The Riders
 First edition cover | |
| Author | Tim Winton |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Mary Callahan |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Genre | Fiction |
| Publisher | Macmillan |
Publication date | 1994 |
| Media type | Print (Cloth) |
| Pages | 377 |
| ISBN | 978-0-7329-0790-7 |
| OCLC | 32698948 |
| 823 20 | |
| LC Class | PR9619.3.W585 R5 1994 |
The Riders is a novel by Australian author Tim Winton published in 1994. It was shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 1995.
Plot summary
The Riders tells the story of an Australian man, Fred Scully, and his 6 year old daughter Billie. Scully, as he is known, and his wife Jennifer have planned to move from Australia to a cottage they have purchased in Ireland. His wife and daughter are due to arrive in Ireland but at the airport only Billie arrives, traumatised and unable to tell her father what has happened or why her mother put her on the plane alone. The story then follows Scully and Billie as they travel around Europe retracing the steps of their previous travel, trying to find Jennifer and work out why she left them.
Themes and symbols
The novel deals with ideas of architecture, Australia, Europe, masculinity and trust. It also asks the question of self-identity, and how well you can ever truly know someone else.
The book draws on the European mythology of the Wild Hunt, hence "The Riders".
Opera
An opera based on the novel, with libretto by Alison Croggon and music by Iain Grandage, was premiered in Melbourne in September 2014.[1]
References
- ↑ "The Riders Review (Malthouse Theatre, Melbourne)" Daily Review, 25 September 2014
External links
- Middlemiss.org Riders Page