I was introduced to African Australian author, Eugen Bacon when I heard her speak at last year’s World Fantasy Convention. Thought provoking in her viewpoints, challenging in her ideas, refreshing in her insights… I was left inspired to read her work.
Ivory’s Story
Ivory’s Story is a fascinating, multi-layered, genre defying read. The plot takes us to the streets of modern-day Sydney where a killer stalks the night, leaving a trail of mutilated bodies. Ivory Tembo is the investigating officer, a dynamic character brought to life with sensitivity, truth and lyrical prose.
The story begins with Ivory’s fractured youth, growing up between foster care and St Vincent’s orphanage. Her only possession is an amulet which her mother had left her, a talisman which burns anyone who tries to take it from her or harm her. We first meet her when she is five-years-old and is known as Izett. In one foster home she meets a sickly girl called Emma, whose hand doesn’t burn when she touches the amulet, and who comes to call Izett, Ivory. The name sticks beyond this foster home, along with a stuffed elephant toy. Knowing little about her roots, she grows into an emotionally vulnerable young woman, navigating coming-of-age firsts with boys and men who remind her of foster dads she ran away from. Until she meets Bahati, an older, gentle man whose hand does not burn when he touches her amulet, but rather whose touch makes the amulet light up with colour.
As a woman, Ivory maintains a tough, determined persona that serves her well as a detective investigating brutal murders. The story is more than crime/thriller. The mystery ventures into the supernatural, which demands understanding of Ivory’s character, as she is forced to delve deep into her own cultural heritage. She is accompanied by a vibrant cast, including those brought to life through folktale. These inventive, mythical tales are woven alongside the main character’s narrative, and serve to drive the crime under investigation. With the help of a medicine woman, Ivory’s investigation becomes instinctive and fantastical as she transcends worlds.
A fascinating read that serves as a wonderful reminder of the importance of storytelling in making sense of the world.
Claiming T-Mo
Claiming T-Mo is interplanetary sci-fi, told through the eyes of three women, Silhouette, Salem and Myra. The story begins with Novic, an immortal Sayneth priest who flouts the conventions of a matriarchal society by choosing a name for his child. This act initiates chaos that splits the boy in two, unleashing a Jekyll-and-Hyde child upon the universe. Named T-Mo by his mother and Odysseus by his father, the story spans the boy’s lifetime – from his early years with his mother, Silhouette, on planet Grovea, to his travels to Earth where he meets and marries Salem. Together they bear a hybrid named Myra. The women must confront their fears and navigate the paths of love and acceptance, as T-Mo/Odysseus brings choices that threaten their very existence.
The writing is playful, mysterious and evocative, with a dreamlike quality to it. There is space for the reader to bring their own reasoning, which for me meant considering the reason behind the Jekyll-and-Hyde character extending to physical abuse from the father. I adored Silhouette in particular, capable of interplanetary flight, and a beating heart to this inventive story. The author tapped into the rich essence of African culture, which, together with creative inventions of both the extraordinary and the mundane, made for a unique and vivid blend that brought all of my senses to life.
What are you reading?
