A Review: Shadowboxing - Tony Birch (2009)

Conor Ammett

I was sceptical at first about Shadowboxing. I read a bit of the blurb, and thought, ‘oh, 1960s Australia, that can’t be too interesting.’ I wouldn’t have picked the book for myself, as I love fantasy, romance and adventure. I was wrong though. Shadowboxing is so interesting, in the way that it’s cleverly written and the narrative is explored. In the novel you follow the life of a boy called Michael as he moves from Clunes in rural Victoria to Fitzroy, Melbourne. You don’t get to see his whole life, only certain stories, moments. This leaves you to think about whether his whole life is like these stories, or whether these are just the extraordinary tales he wishes to share with the reader. One of my favourite stories is about the moon landing, and how schools based an entire day of learning on the Apollo 11 journey. There’s this quote that I keep thinking about, even weeks after I’ve finished reading the book: Michael yells, ‘F*ck the moon!’ to his assistant school principal, and the imagery is absolutely vivid.

Overall, I would definitely recommend Shadowboxing to any teenager, especially if you don’t think it’s the type of thing you would read, because I can guarantee you will be pleasantly surprised.

Emma Leatham

Shadowboxing by Tony Birch is a collection of short stories interlinked to create a coherent novel. It follows the childhood of Michael, a young boy living in Melbourne in the ‘60s, and his family. I enjoyed the book because it gives the reader a chance to fill in the blank spaces between stories, allowing for creativity and different interpretations based on the reader’s own life experiences.

Shadowboxing shows the hardships of life in the ‘60s incredibly well. It explores controversial themes such as domestic violence in a real light, but it also explores smaller-scale issues we face in everyday life, making it a book that many can relate to in their own unique way.

Even though the book is relatable and thought-provoking, it’s best quality is how authentic the stories are. They aren’t sugar coated - they are straight to the point and have no boundaries. It is exactly like you are living through Michael’s childhood with him, sharing the ups and downs.

I enjoyed this book, and recommend it to anyone looking for a light read which engages them in a relatable and charming story.

Phoebe Leggett

This book is set in Fitzroy, during the ‘60s. Michael has just moved into a new house, painted a bright red colour, with his loving mother and violent father. We watch as Michael grows up and witnesses firsthand the effects of poverty, domestic violence and mental illness. As Michael grows older, he struggles to come to grips with the reality of the adult world. Told through a series of short, connected stories, this book has something for everyone, whether you like historical fiction, romance, mystery, biographies or adventure. Written by an Australian author, this book is very easy to relate to as Melbourne readers can really picture the scene. This book is very easy to read and hard to put down. Although this book is not something I would usually read, I was pleasantly surprised. This is a good book that looks at an untold part of Melbourne’s history and really captures what it was like to grow up in Melbourne in the ‘60s.

Tara Keshavarz

Through ten short stories we learn about the life a young boy called Michael and about his experiences growing up in Fitzroy in the ‘60s. 

One of my favourite things about Shadowboxing is the difference amongst the ten stories. I expected them to be the same or at least very similar due to the fact that they are all being told by Michael. Yet all the stories are so different. You can also see Michael’s character develop as you move on from one story to the next.

My favourite story is The Butcher’s Wife. The story is so amusing and it captures your attention immediately. Birch talks about a sensitive issue in an almost lighthearted manner and makes it humorous whilst still being serious about it.  In that chapter, when the Butcher’s wife is walking out of the house with her head held high, you can’t help but cheer for her.

I would definitely recommend this to high schoolers and up. It doesn’t take long to read and it helps with developing a new perspective on things. 

Lalitha Polamraju

Tony Birch has put together some very-well written short stories for Shadowboxing. The stories were a very compelling read, resulting in me finishing the book in one sitting. After reading the first couple of stories, I began finding patterns in them, but upon reading the blurb properly, I realised all the stories were joined! The stories could have easily been put separately as tales of different people, but all the same, they can be seen as one person’s story.

Certain stories were very grim, speaking of different issues in our societies which are not being addressed properly. The author uses emotion and sarcasm very well to convey his messages effectively to the readers. He doesn’t tell the story, he shows it. In this story, it was clear that ‘less is more’; the lesser he tells, the more the reader receives. This literary device has excelled, leading me as a reader to question whether this story is a fiction or a memoir.

These reviews are written by members of Book Club. 

Book Club meets every second Wednesday in the back of the library. For questions regarding book club please contact Mr. Castles or Tara Keshavarz J

You can find out more about Shadowboxing here: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/575739.Shadowboxing