BUY THIS BOOK FROM

My impression is that this is a story of finding one's way, coming from a complicated background, growing up as a secret child, which would be difficult. The author's Australian mum went to Iceland, where she lived and worked, fell in love with a married man who had a family. He didn't want to upset the original family apple cart. While Kári Gislason knew who his father was, he hardly saw him He certainly wasn't the usual father figure.

Growing up in both Iceland and Australia, Gislason returns to Iceland to meet his father as an eighteen year old. The book is superbly written and not only is it easy to read, it is pleasure to read. The writing style is one of the best I have read this year so, when describing the somewhat disappointing meeting with his father, which given the background stories is not all that surprising, I could feel that emotion, that void, disapointment.

Backpacking with his friend, Paul, who also grew up fatherless and who he met in Aviemore, Scotland,  they arrived together in Corfu on a ferry from Brindisi. Both eighteen year olds, the two boys are looking for adventure. They arrived with no money, no where to stay but with the hope of finding work.

As they disembark the ferry and see the backpacking accommodation providers touting for business, it looks rather tempting, but they don't have the money to pay for such luxuries. Fortunately, Helena appears just as the others were leaving. Helena runs a campsite and was looking for business but was running late and missed out on gaining paying customers. She strikes up a conversation with the boys and, next minute, they 're off to her campsite and she helps them. She knows someone in the village who they call 'The Pirate', who will find them work.  She gives them a tent and food and tells them they can pay her later.

The number of things that happen after meeting this, somewhat grumpy, man who owns the taverna is incredible. With all the innocence of youth, they agree to take on work, although they have no idea what is involves or how much they will be paid. Fortunately, they encounter kindness and local generosity and after a while they become friends with The Pirate.

Naturally, they want to know why he is called The Pirate, especially after seeing the photos of him on the walls of his popular taverna. At night, The Pirate becomes a jovial, welcoming and generous host, plying customers and the boys, who he eventually calls his boys, with endless wine and food and eventually cheap accomodation in his unfinished villa when the holiday season draws to a close and the campsite closes. The Pirate's mother also takes to the boys and especially Gislason's long blond knotted hair!  They seem to have a happy time at the campsite, meeting other people around their age including Felix, who has left the Austrian army abruptly and guitar playing Michelle from Geneva.

Thirty years later, after sharing these adventures with his family, which they have heard several times, Gislason decides it's time to repay The Pirate the money he owes him after leaving in a hurry, before Kári, Paul and Felix were almost coaxed to sail to Brazil with him one what seemed like a dodgy mission.

Gislason returns to Corfu twice, latterly with his family as he revisits the memories. His sons appreciate the natural beauty of the island, the villages and these stories they have heard growing up, are all brought to life. Written over two timelines, Corfu 1990 and Corfu 2022 this is also a story of close relationships with teenage sons, freedom for adventure and finding one's way in the world.

This is  an enjoyable memoir for all to read, unputdownable. It is also one that anyone, whose teens are planning on taking. a gap year, or adults planning one, should read. It is also a good reading for parents developing harmonious relationships with their teens 

Be aware there is some swearing, especially recounting conversations with The Pirate who also has graphic descriptions of women he has encountered on his travels as a sailor.

The author

Kári Gíslason is a writer and academic who teaches creative writing and literary studies at QUT. He is the author of The Promise of Iceland (UQP, 2011), which told the story of return journeys he’s made to his birthplace, and the novels The Ash Burner (UQP, 2015) and The Sorrow Stone (UQP, 2022). He is also the co-author, with Richard Fidler, of Saga Land (HarperCollins, 2017), and has written works of travel journalism, essays, reviews and radio scripts.

YOU MAY ALSO BE INTERESTED IN THESE BOOKS

DON'T MISS OUT

Receive our BookTalk newsletter with all the latest book reviews