Good concept

Liked the idea, but I felt it missed in execution, especially being such a short book. Some good themes and likeable characters, but holes in the narrative that were distracting

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I really, really enjoyed this book.

On so many levels it shouldn’t work. As science fiction, it’s adequate, although it’s not really trying to be science fiction. As allegory, it’s a bit heavy-handed, yet it doesn’t feel preachy. As history… well, that’s where it really shines. It helped me see how the invasion of Australia by the British was perceived by Aboriginal people and British settlers alike.

I can’t really add much without giving major spoilers. The first few chapters felt a little slow, but once the characters and storylines are set up, things start moving and head towards an unexpectedly moving finish.

I was really impressed by the narration as well. Top work.

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1 person found this helpful

I'm going to miss this book. I'm sad already.

This is a story all Australians should take the time to acknowledge. I appreciate your words, Claire Coleman. Thank you for putting this into the world.

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Brilliant.

Great plot, great characters and the narration is one of my favourites. An all round amazing boom and performance.

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A slow start to a much needed story

While I found the story slow for the first half of the book the later half had me fully engaged. I came across this book as a science fiction fan but leave it as a true fan of the author. At times the truths told through fiction were hard for me to hear but the perspective of the colonised is something White Australia desperately needs to listen to.

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10 people found this helpful

Great way to tell the story of Australia

How do you tell stories in the digital age. Terra Nullius is an great way on how to tell a young and in fact any modern audience what happened in Australia during 18th, 19th and beginning of 20th centuries. Humanity has come a long way since then. But how do you engage audiences with these type of historical topics? Terra Nullius is the answer.

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2 people found this helpful

Artful telling of a deeply engaging tale.

Clever, beautiful use of vocabulary, evocative, chilling and so smart. Claire G Coleman is masterful and brave in telling of a difficult history through the creative lens of an imagined future - One of the most effective ways to tell the truth is to fictionalise it and she does it very well.

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Profound, Confronting, and Shocking Truth!

The History, which is also present, is written so beautifully and narrated with beautiful voice. Time and again the attempts to suppress the aborigines and the denial of genocide told so beautifully.

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Not my normal type of story but enjoyable

This is not my normal type of pick, but the twists and turns kept it entertaining and thought provoking.

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An amazing novel

This book had come highly recommended by multiple people and I now know why. Though fiction it provides a pretty clear picture of colonisation and really makes a person, like myself, from a European heritage, put themselves in the place of First Nations people. To think, maybe it could happen to me.
Highly recommended.

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