Wonderboy - Paperback

1975, Australia, a country finally free of the shadow of Vietnam, yet unable to fully embrace the forward-thinking politics of the Whitlam government. Daydreamer, Jack, cycles to school each morning in the dull country town of Miller's Creek, wishing he had a like-minded friend with whom to play make-believe. When Juliet, a world-renowned opera singer and her daughter, Mel, claim the mysterious, boarded-up farm next door, it is as if his prayers have been answered. Through the inspired lessons of their teacher, Rush, also new in town, and their own imagination, Jack and Mel forge a seemingly unbreakable bond, bridging fantasy and reality. But all is not as blissful as it seems. Jack's mother, Jean, hints jealously that his father, Daniel, once shared a similar connection with Mel's mother, Juliet. But what brought it unstuck? And are the same forces still at play? In a town where everyone knows each other's business, and what they don't know, they make up, vicious gossip soon threatens to muddy the waters of friendship forever. Jack and Mel's world of make-believe is hauled into the cold light of day, with far-reaching implications for all those they hold dear. At times joyous, and at times heartbreakingly sad, Wonderboy is a plea to the primacy of youthful imagination, and a soaring paean to the transformative power of music. Life is only what you wonder...