Opening at the University of Western Australia in the mid 1990s, the early chapters of Deborah Pike’s The Players capture the essence of my own salad days, spent at the same institution in the same era.
Even the swiftness with which we’re introduced to the six central characters, plus various supporting roles, reminds me of the exhilaration of campus life as an arts student and the constant stream of potential for connection, relationships, the future.
At the centre of this social whirlpool is the flame-haired Veronika, who has surprised her market-farming parents by studying French, philosophy and literature. Sebastian, the wealthy and charming president of the University Dramatic society is loved by many but has eyes only for Veronika.
A student play sees the perspectives of Felix, Gloria, Cassie and Joshua swirl into the mix, each with their own histories, desires and secrets. Some of that is standard adolescent-rebellion fare, some is grittier. There’s Joshua’s past prison sentence. Gloria’s childhood escape from war-torn East Timor.
In the early chapters, Pike artfully parallels the intensity of emotion that surrounds youthful explorations of love, ambition and identity with the relentless dry heat of a Perth summer.
As a local, I found the renditions of my hometown – at once recognisable and novel – immensely satisfying. For those living elsewhere, these chapters form an evocative snapshot of life in ‘90s Perth. But The Players’ strength lies in its characters, who are depicted with sensitivity and wit, and whose narrative arc over the book’s decade is deftly handled, as they ripple outwards from late adolescence, each other and their home. A particular favourite of mine is Cassie, whose youthful exuberance, which initially manifests as somewhat bratty and self-centred, softens in adulthood into generosity and compassion.
Pike’s compelling characters land variously in London, Paris, Berlin, Timor-Leste, and these settings are gloriously detailed. In particular, Timor-Leste shimmers with tropical intensity.
While The Players isn’t dependent on plot to hold the reader, a couple of twists and reveals help the narrative to maintain momentum. As I reached the book’s final pages, I felt that sense of melancholy experienced when a departure is imminent. I didn’t want to say goodbye. A book to savour.