Reviewed by Kylie Buckley
Emily lives with her father and her twin brother, Alex, on a rural property in
south western Victoria. The reforested land is now covered in native bush
providing a sanctuary for a myriad of wildlife. One giant manna gum tree, which
avoided clearing decades earlier, is now home to a flock of lorikeets and Alex’s
beloved tree cottage, his place of refuge.
Devastating news of their father’s terminal illness brings emotional chaos as
the twins try to process the diagnosis and comprehend life without both of
their parents. Amid the heartache and the confusion, Emily tries to hold the
family together as Alex withdraws emotionally and physically, spending much of
his time in the lorikeet tree. Emily and Alex’s differing personalities,
opinions, and coping strategies add to the unease within the house and form a rift
in the twin’s relationship.
The Lorikeet Tree is an emotionally moving novel suitable for a lower
secondary school audience. It is written in the first person by fifteen year
old Emily, as a personal memoir for a school assignment. Its themes include
family, siblings, love, terminal illness, superstitions, wildlife, and the
environment.
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