Title: Candy
Author: Luke Davies
First published January 1, 1997
304 pages, Paperback
ISBN: 9780345423870 (ISBN10: 0345423879)
Rating: 4.12
Overview
In the sunny streets of Sydney, he found Candy. She was beautiful, wild, and carefree, and they fell in love fast.
Their days were filled with laughter, lust, and warm embraces. But when Candy wanted to try heroin, he gave her a taste.
They thought sharing everything was part of love. In the beginning, it was beautiful, but when the money ran out, their days turned into a heroin-fueled haze.
Addiction took over, and they became hostages to the drug’s demands. Candy would do anything to get a fix, and they found themselves trapped in a nightmarish world of addiction.
Painful, raw, and charged with dark humor, Candy is a powerful story of love and addiction set against the backdrop of suburban and urban Australia.
About the Author
Meet Luke Davies, an accomplished Australian writer who has made a name for himself in the world of novels and poetry. Davies has published two novels, including the popular Candy, which was shortlisted for the NSW Premier’s Literary Awards in 1998.
The book was so well-received that it was adapted into a film starring Heath Ledger, which won the AFI for Best Adapted Screenplay in 2006.
Davies’ literary talent extends beyond novels, as he has also published five books of poetry. His collection Running With Light won the Judith Wright Poetry Prize in 2000, and Totem received the 2004 Age Book of the Year Award.
His poetic ability has earned him high praise, as he was awarded the Philip Hodgins Memorial Medal for Poetry in 2004.
Davies has traveled the world, completing several residencies at places such as the Tyrone Guthrie Centre for the Arts in Ireland and The Australia Centre in Chiang Mai, Thailand. His upcoming novel, God of Speed, which delves into the life of Howard Hughes, is set to release in April 2008.
Editoral Review
Candy by Luke Davies is a powerful novel that explores the themes of addiction, love, and self-destruction. First published on January 1, 1997, the book is a raw and unflinching portrayal of a young couple’s descent into drug addiction and the devastating consequences that follow.
Davies, an Australian author and poet, has a unique style that blends poetry with prose, making the language of the book rich and lyrical. The novel is set in Sydney in the 1990s, a time when heroin addiction was rampant and young people were struggling to find their place in the world.
The book is written in the first person, giving readers an intimate insight into the mind of the protagonist, Dan, and his girlfriend, Candy.
The plot of Candy follows the couple’s journey from their first meeting to their eventual spiral into addiction. Dan, a struggling writer, falls in love with Candy, a beautiful and free-spirited artist.
They embark on a passionate and intense relationship, but soon find themselves drawn into the seedy underworld of drugs. As their addiction deepens, they are forced to confront the harsh realities of their situation, including the toll it takes on their physical and emotional well-being.
One of the strengths of Candy is its vivid and realistic portrayal of addiction. Davies does not shy away from the gritty details of drug use, describing the physical and emotional effects in vivid detail.
The characters are complex and multi-dimensional, making it easy for readers to empathize with their struggles. The book also touches on broader themes such as the impact of addiction on relationships, the role of art in society, and the search for identity and purpose.
However, the book does have its limitations. Some readers may find the graphic descriptions of drug use and the characters’ self-destructive behavior disturbing.
Additionally, the plot can feel slow-paced at times, with long stretches of introspection and self-reflection.
Overall, Candy is a powerful and moving novel that will resonate with readers who have experienced addiction or have been affected by it in some way. It is a poignant reminder of the destructive nature of drugs and the toll they can take on individuals and society as a whole.
I would recommend this book to mature readers who are looking for a thought-provoking and emotionally engaging read.
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars.
