True History of the Kelly Gang : A Novel

Rating:
Summary: The Kelly Gang In A New Light
Review: What's it about? Fighting, intrigue, loyalty, revenge, love, hate, lots of good men, lots of bad men, banshees, Rat Charmers, daring escapes, clever captures, death, lies, truth, justice, and a little romance. In short, Peter Carey has put just about everything one could ask of a book into his novel, The True History of the Kelly Gang. Although Carey has produced a brilliant work, it does not quite hold the recognition of the 'perfect' novel. The book has an outstanding structure and style, but it tends to get a little heavy at times and one may not be as riveted as they expect by the story of Australia's most famous outlaw.
Ned Kelly himself tells the story of the Kelly Gang in a series of thirteen parcels written to his daughter. He begins his narrative saying, "I lost my own father at 12 yr. of age and know what it is to be raised on lies and silences my dear daughter you are presently too young to understand a word I write but this history is for you and will contain no single lie may I burn in Hell if I speak false" (7). Peter Carey has taken the simple story of the Kelly Gang and given it some zest by telling it in the perspective of Ned Kelly. The reader has a greater personal relationship with the protagonist because Kelly is writing to his daughter. Having these two elements in the story allows Carey to take a famous story and make it brand new.
Even though this book is a work of fiction there is a great deal of realism within it. A substantial number of the events are historically accurate. Also, Carey creates a sense of trust in Kelly when the narrator says, "[it] will contain no single lie may I burn in Hell if I speak false" (7). With a feeling of realism established Carey takes some liberties by adding in elements of fantasy. There are several examples of Irish folklore in this story. The two main events deal with a banshee and a Rat Charmer. Although these events may seem doubtful, the reader can appreciate them because of the author's (Ned Kelly's) perspective and their own willingness to believe due to the feeling of realism.
The most disappointing part of the book was that it is not as riveting as one would expect it to be. It is a story about the most famous outlaw from Australia, but there are times when the reader can get bored. There are so many details and so many characters that one can get lost in this bombardment of information. Perhaps Carey justifies this by saying that it is for the sake of Ned's daughter who would better appreciate these details. However, this is still a novel for the common person, not Ned Kelly's daughter. In addition to heaviness, the novel does not have as many action scenes as one might expect. The lack of action packed scenes may be due to the outlaw himself writing the story to his daughter, and therefore there is a more innocent and calm perspective. If the story were told from a different point of view perhaps there would be more thrill. In the end, one's style of reading will probably determine if they perceive the book as dull in places. However, I believe many will think the story to be too heavy at times.
Carey's saving grace is his unbelievable voice throughout the novel. He creates a world for Ned Kelly all the way down to his writing style. There is no punctuation beyond periods, there are run on sentences, dialogue is not marked by anything more than, "said he/ she," and curse words are changed to two letters with blanks in-between. This style is very difficult to get used to at first, but the reader will soon find that it adds so much to the storytelling. Also, the imagery is very captivating. Carey brings the reader into the world of Ned Kelly through his beautiful descriptions and interpretations. For example, Ned describes an encounter with a policeman during his youth, "The memory of the policeman's words lay inside me like the egg of a liver fluke and while I went about my growing up this slander wormed deeper and deeper into my heart and there grew fat" (12). The imagery is wonderful. The voice that Carey gives Ned Kelly can almost be poetic at times. This is what truly makes the book worth reading.
Despite some downfalls with the flow of the story, The True History of the Kelly Gang is a great read for just about anyone. The occasional heaviness in the book is made up for by the voice and overall story. It is a novel that has just about everything one could want. I would recommend this book to anyone who appreciates good writing and a good story.

Rating:
Summary: Made Noble in the Fire
Review: I've heard people describe Peter Carey as "the Cormac McCarthy of Australia" when they are referring to this novel. Although that's unfair to both Carey and McCarthy, it did get me to read this book. And, I did find that Carey was something like McCarthy in that he is able to tell what is essentially an "outlaw" story and make is sound more like a myth.

I don't know anything of Ned Kelly other than what I read in this book, but in "The True History of the Kelly Gang," at least, Ned Kelly seems not so much outlaw as rogue, more like Robin Hood than Billy the Kid. This is a book with all the cruelty, murder and barbarism of McCarthy's books, yet "The True History of the Kelly Gang" seems to have a strain of likable sentimentality as well. I liked Ned Kelly and I liked this book.

I've read, of course, that despite this book having been written in the first person, Ned Kelly did not write it. This is historical fiction, not an autobiographical work, but it's so good, who cares? And, it is based on actual events.

Carey based this book on a letter the real Ned Kelly wrote after robbing a bank. The book (history) is ostensibly written by Kelly to his daughter so she would always know the truth about her father, both the good and the bad, rather than having to rely on folk tales and rumor.

"The True History of the Kelly Gang" has an episodic feel to it, since, rather than being conventionally plotted, adventure is piled upon adventure upon adventure. There's not a lot of humor in this book and not much self-reflection; self-reflection from one such as Ned Kelly might have seemed absurd. If you think about it long enough, the very idea of Ned Kelly writing his memoirs seems absurd, but just don't think about it too much. Enjoy the book instead.

Ned Kelly was a very poor Irish immigrant, as most of the poor in Australia were at the time the Kelly Gang roamed the land. They lived in hovels and struggled to even put bread on their plates, let alone make a decent living. This fact alone causes us to have sympathy with Ned Kelly right off the bat. Their heroes were people just like Ned Kelly, so at the age of fifteen, Kelly was sent to the famous "bushranger,"
Harry Power, by his own mother, no less, to learn the art and craft of "outlawing."

Eastern Europeans aren't known for their knowledge of Australian history, so for me, at least, this was a book filled with surprises and rich historical background. And, although I did say the book didn't have much humor, it does have absurdity (I am thinking of a scene in which the Kelly Gang blackened their faces, donned women's dresses and rode on their horses acting out Irish myths. If this seems hysterically funny to you, you need to read the book.) Ned Kelly seems to be a rare hybrid of Irishman and Australian, but perhaps that's not so rare at all. I just don't know. I do know that if you're looking for Crocodile Dundee, you won't find him in these pages and that's good, since Ned Kelly is so much more interesting and, surprisingly, just as easy to like.

For someone who grew up in Europe, the dialogue in this book, as well as the lack of conventional punctuation can be a little difficult, but only initially. After a few pages, it begins to flow more easily. Carey writes with a beautiful cadence that is really quite lovely to read.

I think "The True History of the Kelly Gang" really can't be compared to any other book at all. I don't know that any other books regarding the outlaw culture of Australia exist. Whatever Ned Kelly really was, I am glad Carey gave him, and his gang, a voice in this book. As Kelly writes to his daughter, "...in the end we poor uneducated people will all be made noble in the fire." Perhaps it's true.

Rating:
Summary: Captures the soul of a legend
Review: Australian author and two-time Booker Prize winner Peter Carey was inspired to write "True History of the Kelly Gang" when he saw an exhibit containing a series of paintings of the outlaw and folk legend Ned Kelly. Kelly was born in 1855 in a remote section of the Australian colony of Victoria and raised in a life of hardship. His bootlegger mother apprenticed him at an early age to the bushranger Harry Power, where Kelly learned the skills that served him well when hiding from the law later on. He wound up in and out of prison and soon became the most wanted man in the area. At the age of 26, he was captured and executed.

Through the fictionalized account of Kelly and his family, Carey has done a masterful job of showing the oppression of the poor by the English and their persecution by the police. Like an Australian Robin Hood, Kelly decried the ill treatment of the poor and came to their defense; he desperately wanted his voice to be heard. Now Carey has let us hear it. He portrays Kelly as a sympathetic character who has the best of intentions even though he becomes embroiled in a life of crime and violence. Because of Kelly's portrayal in a heroic light, this novel is somewhat controversial in Australia, where some people are embarrassed to have Kelly represent their nation. Talking about Australia's origins, Carey said in an interview "Your ship was the Mayflower. Ours were the convict ships, and each ship determined the nation's character." Controversy or not, Kelly's legend lives on and is skillfully brought to life in this book.

The novel is constructed as a series of personal accounts by Kelly addressed to his daughter. The contents and condition of each manuscript is provided as a preface to each chapter, and it makes this story seem very realistic; so much so that I had difficulty distinguishing what was fact and what was fiction. The rich narrative is full of folklore and local history. There are many humorous passages, such as where men ride around disguised in women's dresses. Using as an example an actual 56-page treatise written by Kelly, Carey has captured the authentic voice of the folk hero. As a result, the story is moderately difficult to read because of misspellings, lack of punctuation, and use of colloquialisms of that era. But the reader will soon become accustomed to the cadence of the language and will be rewarded with a colorful tale that captures the soul of a country and its national legend.

Eileen Rieback

Rating:
Summary: Mmmm, Ned Kelly
Review: Adventure, guns, horses, outlaws, justice, loyalty, good guys, bad guys... these elements usually make for a great book. For example, Peter Carey's 2001 Booker Prize winner True History of the Kelly Gang, a novel based on the life of Australian gang leader Ned Kelly. The story is written from Ned's point of view telling his daughter about his life, from his childhood to his career as Australia's most notorious outlaw; how he became hated by the police and a hero to low class Australians. It is because the story is told in Ned's voice that the novel is so enjoyable and effective.
True History of the Kelly Gang is not Carey's first prize winning novel. He has written a collection of short stories and six other novels. However he is best known for Oscar and Lucinda which also won the Booker Prize, and Jack Maggs which won the Commonwealth Writers' Prize. Many of his works like, True History of the Kelly Gang are about outlaws and criminals.
Even though some readers may not immediately be thrilled that the protagonist of the novel is an infamous con man, most will come to understand Ned Kelly. Due to the fact that he describes events, readers can comprehend why he did what he did. It seems like he always has the best intentions and does what he thinks is just and right. Although the police consider him a heartless murderer, Ned claims he will only kill a man if it is absolutely necessary. At the confrontation with the police at Stringybark Creek Ned cries out, "Surrender I will not harm you," after some officers are already killed (253). Readers begin to sympathize with Ned's character, when they realize he is not completely cold-blooded after all. His family's oppression, because they are poor Irish immigrants, also induces empathy as does the injustice towards Ned from the local police.
Another issue some readers might have with the novel is how it is actually written. Since the novel is in Ned's voice there is a significant lack of punctuation (there are no commas, quotation marks, etc), and use of poor grammar and an older vocabulary. Although these things take some getting used to, ultimately they make the story more real and bring the reader deeper into Ned's character.
The story is also more believable because it is from Ned's point of view. At the beginning of the book he says, "I lost my own father at 12 yr. of age and know what it is to be raised on lies and silences my dear daughter you are presently too young to understand a word I write but this history is for you and will contain no single lie may I burn in Hell if I speak false," (7). Readers can instantly understand that Ned finds it absolutely necessary to have his account be completely honest and accurate.
It is not only Ned's believability that make the story appealing but also the way he describes events. His vivid descriptions are fascinating and entertaining. When he first sees his uncle he states, "Then we come closer and I begun to see some dreadful damage had been done to him he had been melted in the fires of Hell his shoulders sloped his legs was bowed his nose were drooping at its end," (41). His descriptions of people and events always paint a clear mental picture.
The way Ned portrays events that take place draw the reader in. His descriptions of saving a boy from drowning, adventures with Harry Power, bank robbing excursions, and creating his own armor are always fascinating. From the beginning of the book until the last pages the reader is brought into his world.
Several Irish folktales are incorporated into the book. Whether they are about banshees or rat charmers, the stories make Ned's background clearer. Issues of religion are also integrated into the novel. When Ned is told to wear green boxing trunks for a match he says, "It were only then I realized they had hung green & orange ribbons round the ring. To tell the truth I had forgot Wright were a proddy," (185). By adding folktales and religious controversies to the novel the characters become more real to readers.
True History of the Kelly Gang is enjoyable and effective because it is told in the voice of Ned Kelly himself. Although there are a few potential pitfalls, the novel redeems itself through Ned Kelly's honesty and believability. He becomes a likable character to the reader and his vivid descriptions of people and events are fascinating. This novel is an enjoyable read for anyone who likes a great adventure story.

Rating:
Summary: Amazing
Review: Like an actor who "becomes" a character, author Peter Carey "becomes " Ned Kelley in this brilliant fictional autobiography.

Carey makes the risky choice of telling the story of notorious Australian outlaw Ned Kelly as if Kelly were writing it for his young daughter. From childhood to the eve of his death we get an unvarnished view of Kelly and the times and events that shaped him.

Kelly was a late 19th century Robin Hood who achieved mythic status. Carey tells his story, not apololgeticaly, but as a part of a view on how a person's best intentions can go awry when faced with repeated injustices.

The Australia of the time is laid bare with corrupt, cruel police, desperate rascals and innocents caught up in events.

The limitations of Carey's narrative technique are compensated for by the authencity of his voice and the stories he has to tell.

Action, adventuire, comedy, tragedy, history, romance all in one book.

Inspired!

Rating:
Summary: A Voice For The Reader...
Review: I didn't like this book at all!!! There is rarely a sentence where the author did not quote the main players as saying such nonsense as "We got the adjectival horse out of the barn..." For heavens sakes!!! Also, he uses this commonly, "Let's just shoot the b____g". So what? If your senses are offended by swearing, leave it out. I think this book was written while the author was asleep. It is jerky and hard to read and relatively uninteresting (which is a feat considering the setting of old Australia). Don't waste your time. This is an adjectival book.

Rating:
Summary: Captures the soul of a legend
Review: Australian author and two-time Booker Prize winner Peter Carey was inspired to write "True History of the Kelly Gang" when he saw an exhibit containing a series of paintings of the outlaw and folk legend Ned Kelly. Kelly was born in 1855 in a remote section of the Australian colony of Victoria and raised in a life of hardship. His bootlegger mother apprenticed him at an early age to the bushranger Harry Power, where Kelly learned the skills that served him well when hiding from the law later on. He wound up in and out of prison and soon became the most wanted man in the area. At the age of 26, he was captured and executed.

Through the fictionalized account of Kelly and his family, Carey has done a masterful job of showing the oppression of the poor by the English and their persecution by the police. Like an Australian Robin Hood, Kelly decried the ill treatment of the poor and came to their defense; he desperately wanted his voice to be heard. Now Carey has let us hear it. He portrays Kelly as a sympathetic character who has the best of intentions even though he becomes embroiled in a life of crime and violence. Because of Kelly's portrayal in a heroic light, this novel is somewhat controversial in Australia, where some people are embarrassed to have Kelly represent their nation. Talking about Australia's origins, Carey said in an interview "Your ship was the Mayflower. Ours were the convict ships, and each ship determined the nation's character." Controversy or not, Kelly's legend lives on and is skillfully brought to life in this book.

The novel is constructed as a series of personal accounts by Kelly addressed to his daughter. The contents and condition of each manuscript is provided as a preface to each chapter, and it makes this story seem very realistic; so much so that I had difficulty distinguishing what was fact and what was fiction. The rich narrative is full of folklore and local history. There are many humorous passages, such as where men ride around disguised in women's dresses. Using as an example an actual 56-page treatise written by Kelly, Carey has captured the authentic voice of the folk hero. As a result, the story is moderately difficult to read because of misspellings, lack of punctuation, and use of colloquialisms of that era. But the reader will soon become accustomed to the cadence of the language and will be rewarded with a colorful tale that captures the soul of a country and its national legend.

Eileen Rieback

Rating:
Summary: Lyrical!
Review: This is a rare combination-a coming of age story, a crime novel, and a frontier narrative-all united in the unforgettable voice of Ned Kelly, which is poetic and funny, common yet elegant. At the same time, the story, which I experienced as perfect and seamless and hard to put down, advances a case of surprising and touching heroism for Ned Kelly and his doomed gang. Bravo to Ned Kelly! Bravo to Peter Carey!

Rating:
Summary: Less Grammar Equals More Story
Review: This is more than a story about a famous outlaw and his adventures. It's a story about the history of Police brutality in Australia. It's a story about the mistreatment of minorities and the underprivileged. This story proves how important narrative history is (even if Carey's book is fiction): the stories of the disposessed must be heard! Please read Ruby Langford's "Don't Take Your Love to Town"!

Rating:
Summary: As Good as Any Booker
Review: I picked up this book with expectation so high. Recommended by a friend, a Booker Prize winner and a book by Peter Carey. Too much expectations a book would carry. In the end the book delivered.
I found this book very interesting to read the first 200 pages. A lot of action & adventure & cute stupidity.
The next pages show the man ignorance & his real stupidity & boring newspaper clippings.
Carey however is a very fine writer, he managed to make such a famous story about Ned Kelly worth reading even when we knew the ending and the storyline