The Man Who Loved Children - Christina Stead, Randall Jarrell This is a strange book. My knowledge of Australian based or influence literature is very lacking. The writer, Stead, was born down under but the book takes place in Washington. So really what is it? It reads like magic realism, but it’s not really. In some ways, Stead reminds me of Angela Carter with a slightly less dark and gothic. Then again, it reminds me of a more tragic version of Monty Python. Then again, another turn, it reminds me life. The novel tells the story of Louie who lives with her father and stepmother who can and cannot stand each other. Henny, the stepmother, knows what drives Sam and herself, while Sam is far less sympathic though at first he might come across as more sympathy. There are so many layers to this book, just as so many types of children scurry across its pages. But the writing is so rich and wonderful. There are great truths hidden the diatribes that spew forth from the mouths of the characters. In many ways, it is what the Last Station should have been, far more realistic, far less romantic, and far more real. Far more female, if I can say that without being accused of being sexist. And it is in that instance, it conveys the truth of life. The truth of being the eldest, the truth of marriage, the truth of a bad marriage.