3 Review(s)

Kate Liston-Mills' TheWaterfowl Are Drunk! is a series of funny and heart-warming short storiesset in the author's hometown, Pambula, on the farsouth coast of New South Wales. Afox stalks a nest of hatching swans, loving parents deal with their child'sDown syndrome diagnosis, a close-knit community mourns a death, a teenager isforced to give up an afternoon of surfing to spend time with her Nan. 'Thebook's apparent slightness and whimsical title belie the close observation anddeep feeling that inform its contents.' - KerrynGoldsworthy, The Age `Kate Liston-Mills's lush but precise prose andfresh perspective gives this collection about the tough stuff of ordinary lifeimmense energy, beauty and warmth. That she manages to get depth of characterand intense sense of place in such a slim collection is a true wonder, as isher ability to show the inherent drama and tragedy of everyday life withoutevery straying into sentimentality or bleakness.' - EmilyMaguire