{"product_id":"nock-loose-by-patrick-marlborough","title":"‘Nock Loose’ by Patrick Marlborough","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-8 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv dir=\"auto\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003ch4\u003ePatrick Marlborough takes the familiar Australian small-town novel, gives it a medieval weapon, several litres of cider and a fairly serious head injury.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eJoy is a retired Olympic archer and former stunt performer who returns to Bodkins Point, a Western Australian town whose civic life revolves around Agincourt: an annual, wildly violent medieval re-enactment that has been running for generations. After a fire kills Joy’s granddaughter, the festival becomes the stage for revenge. Naturally.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHowever, Marlborough uses the resulting chaos to dig into something not often dug in contemporary Australian literature. That is, mythmaking, colonial violence, masculinity, regional identity and the relentless, national habit of turning brutality into folklore. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe novel is excessive, that's half the pleasure of its skill. The other half being that the fictional traditions accumulate until Bodkins Point feels less and less mythic, than totally and horribly plausible. Marlborough has described the book as a reaction against the humourlessness and familiar machinery of contemporary Australian literary fiction, and that antagonism gives the book much of its energy. Beneath the jokes, though, is a vicious and salient argument about what happens when a community keeps reenacting its past rather than examining it. \u003cspan class=\"contents\"\u003e\u003cspan class=\"\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eGrab thee axe and swing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFremantle Press, North Fremantle, 2025. First edition. Paperback. Very light shelf wear only; internally clean and unmarked, binding firm. Near fine condition.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"bower studio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46235667595347,"sku":null,"price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0689\/0268\/2707\/files\/novels_novellas_85.png?v=1789172858","url":"https:\/\/bowerbooks.com\/products\/nock-loose-by-patrick-marlborough","provider":"bower books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}