Tribal Lores: A blog tour post!

To celebrate the Walker Books release of Tribal, here's my blog tour stop for the #AusYABloggers tour (more stops here)!

Here's a brief synopsis:

A moving and explosive tale about what happens when tradition and the need to belong collide.

Frankie Rescio is struggling with the death of his sister. Next door, Lochie Marsh is about to have his world invaded by his estranged, pregnant half-sister and her layabout boyfriend. Despite tensions simmering just below the surface for both boys and their families, they form a bond that connects their different worlds. Until tribal lores threaten to bring everything crashing down. 

Tribal Lores explores the fundamental things about growing up that never change: the desire to fit in and be accepted by one’s peers, the intrinsic urge to belong.

My review:

This is definitely a tale that I could actually picture the scene. Given that it is predominately set in

Carlton, a place that I frequent often- and is currently across Princes Park from my uni campus, it added a little bit of an extra insight to the area for me. 

The characters themselves were unique, and all from different backgrounds- something that I really enjoyed. It was nice to see characters that were rough around the edges and not 100% perfect. I also love the inclusion of both LGBTQ and disability into characters, and them being damn proud of it, despite family being 'traditional' and biggoted.

The way that Frankie tries to integrate into the 'Aussie' way of lie, despite his parents being Italian immigrants really sets the tone of the book. Where his family feel estranged from the community for bein different. This is all until Lochie Marsh rolls into their lifes and flips that all around on them. Not only exploring multiculturalism, but also love, family, and kindness- no matter who you are.

I rate this title a 4/5.

About the author:

Archimede Fusillo has had nine YA novels published both in Australia and overseas. His novels have won both critical and reader acclaim, with The Dons winning Book of the Year in 2001. He has won many prestigious awards, including the Alan Marshall Award, the Henry Savery Award and the Mary Grant Bruce Award, and is the recipient of an International Literature Fellowship – which itself was awarded the Sanciolo Literature Award. He has also written several textbooks on writing, has lectured all over Australia and overseas and has also been the judge of the Victorian Premiers Award and the Children’s Book Council of Australia Book Awards. 

Links to check out:

Website | Walker Books | Goodreads