Oh, Sofie Laguna. Why would you leave my heart trampled on the ground like this? Laguna’s stunning novel Infinite Splendours is very, very sad. It’s also:
1. An investigation into childhood trauma. 2. A love letter to the Australian landscape.
This book is about 10-year-old Lawrence, budding artist, loving brother, and devoted son. When Lawrence’s family dynamic changes drastically, his safety and his dreams are shattered. We watch in horror as his world changes and he grows into a stunted and damaged man. Will he decide to inflict the same chaos on others that caused him so much pain?
Laguna’s writing is effortless; her words drift along like languorous Aussie summer days, with gorgeous passages describing the natural environment surrounding the characters.
At the same time, there’s a tense undercurrent of foreboding lurking on almost every page.
This is a devastating but very compulsive read. Infinite Splendours doesn’t just document pain, it tries to understand it from every perspective. Grab the Kleenex and get reading.
Cherie Cooper
Cherie lives, works, and reads in beautiful Tasmania – the green island gem below Australia known for its gorgeous landscape and beautiful wildlife.
She holds multiple academic qualifications in English, journalism, and fine art theory, and has worked in writing, editing, and communications roles for more than a decade.
Most importantly, she has a deep love for books that began as soon as she learned how to read.
Old, new, any genre – for Cherie, reading is about as vital as breathing.
She is interested in sharing books that move, excite, and compel, so others can share the joy of a truly great read.
While she reads across most genres, her favourite is literary fiction. Particularly anything by Margaret Atwood, Ottessa Moshfegh, Kate Atkinson, Elizabeth Berg, Ann Patchett, and Anne Tyler.
Cherie frequents Tasmania’s beautiful boutique book shops as well as scouring secondhand shops for books to add to her extensive home library.
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