When it comes to looking back over his life, Archie Fliess has got some understanding to do. So begins a sprawling reflection on his life during the early twentieth century, from the day the fortunes of brothers Archie and Reggie changed when they were taken to be the rightful owners of the property built by their grandfather in country NSW. Along their journey, they are introduced to an odd collection of family and caretakers, who don’t always have the best interests of the boys at heart. Archie becomes embroiled in the mystery surrounding his grandfather’s life, and as the two stories – Archie’s and his grandfather’s – unravel, we see familiar themes of disappointment and failed ambition. Glissando – A Melodrama is a tale that travels along many threads: it is an Australian story, told in a playful, philosophical voice in a style reminiscent of Sterne’s Tristram Shandy, with shades of Patrick White’s Voss. It has a burlesque bravado similar to Steve Toltz’s Fraction of the Whole. It’s an Australian classic, a satirical romp of epic proportions.
