Audiences and critics are relishing the release of The Narrow Road to the Deep North, an adaptation of Richard Flanagan’s historical novel. The book was published in 2013 and won the Man Booker prize. The release of the series and the marking of ANZAC Day make for the perfect moment to revisit the celebrated novel.
Through a fragmented, lyrical narrative, we move between three states. First, the brutal camp life, where Dorrigo fights to keep his fellow POWs alive under horrific Japanese conditions. Second, a forbidden pre-war love affair with his uncle’s young wife, Amy, which haunts him for decades. And finally, post-war fame and personal guilt, as Dorrigo becomes a national figure, but internally battles shame, infidelity and a deep disconnection from the people around him.
