Still Waters Run Deep. Deeper Water by Jessie Cole

After Mema rescues Hamish from his submerging car in flood-waters near her isolated farm, she is completely lost in love, and probably headed for a broken-heart. Innocent, unworldly Mema is the only remaining sibling on the property, living with her rather useless, former hippie mother who devotes herself to her pottery, and doesn’t take much interest in her. She does have a sister who visits, and a good friend, but her brothers, whom her mother had with different fathers, have all left.

Hamish, much older than Mema, and forced to stay at the farm, can’t stand being without his computer, and mobile-phone. He finds the incredible isolation difficult, although he seems interested in Mema, who introduces him to the beauty of the countryside, and a slower pace of life. Mema and Hamish’s relationship slowly builds to a crisis, however, affecting everyone around her, including Billy, the ‘boy next-door’ and Anja.

This beautifully written coming-of-age novel asks questions about our relationship to technology, and nature, as well as exploring sexual awakening. The Tasmanian landscape where Mema lives is lovingly described, and contrasted with Hamish’s frustration at being without his important ‘gadgets’. It may be beautiful, but the rural town nearby is full of rednecks, and Mema cops a lot of flak because of her mother’s hippie past. Although she loves wandering in the paddocks amongst the camphor trees, taking care of her animals, and looking at the hills, is the farm ultimately good for Mema?

NB: Without giving the plot away, I felt that she had her ‘first time’ with the wrong man.

I will look for other books by Jessie Cole now.

I read this for the Rose City Reader’s TBR 26 in ‘26