ON ITS hardback release, this novel was loved by many critics, and disliked by others. The cause of division was Peter Carey's use of grammar in re-creating the voice of Ned Kelly, the Australian bushranger famed in folk memory for his self-made suit of armour. The entire book takes the shape of a journal written by Kelly to the daughter he will never meet. The voice is Kelly's throughout, down to the lack of punctuation, eccentric spellings and curious syntax.

While this device can take time to accept, it is an undoubtedly effective form, combining a strong colloquial voice with surprising poetic gems which shine like scattered stars. Had Carey opted for a more traditional narrative, he would not have captured Kelly's voice so completely and so convincingly, gracing him with such a passionate, quirky intelligence.

Carey used a self-justifying correspondence written by Kelly, known as the Jerilderie letter, to extract what he saw as "Ned's DNA", and from that sample he has rebuilt the man in an act of literary daring which simply demands to be read. As well as giving voice to the dead outlaw, Carey also gives the power of speech to Australia itself, making this a powerfully Australian novel. So much so that the British reader may occasionally wince at the colonial sins of his ancestors.

A wonderful, oddly beautiful book, and a deserved winner of last year's Booker Prize.

Updated: 09:14 Wednesday, March 06, 2002