Zing Freeman, the book's hero, is an immature young woman, who does not take responsibility for her unusual actions. She blames her behavior on her parents. Even the love of her life, Dave, is not enough to make her change. An interesting book on the aborgines and the Australian outback.

Alice Springs was an interesting book, one that I think I could have done without reading. After reading the first chapter where the reader was introduced to Snip and her independent ways, the book tended to be rather predictable. The only reason I kept reading was to see if perhaps there would be an unexpected turn, however there really was not one. The book seemed to me to be one that followed the lines of every other fiction work out there.
Perhaps I am being too harsh on the book though. I am sure that most readers would find this book highly entertaining. The book has all the essential elements of a good book. An independent, artistic woman, who on her search for self, runs into a man who challenges her lifestyle. Debating on the issue of whether to love or to keep on moving, a search for her father takes place, a search that leaves her and her father stranded in the Australian desert. If you cannot figure out the story from there, then perhaps this book is for you. Although, many people like the books that they can predict.
The book is very interesting as far as Australian Culture goes, although you might find yourself occasionally needing a list of Australian phrases, if you are a slang-throwing American like me. The book opens a side of Australia that you hear little about. The side of Australia with Aborigines and deserts where a person can become stranded in.
So, I recommend trying this book for yourself. Although the book was not what I would consider good, it is probably what most readers would consider good.

At the end of my edition there were a number of questions for discussion that asked English major-type questions. The questions made me laugh because the book was so real on its own, and the questions made it all seem so articifial.

And that is the real issue of the book, I think. What is real and what is artificial. Snip worries about whether what she feels for Dave is real love or infatuation. She spends the entire book discovering the reality behind her family, particularly her father. She feels like she really belongs in the community, but she doesn't feel like she can paint there.

This is a good book mostly for the unique phrasings. I like the way Gemmell uses language throughout. She knows how to choose a word. Don't be fooled, though. This book is rough. Its themes and language are not for the tenderhearted. I have to say, though, that I think it is rough in a good way.