Why a Booktrail?
2000s: A coming of age story through the chaos of childhood
The Choke
What you need to know before your trail
Abandoned by her mother and seldom visited by her unpredictable, violent father, 10-year-old Justine is raised by her grandfather, Pop – a man tormented by visions of war. Through years of poverty and neglect, Justine finds solace in the staggering natural beauty of the nearby Murray River. But when outside threats infiltrate even this sanctuary, who is there to protect her from danger?
Exposed to a lethal world, Justine must navigate the final years of her precarious childhood alone. She must find ways to endure, she must run when she has to, and, ultimately, she must fight back.
Locations
ResetTravel Guide
Travel along the Murray River and The Choke BookTrail style
The town of Nullabri in Victoria, which is mentioned as the main setting of this story is fictional. However, there is a town called Narrabri in NSW. Null means ‘nothing’, ‘void’ and abri means something like ‘home’ and ‘place of’
It’s near the very long and winding Murray river and it’s at the narrowest point of the river that Justine uses to build her haven and hideaway from the world.
The location is not important – it’s the setting of the hideaway, the place to escape, the remoteness of it all, and how that reflects the mind and mental health of Justine herself that is key. The land and the people are vividly portrayed and the landscape is the past and the future. There’s a certain way of life here, acceptances and social mores. Poverty too. The past, like the river, swirls back and forth. The mistakes lie on the river bank, often embedded in the soil. The people here need to ensure the river takes them away for good.
BookTrail Boarding Pass: The Choke
Destination: Australia Author/guide: Sofie Laguna Departure Time: 2000s
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