Green Monkey Dreams by Isobelle Carmody
Allen and Unwin, 2012. ISBN 9781742379470. 305pp.
(Age: 15+) Recommended. Isobelle Carmody appeared at the 2012 Byron
Bay Writer's Festival and was described by blogger Michelle Sim as
having 'a sparkle about her; a twinkle in her eye, as though she has
knows a powerful secret. With wild, raven black hair and small elfin
like features, you could actually imagine Carmody stepping straight
out of one of her fantasy books.' (http://byronbaywritersfestival.wordpress.com/)
This seems entirely in keeping with an author who explores the
intersection of fantasy and reality. The title story, Green
Monkey Dreams suggests that the same recurring dreams amongst
disparate people may be indicative of another reality striving to
enter this one. In The Keystone, Raven, the brave heroine,
decides to disappear through a tear or rift in the fabric of the
universe to help others in need.
This collection of short stories was first published in 1996 and is
made up of stories originally published elsewhere. This is the third
edition; they are so vivid and haunting that they invite revisiting
and rethinking. The meaning of truth and death as contemplated by
children are underlying themes.
Many of the stories vividly demonstrate the power of fantasy and
story in neglected lives. In The Phoenix two isolated
children live in a fantasy world where they assume noble roles. A
stranger arrives and he enters into their fantasy, but is he
genuine? The shocking ending here makes this an unforgettable story.
A foundling from an orphanage, in Seek No More uses his
belief in his special powers to stand up to bullies and gain himself
a family.
Sacrifice, hope and courage feature in apocalyptic stories such as Glory
Days where Rian is sent to spy on Angel, a despotic ruler of a
city state who has weapons of mass destruction stockpiled. He plans
to use them, as he believes suffering is a necessary precursor for
spiritual salvation. But Rian falls in love with Angel and then has
a momentous decision to make. In The Lemming Factor the
story of the Pied Piper becomes the story of Kora and her family
following a hypnotic leader to the Promised Land, Evermore. But Kora
chooses to help the handicapped with unexpected consequences.
Delightful feminist twists feature The Pumpkin Eater and The
Red Shoes where the former extends the story of Rapunzel and
the latter is a modern version of the Andersen Fairy Tale.
Dark themes exploring dysfunctional families, the lost innocence of
youth and the effects of poverty, as in The Monster Game,Corfu,
and The Witch Seed and the ambiguity of some endings make
this collection more suitable for upper secondary.
Kevyna Gardner