229:, with significant self-esteem issues. Additionally, Garner notes the accused kept diaries about her interactions with men as a teen in which she treated them as disposable commodities, wore high heels to high school, and according to anecdotal evidence from her former best friend, treated Cinque with an element of derision–sometimes mocking him and making jibes about what she thought was a lack of intellect and sophistication to her friends. Some of Singh's former friends thought her to be shallow, self-obsessed and desperate for male approval.
352:
vigil,’ Garner says, marvelling at the
Cinques' stamina. Which is what Garner becomes conscious of doing." He further commented on the book being Garner's conscious testament to the injustice dealt to Joe Cinque and his family: "For what are these books but tributes to the dead, swipes at our forgetfulness, minor consolations for the living: the parents and siblings and friends who feel devastated and betrayed? One thinks of all the unattested lives, the little murders".
316:" of the ANU students who were indifferent to Singh's plans, as well as the Canberra courts, the defence lawyers and the judge who handled the case. The complicity of the students, and whether or not they played a role in Cinque's death by not alerting authorities, was also a topic debated extensively throughout the text.
29:
382:, which reads: "A book which functions at one level as a psychological mystery, but at deeper levels is an exploration of the adequacy of the law to dispense justice, and the responsibility that human beings have to each other...It is told with compassion, a singular kind of honesty, and unadorned intelligence".
326:
Joe Cinque's murder wasn't a series of facts that I could be professional about, that I could seize and manipulate with my mind. I was helpless in the face of it. It billowed like a dark curtain on every breeze that blew. It seeped into everything I did. It was a stricken land to which my imagination
355:
Elisabeth
Hanscombe, writing for Academia, wrote that Garner's writing, and her depiction of Anu Singh, addressed the notion that for a layperson it "may perhaps be difficult to understand that someone can be extremely intelligent, can function well academically, be beautiful and at the same time be
390:
Both Singh herself and Cinque's parents gave interviews shortly after the book's release. Singh recounted her own memories of the killing and her feelings about it after her release and expressed regret at not agreeing to an interview by Garner. She told interviewers that she wished to redress some
351:
remarked that "books such as Joe Cinque’s
Consolation often dignify the parents' agony and indignation. In Maria Cinque we have one of the great stalwarts in this literature of loss. She is always there in court – listening, occasionally hissing and weeping, raging when she must. 'They were keeping
340:
was reviewed in a number of major newspapers and magazines. It was praised for Garner's writing and its positioning as Joe Cinque's story. Criticisms of the book centred on it failing to tell the story it set out to tell, particularly its inability to explain Singh or her actions and her failure to
252:
and crime/punishment. She also touches on issues that range from the nature of human memory, including how it is not explicitly clear or cohesive, nor is it linear, and thus under cross-examination in a courtroom, any kind of lapse in memory, or contradiction of a preceding statement, may portray a
451:
Twelve years after publication, the book was adapted into a 2016 film by writer/director
Sotiris Dounoukos and Matt Rubinstein, and produced by Matt Reeder of Night Kitchen Productions. Principal photography ran for seven weeks in Canberra during April to June 2015. There was a principal cast of
224:
After the trial Garner interviews Singh's family and attempts to interview Singh and Rao, but both refuse or are uncontactable. Because of Singh's refusal to be interviewed or contacted, Garner bases most of her information about the woman from erstwhile friends, anecdotal evidence and court
394:
Maria Cinque said that she would never forgive Singh for killing her son and did not believe her defence against the murder charge. Garner also stated that she still did not understand or empathise with Singh, although some aspects of her behaviour resonated.
193:. A number of her friends and acquaintances had been informed of her intent to kill him and some were present at parties she held in which he was drugged; none of these friends alerted authorities or police. She was subsequently found guilty of his
341:
engage with the purpose of the adversarial justice system. Some saw this as a deliberate attempt by Garner – to honour Cinque, whose family had been not been given a voice or adequate justice by the court. In his review for the
236:, interviews the presiding judge and repeatedly visits and becomes a friend of Cinque's family, and eventually concludes that the purpose of the book is to be consolation for Joe Cinque, as the trial proceedings could not be.
256:
Class and cultural clashes are drawn between the working class
Italian-Australian family of the Cinques, compared to the "professional class" Indian-Australian family of the Singhs. This comparison starkly juxtaposes the
216:. She relates her impressions of the trial, including her negative reactions to Singh and her mystification at Rao's and others' lack of shock at and complicity in Singh's plans, which she determines to be a state of
303:
Finally, Garner laments on the perfunctory decision that the Crown psychiatrist would not be given direct access to Singh, and her diagnosis would be made instead on the basis of transcripts and interviews with
220:
and abandonment of compassion. As the trial progresses she becomes acquainted with Cinque's mother Maria and feels that the court system is not distributing sufficient justice to the victim or his family.
197:. The most involved of the friends, Madhavi Rao, was acquitted of all charges. Rao moved abroad and adopted a new identity after the conclusion of the trials, while Singh was released from prison in 2001.
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begins with Garner being informed of Singh's second 1999 trial and its circumstances, when it was already in progress. She becomes interested and travels from her
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and Garner's attempts to understand the events that led to his death, as well as the legal and personal responses to the crime. The book was adapted into a 2016
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373:) criticised similarities in the themes of both books, particularly Garner's perceived hostility to the women subjects and their physical appearance.
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in law, is alluded to various times. Garner questions whether a "psychological sophistication" that has developed in light of modern
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had been exiled. I couldn't find a place to get back across the border. The only way was to write about it. But I was paralysed.
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It is an account of Garner's presence at the separate trials of Anu Singh and her friend
Madhavi Rao, who were accused of
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and psychotic depression was referenced in the court proceedings) as an explanation for her killing Cinque, akin to the
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in
Australia, drug use, and other social problems. A national bestseller, the book has sold 100,000 copies.
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professionals in the past – Garner admits this "floored" her. Additionally, one reviewer writing for the
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Garner uses the case to explore far-reaching themes of human behaviour, culpability and responsibility,
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overrides the fact that some actions are plainly wrong and should be punishable, regardless of the
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365:(1995), noting that it was less about the underlying debates and more about the story. Another,
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in reference to Anu Singh. Singh's defence team used her "abnormality of mind" (a diagnosis of
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The cover of the re-printed edition from 2006 contains a blurb extracted from a review in
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Cinques (although Joe Cinque had a degree in engineering), from a working-class
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Casting for 300 extras as Joe Cinque's
Consolation starts filming in Canberra
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Anne
Delaney (producer) and Phillip Adams (interviewer) (23 September 2004).
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transcripts. Singh is portrayed as socially gifted and ambitious, but highly
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Joe Cinque’s
Consolation: A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law
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Joe Cinque's Consolation: A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law
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Joe Cinque's Consolation: A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law
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around 40 main and supporting characters, plus around 300 extras.
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status of the Singhs, who lived in comfortable inner-west Sydney.
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Joe Cinque's Consolation: A True Story of Death, Grief and the Law
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549:"Peter Rose reviews 'Joe Cinque's Consolation' by Helen Garner"
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967:. State Library of Victoria. 28 September 2005. Archived from
408:(The Crime Writers Association of Australia), Best True Crime
152:
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883:. The Crime Writers Association of Australia. Archived from
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opined that it was Maria Cinque who called out the "flaky
965:"The Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction: Shortlist 2005"
232:
As the book progresses, Garner becomes interested in
1018:, if.com.au, 15 June 2015, accessed 20 January 2016
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770:. Picador Australia. 2004. p. front cover.
991:"2006 Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature"
933:"NSW Premier's Literary Awards 2005 shortlist"
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816:
855:Kerry O'Brien (interviewer) (29 July 2004).
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288:of the person who commits them. She poses
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1050:, 24 April 2015, accessed 20 January 2016
1021:
857:"Garner on murder and the justice system"
741:"Helen Garner and the desire for revenge"
572:A Writing Life: Helen Garner and Her Work
429:, The Nettie Palmer Prize for Non-fiction
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253:person as a liar or an unworthy witness.
1016:It's a wrap for Joe Cinque's Consolation
672:"Helen Garner: Joe Cinque's Consolation"
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610:Hecate's Australian Women's Book Review
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434:Adelaide Festival Awards for Literature
422:, Douglas Stewart Prize for non-fiction
185:Anu Singh, a law student at Canberra's
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702:Fitzgerald, Michael (11 August 2004).
670:Hewitson, Michelle (30 January 2006).
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135:murdering Singh's boyfriend Joe Cinque
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391:of the book's imbalance towards her.
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1310:Non-fiction books adapted into films
1147:Honour & Other People's Children
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411:Finalist and highly commended, 2005
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212:residence to attend the hearings in
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993:. 21 February 2006. Archived from
907:"The Walkley Awards: 2005 winners"
427:Victorian Premier's Literary Award
14:
1321:
638:Fraser, Morgan (14 August 2004).
604:Dever, Maryanne (February 2004).
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161:narcissistic personality disorder
1163:My Hard Heart: Selected Fictions
791:Wyndham, Susan (9 August 2004).
983:
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476:. National Library of Australia
447:Joe Cinque's Consolation (film)
294:borderline personality disorder
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371:Australian Women's Book Review
359:One reviewer compared it with
187:Australian National University
165:dependent personality disorder
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1305:Ned Kelly Award-winning works
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420:NSW Premier's Literary Awards
1295:Australian non-fiction books
606:"Hanging Out for Judgement?"
570:Brennan, Bernadette (2017).
7:
123:book written by Australian
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1198:The Last Days of Chez Nous
1034:, accessed 20 January 2016
704:"Everything But the Truth"
640:"Joe Cinque's Consolation"
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200:
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938:The Sydney Morning Herald
881:"Ned Kelly Award Winners"
798:The Sydney Morning Herald
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1241:Joe Cinque's Consolation
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522:Joe Cinque's Consolation
338:Joe Cinque's Consolation
276:Furthermore, the use of
206:Joe Cinque's Consolation
145:Joe Cinque's Consolation
1285:Non-fiction crime books
1139:Short story collections
524:. Picador. p. 15.
1280:2004 non-fiction books
1155:Postcards from Surfers
793:"On death and madness"
739:Hanscombe, Elisabeth.
677:The New Zealand Herald
399:Awards and nominations
356:seriously disturbed".
344:Australian Book Review
329:
310:Australian Book Review
157:personality psychology
1300:Books by Helen Garner
324:
139:film of the same name
828:"Joe Cinque is Dead"
682:APN News & Media
16:Book by Helen Garner
1249:This House of Grief
1112:The Children's Bach
997:on 9 September 2007
971:on 9 September 2007
404:Winner (tie), 2005
282:behavioural science
181:Death of Joe Cinque
147:explores themes of
33:First edition cover
23:
1290:Non-fiction novels
720:on 29 October 2010
432:Shortlisted, 2006
425:Shortlisted, 2005
418:Shortlisted, 2005
415:, Non-fiction book
175:Joe Cinque's death
21:
1267:
1266:
1257:Everywhere I Look
1233:The Feel of Steel
1046:, Natasha Rudra,
913:on 19 August 2008
585:978-1-925-41039-6
531:978-0-33-042178-2
369:(writing for the
320:Critical response
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107:978-0-330-36497-3
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1209:Non-fiction
1190:Two Friends
1182:Monkey Grip
1174:Screenplays
1104:Monkey Grip
259:blue-collar
121:non-fiction
1274:Categories
456:References
349:Peter Rose
278:psychiatry
60:True crime
1087:Works by
750:22 August
714:Time Inc.
555:30 August
286:pathology
267:Newcastle
88:Australia
65:Publisher
745:Academia
520:(2004).
502:9 August
480:22 April
214:Canberra
191:Rohypnol
49:Language
645:The Age
201:Summary
69:Picador
52:English
1260:(2016)
1252:(2014)
1244:(2004)
1236:(2001)
1228:(1996)
1220:(1995)
1201:(1992)
1193:(1986)
1185:(1982)
1166:(1988)
1158:(1985)
1150:(1980)
1131:(2008)
1123:(1992)
1115:(1984)
1107:(1977)
1096:Novels
1001:24 May
975:24 May
949:24 May
917:24 May
891:24 May
869:. ABC.
808:24 May
774:
724:24 May
687:24 May
655:24 May
620:24 May
582:
528:
240:Themes
218:apathy
210:Sydney
125:author
39:Author
149:grief
119:is a
93:Pages
57:Genre
1032:IMDb
1003:2008
977:2008
951:2008
919:2008
893:2008
810:2008
772:ISBN
752:2018
726:2008
709:TIME
689:2008
657:2008
622:2008
580:ISBN
557:2017
526:ISBN
504:2017
482:2024
163:and
153:loss
151:and
102:ISBN
80:2004
867:ABC
838:ABC
261:or
167:),
96:336
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1030:,
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