Swerve (novel)
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''Swerve'' is a 2009 novel by
Australia Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising mainland Australia, the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania and list of islands of Australia, numerous smaller isl ...
n author
Phillip Gwynne Phillip Gwynne (born 1958) is an Australian author. He is best known for his 1998 debut novel, '' Deadly, Unna?'', a rites-of-passage story which uses Australian rules football as a backdrop to explore race relations in a small town in South Aust ...
. It follows a boy named Hugh, a successful young cellist who lives in Sydney. His grandfather takes him on a trip to
Uluru Uluru (; ), also known as Ayers Rock ( ) and officially gazetted as UluruAyers Rock, is a large sandstone monolith. It outcrop, crops out near the centre of Australia in the southern part of the Northern Territory, south-west of Alice Spri ...
, where many mishaps happen.


Plot

Hugh is a successful young cellist, who is born into a rich family of businesspeople. He has one sister, whom he nicknames Moreton, after a tree. He is very interested in motor racing, and, on multiple occasions, says he is "obsessed with cars". At the start of the book, his grandfather, who is not on speaking terms with the rest of his family, and whom he refers to as Poppy, calls him and asks him to go to Uluru with him. Confused, Hugh says no at first, but is convinced by the number of hours he will be able to earn on his drivers' licence – he has a learners' (70) – and the fact that he would be able to drive a Holden HT Monaro GTS 350. Hugh has an audition to attend soon, urging him to get to Uluru faster during the trip. For the first night Hugh and Poppy stay at a goldpanner's cabin, run by a "Viking-like" man named Alf and his wife Val. This is the first time Hugh and Poppy meet Roberto and Cateano, two men from
São Paulo São Paulo (; ; Portuguese for 'Paul the Apostle, Saint Paul') is the capital of the São Paulo (state), state of São Paulo, as well as the List of cities in Brazil by population, most populous city in Brazil, the List of largest cities in the ...
, headed for Uluru for a religious event called "The Gathering". The next day, they do a lap of the
Mount Panorama Circuit Mount Panorama Circuit, officially Mount Panorama/Wahluu via dual naming, is a motor racing track located in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia. It is situated on Mount Panorama and is best known as the home of the Bathurst 1000 motor race ...
, a famous racing track, and end up racing another, rival car.


Reception

''Swerve'' was reviewed by ''Aussie Reviews'', who wrote: "Young car-lovers will love the road trip, but there is something for every teen, with issues, humour, adventure and even mystery". ''Swerve'' was shortlisted for the Young adult literature prize at the 2010
Prime Minister's Literary Awards The Australian Prime Minister's Literary Awards (PMLA) were announced at the end of 2007 by the incoming First Rudd ministry following the 2007 election. They are administered by the Minister for the Arts.2009 Australian novels Australian young adult novels Novels set in Australia Uluru