Those that really connected with the book and MC and adored Ryan, so I wouldn't just take my word for it, as you might find yourself enjoying it a whole lot more than I did.
Do watch out for the lovely quotes. I spent way too much time bookmarking them! (You can see the ones I bookmarked underneath)
Carly is a 19 year old girl who two years ago after "it" happened - dropped out of University and was kicked out by her father. So with nowhere to go and with nothing making any sense any more - she heads for the things that are a second home to her. The beach, the waves and most of all, surfing. Surfing makes her forget for a little while, it gives her a thrill and although it hardly keeps the nightmares at bay, it gives her something else to do and look forward to after she comes back from work. Now I have next to nothing experience when it comes to surfing, but through the book I found myself enjoying how the author was able to make me feel like I was riding the waves right alongside her. I was able to see how and why she found it to be an escape.
For the past few years she's lived a life where she has never let anyone come too close. And the minute they even show a hint of compassion she has walked away, but when she comes across Ryan he doesn't push her. He waits for her, is patient with her because he understands without knowing. And then there is Hannah - the women she is living with, and 15 year old Danny who seems to see through her and who she finds herself become protective and caring towards as she would for a little brother. These three characters play a pivotal role in trying to break through the barriers that our MC has built up for so long.
RAW BLUE is achingly realistic. There are countless cringe - worthy and awkward moments when Ryan and Clary are getting to know each other, and the more intimate moments are even worse. I seriously wanted to hide in a corner and wait for it all to be over. Heck I can read about sex, but damn, some of their conversations were even more painful than the two of them doing the deed.
It was actually Danny, and interestingly enough Shane who held my attention. Although many characters could have been explored in more depth, it was these two that really had me intrigued
Although RAW BLUE flowed at a steady pace, what knocks it down a few stars is that I just could not care for the characters. I found Carly very annoying and her tendency to push Ryan away - as much as I understood her reasons - just pissed me off. My thoughts were that if she wasn't ready, then fine, walk away. But to spend the majority of the novel - moaning, self - pitying and then hating herself over the whole situation, just made me want to shake her and tell her to shut up! I lost patience with her real fast. I'd had enough of her by the end. Ryan also didn't do anything for me. There was nothing to him that stood out to me. He had a past that wasn't exactly earth - shattering as it was made out to be, and then him and Carly just spent the remainder of the novel meeting up and sleeping together, riding some waves and going at it all over again. I didn't see a couple who was in love, they hardly knew each other for gods sake. He just happened to be someone who was patient and listened, but I can't imagine it being long - term. I don't think either of them are mature enough for that.
Although I can appreciate what the author was trying to do, I just wasn't all that impressed. I kept waiting for things to change to prove me wrong but it never happened. Yes there's a girl who has been through something traumatic, she's hurting, she has a hobby which helps her heal her through that, she has a crap family - which by the way majorly sucked, she meets the nice guy = pretty much the whole book.
I know some wonderful bloggers who have a very different opinion. Those that really connected with the book and MC and adored Ryan, so I wouldn't just take my word for it, as you might find yourself enjoying it a whole lot more than I did.
Do watch out for the lovely quotes. I spent way too much time bookmarking them! (You can see the ones I bookmarked underneath)
August 28, 2017
A more detailed review in Serbian can be found on my blog if you click here.
It's always hard for me to write a review for books I give 5 stars to. One would think that it should be easy talking about something that was so good, but I find it dificult to express myself when something leaves an emotional impact on me. And Raw Blue definitely did.
From now on I have put myself on a quest: read all the Australian YA literature you can get your hands on, because those books just tend to be extraordinary in every sense.
Kirsty Eagar managed to do the magic Melina Marchetta always does for me. She made me care about the characters so much that I had to remind myself to breathe every other page. I fell so hard for the romance in here that it was just insane, since I'm usually very chill when it comes to those aspects of a book.
I wish more people knew about this book, because it truly is a hidden gem, but on the other hand, it touched me so much that I want to treasure it and keep it for myself forever.
I'm counting this for the Around the World in 80 Books challenge as a book set in Australia.
It's always hard for me to write a review for books I give 5 stars to. One would think that it should be easy talking about something that was so good, but I find it dificult to express myself when something leaves an emotional impact on me. And Raw Blue definitely did.
From now on I have put myself on a quest: read all the Australian YA literature you can get your hands on, because those books just tend to be extraordinary in every sense.
Kirsty Eagar managed to do the magic Melina Marchetta always does for me. She made me care about the characters so much that I had to remind myself to breathe every other page. I fell so hard for the romance in here that it was just insane, since I'm usually very chill when it comes to those aspects of a book.
I wish more people knew about this book, because it truly is a hidden gem, but on the other hand, it touched me so much that I want to treasure it and keep it for myself forever.
I'm counting this for the Around the World in 80 Books challenge as a book set in Australia.
July 13, 2013
the lonely Goodreads's star : Hey Sop, why you left me alone ?
Me : -_- don't talk with me
the lonely-red star : why ?
Me: I hate you and your own stupid book. it left me gloomy and depressed I just don't like it mate :|
the star: just put me a friend at least.
Me : No , I can't and won't..
the star : -_-
Me : :@ Go before I made you a half :P
star: you can't GD doesn't provide this half-starry service :P
Me : ...
Me : -_- don't talk with me
the lonely-red star : why ?
Me: I hate you and your own stupid book. it left me gloomy and depressed I just don't like it mate :|
the star: just put me a friend at least.
Me : No , I can't and won't..
the star : -_-
Me : :@ Go before I made you a half :P
star: you can't GD doesn't provide this half-starry service :P
Me : ...
April 27, 2011
RAW BLUE has been skirting the edges of my consciousness for awhile now. I knew it was a debut novel. I knew it was written by an Australian author. And I vaguely knew that it wasn't really available here in the states. But I wasn't really interested until a few days ago, when for some odd reason I started investigating it seriously. I'm not sure what made me do it. All I can say is, I saw a reference to it somewhere and I got a feeling. You know what I mean. So I went on the hunt. As far as the cover goes, well, I'm not wild about it. I like the title font and color just fine. But nothing about the rest of it reels me in and, having read it, this neither looks like how I picture Carly, nor does it really capture the many complexities of what is going on in this novel. But. As I looked into tracking down a copy, I remembered I'd read very positive reviews on several of my favorite sites, and after checking out Kirsty Eagar's site, it quickly became clear that my best (and fastest and cheapest) shot would be downloading the eBook and going from there. So I did. And, wowzers, am I glad!
Carly is 19. She's on her own. She dropped out of university awhile ago for reasons both complicated and painful. She lives in a messy apartment, which she shares with a Dutch woman named Hannah. She works nights as a cook at a somewhat dicey cafe. She avoids answering calls from her disapproving mother. But most of all--Carly surfs. She lives to surf. Eats, sleeps, and breathes the sport. And she has very carefully arranged everything in her life to accommodate that one pursuit in the hopes that she'll be so absorbed in it, she'll never have to think about what happened to her two years ago. And life is . . . well, if not precisely stimulating, it's her life. And as unbelievably private as she is, Carly is comfortable with the way things are. Until she meets Ryan--another avid surfer who starts showing up at Carly's favorite spot. Ryan is older and seems to have a slightly checkered past. But he seems genuinely interested in Carly. He's quiet and not intimidating. He loves the sport she lives for. And gradually she begins to wonder if it might be worth responding to one of his many offers of friendship. If she might be ready, finally, to not be alone anymore. At the same time, Carly runs into a quirky kid named Danny. Danny is fifteen and has synesthesia, which means he sees people as colors. For reasons passing Carly's understanding, this young kid latches onto her, and suddenly Carly has two people trying to be her friend, to claim pieces of her heart.
I loved this book from start to finish. It dropped me into another world, full of surfing lingo and weather reports, charmingly different speech patterns, and the ubiquitous word "mate." I have absolutely no familiarity with surfing whatsoever, but I love reading about characters who are so passionate about what they do. No matter what it is. The surfers in this book are bonded together by their common passion and, as a result, the detailed descriptions of waves and tides and impending storms fascinated me to no end. But even more than surfing, this book is a love story. And it is an exploration of what happens after. How survivors survive. And just how much it takes to move on and reach out to another human being in the aftermath of violence. A favorite passage from early on (I know it's long, but it's worth it):
I think that passage gives you a feel for Carly and Ryan and the halting way their relationship begins and progresses throughout the novel. I fell for them both immediately. Kirsty Eagar does such a fine job of pacing the story and allowing the reader to really take the time to get to know Carly, her past, and what makes her tick, before introducing new characters and new elements. The result was that I was thoroughly on her side for the long haul. And it should be pointed out that this is not an easy story to read. It is definitely for the more mature reader of YA, as the language, tone, and subject matter are all quite gritty and not for the faint of heart. I, for one, loved it because the characters were a bit older, definitely more in the New Adult region. Carly's out of high school, done a stint at college, and is living on her own and holding down a job. Ryan is a few years older at 26, and he has seen his share of life as well. It's refreshing to read about characters in this particular stage of life. RAW BLUE is painful, dangerous, beautiful, and wonderfully romantic all at the same time. For the space of time I was reading it, I, too ate, slept, and breathed surfing. I was with Carly every step of the way, and I was incredibly satisfied with the ending she carved out for herself by the skin of her teeth. Definitely one of the best reads of my year so far.
Carly is 19. She's on her own. She dropped out of university awhile ago for reasons both complicated and painful. She lives in a messy apartment, which she shares with a Dutch woman named Hannah. She works nights as a cook at a somewhat dicey cafe. She avoids answering calls from her disapproving mother. But most of all--Carly surfs. She lives to surf. Eats, sleeps, and breathes the sport. And she has very carefully arranged everything in her life to accommodate that one pursuit in the hopes that she'll be so absorbed in it, she'll never have to think about what happened to her two years ago. And life is . . . well, if not precisely stimulating, it's her life. And as unbelievably private as she is, Carly is comfortable with the way things are. Until she meets Ryan--another avid surfer who starts showing up at Carly's favorite spot. Ryan is older and seems to have a slightly checkered past. But he seems genuinely interested in Carly. He's quiet and not intimidating. He loves the sport she lives for. And gradually she begins to wonder if it might be worth responding to one of his many offers of friendship. If she might be ready, finally, to not be alone anymore. At the same time, Carly runs into a quirky kid named Danny. Danny is fifteen and has synesthesia, which means he sees people as colors. For reasons passing Carly's understanding, this young kid latches onto her, and suddenly Carly has two people trying to be her friend, to claim pieces of her heart.
I loved this book from start to finish. It dropped me into another world, full of surfing lingo and weather reports, charmingly different speech patterns, and the ubiquitous word "mate." I have absolutely no familiarity with surfing whatsoever, but I love reading about characters who are so passionate about what they do. No matter what it is. The surfers in this book are bonded together by their common passion and, as a result, the detailed descriptions of waves and tides and impending storms fascinated me to no end. But even more than surfing, this book is a love story. And it is an exploration of what happens after. How survivors survive. And just how much it takes to move on and reach out to another human being in the aftermath of violence. A favorite passage from early on (I know it's long, but it's worth it):
We're still sitting there when my mobile starts ringing an hour later. I decide to leave it, thinking it must be Emilio.
'But Cookie, your phone is ringing.'
So I get up and run inside--leaving a phone ringing is the sort of thing that messes with Hannah's mind.
The phone dies as I pick it up and I check the menu for missed calls. It wasn't Emilio who called, it was Ryan.
I wait to see if the message icon comes up, but it doesn't.
What to do? Maybe my board's ready. Maybe he wants Hard Cut back. Maybe curiosity is killing me.
He answers on the first ring, which sort of jolts me.
'Ryan?'
'Carly, how're you going, mate? Mark's rung to say the boards are done.'
'Oh, okay. Thanks.'
There's a pause long enough to be filled in with static.
'Been getting out much?' he asks.
I clear my throat. 'Yeah, a bit.'
'Haven't seen you down there for awhile.'
'Um, I've been going different times. Because of work. Different shifts and stuff.'
'Yeah? What do you do?'
'I'm a chef. Sort of.'
'Like a cook?'
'Yep.'
'Right.'
Another long pause. The air feels heavy.
I make myself say it. 'I'm sorry for being rude to you the other day.'
'No biggie, mate.'
'And thanks for getting me a board to use.'
'How is it, all right?'
'Yeah. Bit harder to duck dive through, and turn.'
'Don't tell Mark that. He fancies himself a gun shaper.'
I laugh.
'So anyway, when you're ready to pick it up they're down in Harbord Road,' he says, sounding like he wants to wind this up. 'You know it? I've forgotten what number, but just drive along slow and you can't miss it.'
'I can find it.'
'Big Hard Cut sign out the front. I've told Mark if you try and give him money not to take it. He did it as a favour.'
'Are you sure?'
'Yeah, no worries. All right then, catch you later.'
I put the mobile down and rub my face. I feel like my stomach's dropping away. And that's that, then, I think, walking towards the deck. Before I get there my mobile rings again.
'So, it's me again--Ryan.' His voice is different this time, not as brisk.
'Hi.'
'So, ah, there's supposed to be a big swell building for the weekend, from the south. They reckon it's going to hit Sydney on Sunday. Biggest swell in twenty years or something. Hear about it?'
'Um, yeah.' Coastalwatch has been going on about nothing else all week, sounding like the voice of doom: If you want to live, do not venture out on Sunday.
'So I'll be down at the break, 'bout eight or so. They'll be towing in for sure. And probably off the Long Reef Bombie, too. Be worth a look if you're interested.'
He stops talking as though he's waiting for something. I'm quiet because I'm not sure if he means I should go with him. I'm not sure what he means at all.
'That's if you wanted to--ah shit, this is hard.' He blows out some air. 'I've been thinking about you, Carly. If you want to come down, come down. And if you don't want to come down, don't come down. It's up to you.'
'Okay.' I would like to ask for some clarification, but I don't have the guts.
'So--yeah. I'll leave it there. All right?'
'Okay.'
'Might see you Sunday.'
He hangs up before I can say okay again.
Hannah doesn't look up when I come back outside, and she doesn't ask me who called either. But when I'm sitting down, flexing my feet and pointing them, eyes shut and face raised up to the sun, she says, 'But you're happy, eh?'
I blink at her, surprised. She's right.
My happiness is crunchy. Snapping, crackling and popping in the sun.
I think that passage gives you a feel for Carly and Ryan and the halting way their relationship begins and progresses throughout the novel. I fell for them both immediately. Kirsty Eagar does such a fine job of pacing the story and allowing the reader to really take the time to get to know Carly, her past, and what makes her tick, before introducing new characters and new elements. The result was that I was thoroughly on her side for the long haul. And it should be pointed out that this is not an easy story to read. It is definitely for the more mature reader of YA, as the language, tone, and subject matter are all quite gritty and not for the faint of heart. I, for one, loved it because the characters were a bit older, definitely more in the New Adult region. Carly's out of high school, done a stint at college, and is living on her own and holding down a job. Ryan is a few years older at 26, and he has seen his share of life as well. It's refreshing to read about characters in this particular stage of life. RAW BLUE is painful, dangerous, beautiful, and wonderfully romantic all at the same time. For the space of time I was reading it, I, too ate, slept, and breathed surfing. I was with Carly every step of the way, and I was incredibly satisfied with the ending she carved out for herself by the skin of her teeth. Definitely one of the best reads of my year so far.
March 11, 2011
I’ve heard of and wanted to read RAW BLUE, an Australian debut novel, for two years before I was fortunate enough to get my hands on a copy, thanks to the amazing generosity of a blogger friend who is a staunch RAW BLUE evangelist. The verdict? Oh boy, was it worth the years of quiet and patient waiting. I wish more people know about this powerful, heartbreaking, and full novel.
RAW BLUE is not an easy read. Carly is an emotionally damaged young woman who pushes people away as much as possible. Eagar does not shy from using the language of a hardcore Australian surfer. And the plot is quiet, with over half the book passing by the time I realized that what I had read was not merely exposition, but the meat of the story. Despite what it sounds, however, it is far from being a slow and frustrating book.
A rape survivor, Carly tries to drown her memories away with the routine of cooking and surfing. It was heartwarming to read about Carly’s slow and painful healing, because it’s such an internal process that we can all relate to it at some level. RAW BLUE is, above all, subtle. It does not use any drastic events or scenarios to move the plot along. It is really just Carly going about her daily routine, not realizing that she is changing even as she is. And that’s arguably the best kind of realistic fiction, because it’s most like the almost unnoticeable process of growth that we undergo in real life.
When Eagar’s talent for stunning prose meets a protagonist whom we love despite her best attempts to dissuade us, the result is a beautiful and lingering story that reinfuses life into us. I finished RAW BLUE with an optimistic sense of the immensity of the world, of all the little things that we don’t stop to think about that can impact our lives forever.
RAW BLUE is not an easy read. Carly is an emotionally damaged young woman who pushes people away as much as possible. Eagar does not shy from using the language of a hardcore Australian surfer. And the plot is quiet, with over half the book passing by the time I realized that what I had read was not merely exposition, but the meat of the story. Despite what it sounds, however, it is far from being a slow and frustrating book.
A rape survivor, Carly tries to drown her memories away with the routine of cooking and surfing. It was heartwarming to read about Carly’s slow and painful healing, because it’s such an internal process that we can all relate to it at some level. RAW BLUE is, above all, subtle. It does not use any drastic events or scenarios to move the plot along. It is really just Carly going about her daily routine, not realizing that she is changing even as she is. And that’s arguably the best kind of realistic fiction, because it’s most like the almost unnoticeable process of growth that we undergo in real life.
When Eagar’s talent for stunning prose meets a protagonist whom we love despite her best attempts to dissuade us, the result is a beautiful and lingering story that reinfuses life into us. I finished RAW BLUE with an optimistic sense of the immensity of the world, of all the little things that we don’t stop to think about that can impact our lives forever.
February 10, 2017
Shame isn’t a quiet grey cloud, shame is a drowning man who claws his way on top of you, scratching and tearing your skin, pushing you under the surface.
5 Star books are usually the hardest to review, I love this book and everything I felt from it was genuine and raw; raw pain, raw anger, raw glee. I rarely relate to characters as much as I did in this one, the way Carly (The MC) took her pain reminded me of myself so much that I still feel for her, even writing this review has me in tears.
Not only my irrevocable feelings towards the MC made this a memorable read, but also all the other characters and the storyline. This is by no mean fast-paced, but a story this large deserves its pace. I just love this.
5 Star books are usually the hardest to review, I love this book and everything I felt from it was genuine and raw; raw pain, raw anger, raw glee. I rarely relate to characters as much as I did in this one, the way Carly (The MC) took her pain reminded me of myself so much that I still feel for her, even writing this review has me in tears.
Not only my irrevocable feelings towards the MC made this a memorable read, but also all the other characters and the storyline. This is by no mean fast-paced, but a story this large deserves its pace. I just love this.
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