The novel ‘Desire Lines’, written by the current Australian ambassador to Nepal, Felicity Volk, is a spaghetti bowl of several desire lines crisscrossing multiple themes of love, relationship, emotional gratification, career and, of course, life in its entirety. The plot is knitted over at least two-thirds of a century, beginning in the early 1950s, covering an equally vast geography spanning Australia through Asia to the Arctic Circle, the cold ice caves of Norway to the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

These ‘lines’, per se, run through the ‘desires’ of Volk’s protagonists to keep their relationship alive for fifty long years despite asymmetries in their preferences and proven disloyalty, evoke extreme psycho-social questions surrounding passion, compassion and compulsion. Equally powerfully, the novel brings a contemporary pragmatic imperative of global environmental diplomacy home for international cooperation as personified in the endeavour to preserve the seeds of the Australian plants under the Arctic snow.

The opening line of the novel, “Are you still a liar?”, delivered as an anniversary text message from Evie Waddell to Paddy O’Connor, serves as an irresistible hook, hinting at a series of distrust and betrayals unfolding through flashback sequences. Paddy, the male protagonist from London, had a highly troubled childhood with an alcoholic, philanderer and abusive father. He was eventually sent out to Australia as one of the farmer child migrants at the tender age of seven. In stark contrast, the female protagonist, Evie, comes from a happy upbringing and chooses to leave her husband for Paddy, who has developed a successful career as a trained engineer.

The novel explores the timeless theme of lovers coming together in unconventional circumstances with unlikely partners, providing a relatable lens on human civilisation’s history of complex relationships.

What’s particularly unique in this novel is the enduring relationship of the protagonists spanning five decades despite an unusually profound lack of trust. The mystery lies in why Evie recalls Paddy on their anniversary, considering his significant lies and contented family life with another woman—a puzzle that unravels the complexities of love-hate dynamics and the resilience of companionship explored in the novel.

The author subtly introduces a new threshold for women’s endurance, tenderness and capacity to forgive seemingly boundless deceit. This might serve to affirm the enduring sanctity of marital bonds or the deep emotional connection that, once institutionalised and socially acknowledged, persists. The novel delves into the motivations behind truth and lies, particularly within romantic relationships, expanding into a broader philosophical discussion.

The narrative doesn’t dictate a resolution, leaving questions open-ended. Should lies intended to strengthen love be forgiven by the other partner? Can relationships endure continuous deceit and fundamental differences in personality and approach to life? What psychological bond keeps these partners together for so long? The novel invites readers to ponder these questions without prescribing definitive answers.

However, the author intriguingly challenges common beliefs about the significance of ‘firsts’, such as first love, commonly found in traditional literature. She asserts, “Lasts were important, she thought. Last conversations, last declarations of love, the last act of making love. There always was a last; you just didn't always know you had experienced it. Not until later, often not until too much time had passed to preserve the memory, preserving its essence for the frequent revivals nostalgia would demand.”

While exploring the backstory in fiction is a familiar storytelling approach, Volk’s unconventional style, marked by aesthetic anarchism in constructing her own syntactical realm and challenging grammar and punctuation norms, enhances the novel’s allure. The intricate interweaving of plots involving diplomacy and its protocols, the intricacies of professions like horticulture and engineering, and detailed descriptions of locations and attire might, at times, appear demanding to follow. This is precisely why the novel has grown in thickness to a substantial 440 pages.

Additionally, for a genuine understanding of the comparison between the architectures of Cambodian temples and Norwegian ice vaults, designed to safeguard seeds for the future, it is important for readers to possess a well-rounded knowledge, if not personal experience. However, this might be a challenging expectation in an era dominated by Twitter and TikTok consumerism, which often overshadows genuine creativity in arts and literature. The inclusion of sub-plots addressing indigenous issues and the intentional celebration of feminism enhances the overall narrative.

The novel provides a realistic portrayal of love experiences, the challenges of separation, and the persistent desire to reconnect. The unwavering sense of public duty exhibited by the female protagonist adds a layer of authenticity to the novel, prompting readers to sense strong autobiographical elements woven into the narrative.

The novel is undoubtedly a compelling read that has more nuanced philosophical, psychological, and humanistic underpinnings compared to commercial cheap fiction. The natural maturity expounded in Volk’s work is but natural to be expected from a diplomat trained in linguistics with personal exposure to the world of films, arts and creative writing.

Desire Lines

Author: Felicity Volk

Year: 2020

Publisher: Hachette Australia