Kate Halfpenny’s Boogie Wonderland is a candid and engaging memoir about chasing a simpler life and discovering that reality rarely follows the script, writes Claire Jenkins.
A SNAP DECISION to move from Melbourne City to an idyllic seaside location with her husband Chris seems to tick all the boxes for Kate. A lower mortgage, a smaller home, a slower pace and the opportunity to breathe more and think less in the company of her spouse.
Except, the choice to tick one box often means choosing to untick another, which for Kate and Chris means different aspects of the life they left behind.
Boogie Wonderland by Kate Halfpenny is an honest, frank and courageous memoir that shares the nitty-gritty of Kate and Chris' life before, during and after their move, and how each copes with the challenges of change and how to respond when dreams don't quite match reality.
I would have liked to read this book in one go, because I did find it difficult to put down. Kate spares no details in the telling of this story and, as a middle-aged peri-menopausal woman with three children who fantasises frequently about a simpler life, I found many aspects highly relatable.
On the flip side, Kate's life and lifestyle are pretty far removed from my own (and, I imagine, many others), and I must confess I had moments where the thought “nice for some” or something similar.
Nonetheless, to write anything other than her actual story would have been disingenuous, and I applaud Kate for displaying a warts-and-all level of candour that's strikingly absent in this “perfect selfie” world.
Kate's writing style is engaging and easy to read, and if (like me) you can only read books in fits and starts, then this is definitely a book that can be consumed that way.
I'm not one to re-read many books – memoirs in particular – but should the opportunity to read a book in one sitting arise, this is definitely a book I may reach for.
Boogie Wonderland by Kate Halfpenny is available from Simon & Schuster..
This book was reviewed by an IA Book Club member. If you would like to receive free high-quality books and have your review published on IA, subscribe to receive your complimentary IA Book Club membership.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Australia License
Support independent journalism Subscribe to IA.
Related Articles
- BOOK REVIEW: My Dad's Gone Away
- BOOK REVIEW: Landslide — The 2025 Australian Federal Election
- BOOK REVIEW: The Turing Protocol
- BOOK REVIEW: Find Me at the Jaffa Gate
- BOOK REVIEW: How to Dodge Flying Sandals
