Book Review: "In the Winter Dark" by Tim Winton

Yes, I'm still reading Tim Winton novels and this one is considerably shorter than his usual pieces. In the Winter Dark takes a somewhat more sinister turn than many of his writings with themes of isolation and loneliness, motifs that include violence and loss and characters who are at best, troubled. He takes his usual poetic writing and adds this strange and eerie atmosphere into it, moving into the territory of the changing land being seen through the eyes of characters who are all essentially flawed. Again, another brilliant Tim Winton book that will only make me want to read more of his novels in the near future. So let's go on to the review...

Set in a remote Australian valley ominously named The Sink, the novel unfolds against a backdrop of isolation, rugged landscapes, and encroaching winter. The valley, cut off from the outside world and surrounded by dense bushland, is home to only a handful of inhabitants whose lives are steeped in secrets and regret. The starkness of the setting mirrors the emotional landscapes of these characters, amplifying their internal struggles as they face an external and ambiguous threat. This is characterised by spontaneous weirdness, acts of violence, unsure characters and a place that is basically going down the drain. It is fantastic as it draws you in.

Maurice Stubbs, the narrator, is a middle-aged man living alone after the disintegration of his marriage. Brooding and introspective, Maurice’s voice dominates the narrative, providing a lens coloured by guilt, loneliness, and a haunting past. From the outset, his recounting hints at a traumatic event that has irrevocably shaped both the valley and himself. As Maurice reflects on his life, it becomes evident that he is burdened by the memory of a tragic accident that claimed a child’s life, a shadow that permeates his every thought and action. This is a really haunting book. I could not bring myself to put it down - it's so atmospheric and brilliant and I'd recommend it to all of you who love the Victorian Gothic.

Maurice’s neighbours in The Sink are similarly troubled. Ivy, an elderly widow, clings to her farm and the routines she has developed to stave off loneliness since her husband’s death. Ivy’s stoic exterior hides the depth of her emotional pain, which Maurice observes but does not fully comprehend. Ronnie, a young woman new to the valley, is fleeing a violent and abusive relationship. Her partner, Jake, has joined her in the valley, but his aggression and volatility strain their already fragile dynamic. Ronnie’s erratic behaviour and palpable fear suggest that she has not fully escaped her past, while Jake’s presence introduces tension and menace to the group. These people are all already uneasy and so, I thought it was wonderful to introduce an ambiguous threat, especially one that plays with their only sense of security: the home.

The fragile equilibrium of life in the valley is shattered when livestock begin to turn up dead and mutilated. The grisly nature of the killings stirs fear and unease among the residents. The absence of tracks or other clear signs of a predator deepens the mystery and fuels speculation. Theories range from a wild animal roaming the bush to something supernatural, though none are substantiated. As paranoia sets in, the neighbours’ tenuous connections begin to fracture, and distrust seeps into their interactions. There was a scene where a pet dog was found after a sharp scream. The man was holding the severed head of the dog in his hands because that is how he found it. It is horrifying and dark - it was so terrifying to read about.

The more things that happen in this community, the worse it gets for the people who live there. The darkness begins to set in as the horror gets more and more ambiguous and violent. This is coupled by the unease in the personal lives of the characters themselves and the secret that Maurice seems to want to unburden himself of. I'm not going to lie to you, I could not predict this one as it kept its secrets so well. Maurice is a brilliant and troubled narrator where we are kept questioning about whether he is really telling us everything. Or whether what he is telling us is just the half of it.