Literary Elixirs - Justine's pairing whilst planning
Today I am here to let you know that I am going to be taking a two week break in order to do a bit of planning. Never fear, I do have a book recommendation and pairing for you and will have one for next week also.
I wanted to take this opportunity to ask you, the Literary Elixirs community, what you have enjoyed most over these last 18 episodes? What would you like to hear more of? Feel free to comment on the Literary Elixirs facebook, twitter or instagram posts or msg me with any of your thoughts, questions or suggestions.
So, my recommendation for you today is The Interrogation of Ashala Wolf by Ambelin Kwaymullina, book one in The Tribe series.
Three hundred years into the future our world is destroyed by an environmental crisis called The Reckoning. During The Reckoning the tectonic plates shifted resulting in one large landmass which emerged from the flood waters. This landmass is divided into cities and is heavily governed to keep The Balance in order.
People start being born with unusual abilities called Firestarters, Menders, Sleepwalkers and many more. The new government calls them Illegals and sees them as a threat. Ashala and some fellow illegals have taken refuge in the Firstwood where they form a Tribe and are hidden and free and can develop their abilities and try to save others.
But when she is betrayed by a friend and captured by an enemy, Ashala is forced to succumb to a machine that will pull secrets from her mind. Will the Tribe survive the interrogation of Ashala Wolf?
This is a typical dystopian novel … at first … but there is a twist and suddenly you are on a very different journey than what you thought. I also love love love how the author weaves in Dreamtime stories seamlessly and creates a wonderful fully-realised world.
Though it is the first in a series, the novel reads like a stand-alone, tying up enough loose ends to satisfy, while still leaving you wanting more. This is one of the few series I have ever read where each book is as good as the rest! And they are not just good, they are pretty great actually!
So, what do i suggest you pair with this book? Well, for this original, unpredictable #OwnVoices story I suggest something a little bit different.
Have you ever heard of a Reunion Cocktail
This is a layered cocktail with the bottom layer grenadine, aperol, gin and lemon myrtle syrup, the middle layer grapefruit juice and then Australian malbec is floated on top.
I’d use a Sunburnt Country Larrikin Bush Tucker Gin from Ballarat which includes a number of Australian botanicals which - with the Aussie malbec and lemon myrtle - link us back to the rich cultural references in this book, the aperol and grapefruit give a bitterness, a sharpness and a punch - this is a bit of a thriller so that works! - this is then tempered somewhat by the grenadine which is tartly sweet and i think that references the love storyline which develops throughout this story.
There may also be a clue in the name of the cocktail about the twist in the book … but I won’t say anything more!
Enjoy!