Ordinary Gods & Monsters
“Ordinary Gods and Monsters is a glorious Mozart comic opera set in suburban Australia ... So exquisitely written, so precisely choreographed, that it compels you not so much to read along as sing along with it. Only when the laughs are done, and the curtain is falling, and you are applauding like mad, do you realise that the tale has been much sadder than you expected it to be.” - Aravind Adiga
Nick Wheatley has finished high school, but he isn't ready for the rest of his life. His parents are getting divorced, his sister is downright weird and his best friend and neighbour, Marion, seems to have acquired a boyfriend.
One hot night, Marion's father is killed in a hit-and-run. There are no suspects and no leads. But a sly tip from the local psychic sends Nick and Marion into the undertow of a strange and sinister world they hadn't known existed in the suburbs - one of inscrutable gangsters, speed-dealing bikies and unpredictable, one-eyed conspiracy theorists.
It's a world they'll be lucky to survive.
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“Womersley is a gifted dramatic writer — this novel is a page-turner — who never loses sight of comic possibilities... (a) novel by one of Australia’s most innovative and interesting writers of fiction. ”
“A skilfully constructed Rorschach test of a novel, Ordinary Gods and Monsters relays either a tragic ... crime or a mystical constellation of linked events, depending on your viewpoint. What makes Womersley a special writer is his ability to seamlessly fuse these seemingly disparate threads, creating a self-contained world filled with equal parts dread and awe, ordinariness and otherworldliness.”
“A perfect balance between dread and page-turning pleasure ... the compulsive narrative artfully blends coming-of-age, mystery, and thriller with a hint of the supernatural. I couldn’t put it down.”
“This is an outstanding tale of the terrors of facing adulthood in the days when adolescence had a definite finish date.”
“He combines a Gothic sensibility and broody aesthetic with a finely tuned emotional barometer, blending the sinister and the domestic with apparent ease. ... Another solidly crafted, highly entertaining novel that handles its breadth of emotion with enviable poise. ”
“Weird in the best and most deliberate sense”
“This story of two teenagers trying to solve a suburban mystery while navigating the pitfalls of the adult world is a beautifully written novel that manages to be funny, suspenseful and incredibly tender. ”
“Ordinary Gods and Monsters is infused with Womersley’s inherent gothic sensibilities and is a cracker of a read. It will likely appeal to readers who crave a well-written, page-turning mystery. Fans of Donna Tartt’s books might also enjoy this...”
“Beautiful, poignant and achingly nostalgic - Womersley’s coming-of-age gem captures the wonder and loss of a simpler time”
“Chris Womersley’s gods and monsters live in suburban backyards, bedrooms, playgrounds, cul-de-sacs and scraps of bush. Colouring this landscape with the vivid dreams and fears of childhood, he elevates it into a mythic realm, exciting and dangerous and a lot more. This novel is a work of magic. It’s a note-perfect crime thriller for anyone who longs to see the world as new and to feel it as sharply as they did as a child. ”