Gilgamesh

An evocative novel of loss, love, and compassion, Gilgamesh is set in Australia in 1937, just prior to WWII. When Aram a world traveler arrives with Edith's cousin, teenaged Edith's eyes are opened to a bigger world outside the small woman-dominated farm on which she lives, and her life is changed. Two yrs later, she and her young son (fathered by Aram) find themselves stuck behind enemy lines in their journey to find him. The journey from Australia to Armenia, and thru the Middle East before finally returning `home' mirrors the Gilgamesh metaphor of the wandering king and explores the concept of Home. Stunning writing and insight into character makes this debut fiction a real keeper.

Gilgamesh is an excellent, excellent novel, well-written and interesting. The story, while not exotic or outlandish, still has a crisp, new, fresh feel to it. The novel concerns, mainly, Edith, a young Australian woman who is 17 in the late 30s. Her British cousin Leopold and his Armenian friend Aram, visit Edith's family farm for an extended stay. Aram and Leopold's travel stories spark Edith's imagination and after they leave, she decides, for various reasons, to follow them and seek them out in their home lands. Despite the war raging on around her, Edith manages to leave Australia and makes it to Armenia. Edith's life is interesting, her story, engaging. Ms. London writes extremely well and has given us a superb, engaging and compelling novel. Enjoy.

Gilgamesh is a lyrical and engaging book, and especially impressive considering it is the author's first novel. The loneliness of the characters is very aptly described, and it helps you to admire what must be the vast beauty of Australia. I found the characters to be flawed and believable, and I am looking forward to the author's next novel.

This book is hard to put down. Joan London presents characters of disparate cultural and geographic backgrounds with such warmth that you feel you know them as intimately as a roommate. She is no less able in presenting different parts of the world where the novel takes place. Her characters are Australian, British, Armenian, and Russian. They are Soldiers, Farmers, housewives, Sailors, teachers, lonely girls, and lonely boys. What they seem to share is that they all are real humans and as such they all have lost something. Some have lost a dream, others limbs, and others loves. It is a story of love and the struggle to develop a palate to enjoy sweetness in a life that is short on sugar. Ms. London's love for Australia is dangerously contagious. She presents the Australian backcountry and its people in such a way that you can't help but want to go there. The Australian government should drop all their travel brochures, the fancy color pictures, and video clips and just send copies of this book to travel agents all over the world. Anyone reading this book will fall in love with Australia and its people