The Shepherd's Hut    by Tim Winton Order:  USA  Can Picador, 2019 (2018) Softcover, Paperback, CD, e-Book      Reviewed by Barbara Lingens A powerful tale of survival in the wilds of western Australia, The Shepherd's Hut sears the heart as we follow a young man's trek toward peace and freedom. With a violent father and a mother who died before his eyes, Jaxie knows he can do better by heading north to where his girlfriend lives. With only a rifle, binoculars and a water jug he manages to find some shelter days away from his home. But then he meets Fintan, who will both drive him crazy and save him. A strange man who claims to be a priest, Fintan has valuable supplies and insists on cleanliness. As the days pass, Jaxie finds it difficult to leave, and this is what brings on the horrific climax to the story. Author Winton's writing has captured the voice of this young man in all its ambition to make sense of his world, and in full recognition of his limitations and the difficulties he has had to overcome. This raw story will not leave you alone for thinking about how well Winton knows his people and his country and how well he is able to set this knowledge down on the page. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews