“Amnesia” by Peter Carey (Australia)

Synopsis

When Gaby Baillieux, a young woman from suburban Melbourne, releases the Angel Worm into the computers of Australia’s prison system, hundreds of asylum seekers walk free. Worse: the system is run by an American corporation, so some 5,000 US prisons are also infected. Doors spring open. Both countries’ secrets threaten to pour out, Was this intrusion a mistake, or has Gaby declared cyberwar on the US?

Felix Moore – known to himself as ‘Australia’s last serving left-wing journalist’ – has no doubt. Her act was part of the covert conflict between Australia and America that dates back decades. While Gaby goes to ground, Felix begins his pursuit of her in order to write her story; to save her, and himself, and maybe his country.

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Review

“Amnesia” is an ambitious novel that attempts to interweave cyber-activism, Australian politics, and historical reflection, but most readers found the execution challenging. The narrative style is dense and often disjointed, with a structure that blurs timelines and perspectives, leaving some readers confused about who is speaking and when. The change in perspective between the first and second parts was jarring and ultimately didn’t deliver the clarity or engagement readers were hoping for. While flashbacks to the Second World War offered brief moments of narrative flow and atmosphere, much of the rest of the novel struggled to find its footing.

Character development was another stumbling block. Readers consistently found the characters unsympathetic and difficult to connect with, which, paired with a heavy reliance on cultural and political references specific to Australia, makes it particularly alienating for international audiences. Themes like corporate greed and climate change are present but feel underexplored or lost in a sea of stylistic choices and introspective prose. Despite glimmers of potential and intriguing ideas, it is a difficult read that many may find more frustrating than enlightening.

This eighth and last book of Season 25 scored 4.6 out of 10.

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Nicola’s Book Club reading list

Season 25 – 20^th anniversary (Oct 2024 – Jun 2025)

“Happiness™” by Will Ferguson (Canada)
“A Long Petal of the Sea” by Isabel Allende (Chile)
“Claire of the Sea Light” by Edwidge Danticat (Haiti) *
“Beyond the Door of No Return” by David Diop (Senegal)
“Happiness” by Aminatta Forna (UK – London)
“No One Prayed Over Their Graves” by Khaled Khalifa (Syria)
“How We Disappeared” by Jing-Jing Lee (Singapore)
“Amnesia” by Peter Carey (Australia)

* The book club favourite
In italics, Nicola’s Coup de Cœur