Picnic at Mount Disappointment

Picnic at Mount Disappointment by Melissa Bruce

Blog not written by Melissa !

We had a lovely meeting about this first novel at the home of the author herself where food offerings and music selections were themed from the book.

Our group all thought it was a great read with many interesting comments from everyone. We would like to post Lee's comments below as she was unable to attend the meeting.

Lee's comments : 
"I loved the book and read it as a very personal work no matter how much Melissa might describe it as fiction.   I feel that as my parents were divorced when I was older, about age 23, I can still relate to the feelings of Lucy towards her step mother and step siblings.  The resentment and efforts at reconciliation with her own parents.  No matter what age, divorce is a very confronting issue for children to accept.   The story rang so many bells for me.   But apart from the story, Melissafs use of the verse form was quite extraordinary and gave a wonderful lyrical feel to the reading of the book.  The wry comments/observations often at the end of a stanza was a very clever device to allow the reader a greater understanding of the resentment and confusion felt by Lucy as she adapted to her new life in the country.   I was so delighted to read Melissafs work, quite different from so many of the Australian novels I have read recently.  Her characters are drawn so clearly and the friends she makes among the students at her new school add to country atmosphere and help the reader to understand the conflict she feels in the move to Wandong. "

We are very proud to call Melissa a member of our book group!  Her accolades
since the book was published are many and here are a few :

WINNER 2017 - Woollahra Digital Literary Award for Fiction.

"A verse novel that charmed in a matter of stanzas.  Surprising character development, witty and original observations, honest representation of a prickly teen trying to find her place between worlds.  A very enjoyable read."          Judges Comments


"It is rare to find a story that takes us into that liminal territory of adolescence with such force and such heart. Desire, disappointment, betrayal and forgiveness written in libretto, an ode to the tumult of coming of age."           Gabrielle Carey, Author (Co-author, Puberty Blues)

"Melissa Bruce has created an astonishing poem that sustains its voice from the first lines to the very last. Like her fictional heroine Sybylla Melville, the narrator Lucy is wilful, passionate, intelligent and totally charming. She's going to compel her readers for years to come."
Debra Adelaide, Author


"The writing was gorgeous: a beautiful, poetic, sad, insightful, sharp and funny novel. Themes of divorce and infidelity, family life, anger, first love, disappointment and growing up - all so strong. I also adored the depiction of rural 70's-80's Victoria in its beauty and banality."
Pip Harry, Author

In this witty, wise and moving story, fifteen-year-old Lucy arrives from inner-city Melbourne to live on a farm at the foot of Mount Disappointment. Wandong hosts the second largest truck and country music festival in the southern hemisphere…and nothing else.  This engaging story explores important contemporary themes in an original 'verse style' that is especially appealing to the text-message-Twitter generation.


2017 Woollahra Digital Literary Award – Fiction   http://bit.ly/2tQOCcK

Wentworth Courier Articles July 5th 2017  Pg10   http://bit.ly/2tZY7q5   Pg32  http://bit.ly/2tEt2st

Melissa winning the Digital Literary Award

We are not going to rate this novel but highly recommend it !

Our next meeting is on Wed Nov 8th at Sarah's and the book selection is The Muse by Jessica Burton