If there was one book almost everyone who is a bit of a bookworm read this year, it was Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton.
[jwplayer Kfyntz3W]
The book, which was based on Trent’s own experiences growing up in crime-riddled suburbs of Brisbane, was one of the literary hits of 2019. Released mid-2018, it really picked up this year, with the announcement that it would be turned into a TV series in partnership with Joel Edgerton.
It also won a series of Australian prizes, including four at the Australian Book Industry Awards and was longlisted for the Miles Franklin this year.
Now, Trent’s highly anticipated second book finally has a release date – it’ll drop on 16th June 2020. Trent himself took to Twitter to talk about his second novel, which he describes as an “epic love story”.
Called All Our Shimmering Skies, the book is “a story about the gifts that fall from the sky, the curses we dig from the Earth, and the secrets we bury inside ourselves”. Typical writer bullshit and I say that while also acknowledging I constantly talk like this, because all writers are wankers.
The story is set in Darwin, 1942 which interests me to NO end. Love me some World War II vibes, especially when it’s set in Darwin – wait, is this just the plot of Baz Luhrmann’s Australia minus the traipsing across the outback?
🎉 It’s the news you’ve been waiting for! Bestselling Aussie author, @TrentDalton, will release his second novel on 16 June 2020! 🎉
ALL OUR SHIMMERING SKIES is an absolutely glorious novel destined to become another Australian classic. Let Trent tell you all about it! pic.twitter.com/FwnoKw90PB
— HarperCollins Aus (@HarperCollinsAU) November 14, 2019
Erm, no. The book centres around a kid called Molly Cook, who believes a curse has been placed on her family, and as the WWII bombs drop on Darwin she finds a map. The map, Trent says, “just might take her to the man deep, deep, deep in the Australian wilderness who put the curse on her family”. Wait, so it IS like Australia, the iconic (shut up, I love it) film by Baz Luhrmann?
“Along the way on this treacherous quest, this epic quest, she’s aided by two unlikely friends. One named Greta, an actress, this amazing bright spark actress, and then most mysterious and wise fallen Japanese WWII fighter pilot named Yukiyo. It’s a story of love and friendship and the sky, and the small wonders of this beautiful world.”
OKAY FINE THIS IS NOT A RIP OFF OF THE PERFECT BAZ LUHRMANN AUSTRALIA FILM. It sounds bloody good, and I am sorry I insinuated you ripped off old Bazzy, Trent.
I for one will be making my pre-order as soon as I’m allowed to, and then forcing my book club to read it. Sorry book club, if you’re reading this article… I mean who am I kidding, you already knew I’d be strong-arming you into reading this.
