‘How can this tale of an “impossible” animal be at the same time so immediate, convincing and yet so wildly imaginative?.’
Robyn Williams
Which is the greater mystery: the breeding habits of the platypus or the workings of the human heart?
In 1883 young British naturalist William Caldwell arrives in Australia with a mission: to determine for the scientific record whether the platypus really does lay eggs. But first he must travel overland to the Burnett River in Queensland, where he intends to set up camp. On his journey he is hindered and assisted by a cast of characters, including a drunken bullocky and an inscrutable, poetical bushman. Once there, William starts his investigations and encounters the local Aboriginal people, enlisting their help and ultimately learning their tragic history. He also meets a young blind woman with many secrets of her own.
Love and the Platypus is a delightful, captivating novel that examines the obsessive nature of scientific enquiry and its environmental consequences, and the wonders of the natural world and of romantic love.
‘Bewitching mix of romance and the natural world.’
Geelong Advertiser
‘Drayson has produced a story satisfying on many levels — science, history, action, romance and Darwinism.’
Mary Vernon, Townsville Bulletin
» All reviews for this title‘Love and the Platypus manages to impart a great deal of fascinating natural history while telling an entertaining story.’
Claire Sutherland, Herald Sun