Ethan

Ezekiel and Ambelin Kwaymullinas' joint novel 'Catching Teller Crow' is a convoluted mess. It tries too hard to be profound and meaningful while conveying a boring plot with zero substance. Amongst other things, the entire poetry section is, well, far from poetry. Its attempt at a commentary real world issues in a series of janky sentences is lackluster, and something a naive primary schooler would write. Enjambment randomly, crazy and hard to navigate metaphors, it's just not poetry to throw in literary devices for the sake of including literary devices. The plot, however interesting the premise, is badly executed, the ending rushed and supernatural elements extremely hard to follow. The entire novel just seems like its trying too hard to be meaningful, when its really not, ie. (real quote) 'my science teacher told me that correlation does not equal causation'. This idea is absolutely never again referenced anywhere else in the book, and provides absolutely zero substance to the messaging, much less furthering the plot. It's a real shame when such books get pushed to and taught to students, when the only people who understand it are the authors themselves, only because they wrote it. It just feels like the Indigenous advocacy it is so based upon is tokenism at best, and does not actually provide any substantial meaning. 'Catching Teller Crow' is a attention-starved puppy begging for your approval, when its really not that cute. In the words of Peter Griffin; it really insists upon itself.