My novel's first review. Woo Hoo! (scroll to the bottom of this article) It's small, but it counts.
PS despite what this reviewer wrote, there's no "First Nations and Christian mythologies" in my novel. *eye-rolls Indigenously* https://thewest.com.au/travel/art-culture/many-maps-many-rivers-many-journeys-ng-b881678976z?utm_source=csp&utm_medium=portal&utm_campaign=Isentia&token=e%2BJ9cPLdP4sc3J5uYkyCKubtnxN59Tw5LrOZhWRsYU4IMpTomY0gjdy50zD%2FZwhBVQOw65q7ga3imIzfGwQn5Q%3D%3D

Reading the above mini-review of my novel, with the much too-common misuse of the term "mythology" when white reviewers read blak book, I was reminded of @lisaSfuller's excellent article I read today: https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/article/why-culturally-aware-reviews-matter/?utm_content=buffer8da14&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

I do appreciate that review. And I know it's bad form to comment on a review. But maybe writers from non-mainstream backgrounds should review-the-reviews more often? How else are we going to train reviewers to critically read outside of their experiences, biases & worldviews?

Dear reviewers: you are all wonderful. I know it's hard to resist, but don't go adding the "mythology" label to my book. And never ever call it "First Nations mythology". Ta

This thread is not about a particular reviewer or a single review. I want to help drive change in Oz Lit. Having read a lot of reviews by white Australians, I knew my novel, like all works by First Nations writers, could be misinterpreted. Which is why I added Notes in my book.