By A.J. Griffiths-Jones

‘Will you look at us by the river! The whole restless mob of us on spread blankets in the dreamy briny sunshine skylarking and chiacking about for one day, one clear, clean, sweet day in a good world in the midst of our living.’

So begins a beautiful tale of not taking life too seriously and making the best of what comes your way. Spanning twenty years, this great novel is set in Australia at the end of the Second World War, a time of rationing, unstable employment and political strife, and is a rich and endearing story about two families just trying to get by.

The title of the book comes from No. 1 Cloudstreet, a large rambling house in dire need of restoration and attention, a property inherited by Sam Pickles from his beloved late Uncle Joel.

The bequest comes at a troublesome time for the family, as Sam finds himself recovering from a tragic accident at work in which he has lost all the fingers from one hand, and the sudden misfortune of no income and fallen pride finds him on a downward spiral with nowhere to turn.

Hence poor Sam has no option but to pack up their belongings and move the Pickles family into their strange and imposing new home.

Enter the Lamb family in their overloaded truck, an enterprising and lively bunch looking for a new place to settle and hopefully call home. As they happen upon Cloudstreet, Sam Pickles seizes upon an unexpected opportunity and agrees to rent out half of his rooms, effectively splitting the old mansion in two.

As the years pass, there are many events that both unite and divide the parents and children of both sides, but what they all have in common is an endless supply of resilience and respect for one another.

Winton has created some wonderful characters in this heartwarming novel, with a myriad of names that suit each and every one. Sam and Dolly Pickles with their clever but sometimes judgmental daughter Rose and boisterous boys named Ted, Chub and Carn.

The couple have a fractious relationship, many of their gripes left unspoken, but they stay together regardless, more out of duty than undying love. Lester and Oriel Lamb are the exact opposite, a practical and hard-working duo who rise above their struggles to open a successful shop from the front room of the Pickles’ house.

It is here that Lester Lamb finds his niche, creating ice cream and pasties that have locals queueing around the block. Their children are cheeky and fun-loving, all except poor brooding Fish, who almost died from drowning and is forever changed, a child now trapped in a young man’s body.

It is Fish who reminds his parents how fragile the line between life and death, a constant reminder of what might have been.

This is a long yet satisfying read, each chapter slotted in like a piece of a vivid and colourful jigsaw, every single one relevant to the events that have passed in the families’ lives and a testament to those yet to come.

There are some hilarious moments in Cloudstreet, which the author describes in such glorious detail that the reader can almost hear the coins jangling in Sam Pickles’ pocket and taste the delicious homemade dinners created in Oriel Lamb’s kitchen.

There is never a dull moment in this epic book, with superbly told scenarios that bring a smile to any reader’s face. There is the decision by Oriel Lamb to move into a tent in the Cloudstreet garden, a pig that appears to have the gift of speech and the most unexpected of weddings that threatens to bring chaos to the household.

Some of the funniest and most memorable scenes play out over mealtimes, with Fish spinning plates and Lester telling tall tales, the smell of gravy and vegetables enveloping the characters as they chatter and chew.

Winner of Australia’s prestigious Miles Franklin Award, this is a great family drama that deserves to be read more than once, such is its rarity in the world of literature, as second time around you are bound to discover hidden gems of wisdom, laugh-out-loud anecdotes and a whole lot of love that didn’t seem quite so prominent on the first read.

Cloudstreet is a tale of resilience, camaraderie and hope, but above all it is a great example of how families stick together and endure against all odds, especially when life hands out lemons.