My novel& #39;s first review. Woo Hoo! (scroll to the bottom of this article) It& #39;s small, but it counts.
PS despite what this reviewer wrote, there& #39;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">https://thewest.com.au/travel/ar...

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& #39;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">https://www.killyourdarlings.com.au/article/w...

I do appreciate that review. And I know it& #39;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& #39;s hard to resist, but don& #39;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.