Caroline Overington's No Place Like Home
Books & Poetry
It’s 9.30am and Bondi’s newest shopping centre is already packed with people, including a seemingly ordinary young man by the name of Ali Khan. But within moments of his arrival, Khan is locked in a store on the upper level with a home-made bomb strapped to his neck and four terrified hostages.
All attempts to communicate with him fail and, as time passes, the police – and hostages – grow increasingly desperate.
This is Overington’s fifth novel, and while I was underwhelmed by her earlier efforts, the beautifully written narrative and wonderfully rich characters in No Place Like Home drew me in. The events are recounted to the reader (post-siege) by police chaplain Paul Doherty, whose position as both priest and secondary witness allows him to serve as an omniscient narrator; his non-judgemental observations let the reader form their own opinion about the characters and events.
No Place Like Home, by Caroline Overington, Random House, $32.95
Khan is a complex character and, as the story unfolds, the reader learns about his violent childhood in a Tanzanian village and the tragic events that brought him to this country. His story paints a damning picture of Australia’s immigration and resettlement policies.
Is Ali Khan a terrorist or a victim of tragic circumstances? Could he be both? And what part did Australia play in the events that follow?
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Trapped with Ali is young shop assistant Mouse, whose positive belief in humanity is severely tested; Mitchell, a kind and naïve schoolboy; Kimmi, a young nail technician, and Roger Callaghan, a man with dark secrets of his own. Overington has gone to great lengths to humanise her characters, providing each with a rich backstory which reveals both their strengths and weaknesses. As the story evolves it is often hard for the reader to clearly identify who is a victim and who is a villain.
This hauntingly moving story shines a light on Australia’s severely under-resourced immigration system and society’s continuing struggle to accept those who are “different”. A gripping page-turner from start to finish.
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