Sorry Rock

'Sorry Rock' is a mesmerising young adult novel written by Thalia Henry which poignantly investigates identity and belonging in relation to place and culture. Two main narrative threads are beautifully woven together, creating a compelling reading experience which respects the reader’s intelligence and provides opportunities to anticipate plot developments and predict the outcome.

While the two of the main characters are pre-teens, the narrative is more mature, unveiling how family secrets can impact the next generation. The Alice Springs narrative focuses on Alice’s childhood and her mother Gwen’s enigmatic separation from Terry, and relocation to Te Henga forces the reader to consider the significance of friendships and the impact of secrecy and trauma. The Te Henga narrative focuses on Ned and Alice’s attempts to right a past wrong by returning a stolen rock to Uluru.

The author powerfully presents modern concerns around unethical tourism and impacts on natural environments through Ned and Alice’s quests, as well as the geological specimen gathered and kept by Alice’s paternal grandmother Grace. At no point does this aspect of the plot seem didactic or condemning, instead Henry presents these concepts through a reflective and contemplative piece of prose.