A book review from the QBD crew…
A powerful page-turner full of timely social commentary, Detention by Tristan Bancks is a novel that will leave a lasting impression on the reader.
Sima and her family live their lives behind wire fences as refugees. During a daring escape, in which she is separated from her family, she meets a young man, Dan, who has his own ‘wire fences’ to get through. Both are brave and face adversity in their everyday lives. When those lives crash together, it becomes all about trust and the hard decisions they need to make, which will have a lasting impact on both of them.
Detention’s lightning pace makes this novel impossible to put down. Tristan Bancks skilfully tackles the big issue of the treatment of refugees and asylum seekers in Australia, without lecturing or talking down to the reader. It reminds us of the inequality some people in Australian society experience and encourages young people to ignore the politics, stand up and fight for human rights and demand equality for all.
