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Swerve
One of Australia's finest young cellists, 16 year-old Hugh Twycross has a very bright future. A future that has been mapped out by his parents, his teachers, by everybody, it seems, except Hugh Twycross.
Hugh has a secret, though: he loves cars and he loves car racing. When his newly discovered grandfather, Poppy, asks him to go on a road trip to Uluru in his 1970 Holden HT Monaro, Hugh decides, for once in his life, to do the unexpected.
As they embark on a journey into the vast and fierce landscape of the Australian interior, Hugh discovers that Poppy has a secret that will unravel both their lives and take them in a direction they never expected.
A novel for young adults.
Hugh has a secret, though: he loves cars and he loves car racing. When his newly discovered grandfather, Poppy, asks him to go on a road trip to Uluru in his 1970 Holden HT Monaro, Hugh decides, for once in his life, to do the unexpected.
As they embark on a journey into the vast and fierce landscape of the Australian interior, Hugh discovers that Poppy has a secret that will unravel both their lives and take them in a direction they never expected.
A novel for young adults.
228 pages, Paperback
First published August 31, 2009
13 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Phillip Gwynne
64 books32 followersPhillip Gwynne's first novel Deadly Unna? the literary hit of 1998, has now sold over 180,000 copies. It was made into the feature film Australian Rules for which Phillip won an AFI award. The sequel, Nukkin Ya, was published to great acclaim in 2000. He has also written The Worst Team Ever, Born to Bake, and A Chook Called Harry in the Aussie Bites series, and Jetty Rats. Phillip's latest novel, the adult detective thriller The Build Up, is being made into a 13-part TV series on SBS, and his YA novel, Swerve, will be published in 2010.
He now lives in Leura, New South Wales, with his wife and three children: aged 17, 2 and 1
He now lives in Leura, New South Wales, with his wife and three children: aged 17, 2 and 1
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 29, 2017
This book was pretty good with an interesting storyline(plot).
October 29, 2021
I read this book as it is required reading for my year 9 PDHPE class within an integrated unit with English. Very Australian and quite masculine, with enough grit and rebellion to keep YA readers engaged. After finishing it I was left wondering if there are texts from a wholly feminine perspective being delivered to our stage 5 students. Unfortunately, I doubt it.
July 3, 2016
This is a delightful book about seventeen-year old Hugh who goes on a road trip with his newly found, hippie grandfather, Poppy. Hugh is a self-confessed partial nerd (a ner or erd) who hates sport, plays chess, is a talented cellist with a bright future and comes from a rich, conservative family. However, he is obsessed with cars - especially Holden muscle cars. So when Poppy suggests Hugh takes him, and his 1969 HT Monaro GTS 350 V8, to Uluru to clock up some hours in his log book Hugh finds it impossible to refuse. On the way they make friends, and enemies, explore Australia's natural wonders and create a bond neither expected.
This book is a fun, fast paced, easy read written to wow testosterone pumped teenage boys. It does has a serious side dealing with coming of age, insecurities, friendship, family relations and death, but Poppy and Hugh are two wonderful characters who the reader can't help falling in love with. Their madcap antics and dialogue are delightful and I was hooked from the start. A refreshing read!
This book is a fun, fast paced, easy read written to wow testosterone pumped teenage boys. It does has a serious side dealing with coming of age, insecurities, friendship, family relations and death, but Poppy and Hugh are two wonderful characters who the reader can't help falling in love with. Their madcap antics and dialogue are delightful and I was hooked from the start. A refreshing read!
May 11, 2010
Not a bad book, plenty of Australian humor. Would make a good movie.
October 2, 2016
This was pretty good. It had a good plot, good jokes, good fun stuff; but I thought that the characters were a bit weak. Shame, because everything else was great.
April 12, 2022
I was assigned to read this book for my English class for an assessment that I will be doing next school term. The book was ok; I did like the idea of the plot twists but I personally wasn't moved or effected by them. The story wasn't really built up to a point where my emotions would be affected by the plot twists that occurred and most of the book was slightly boring. I however did like the understanding that the author has for proper Aussie slang and the character development that the main character Hugh goes through. At first, I didn't like Hugh due to his uptight and rude attitude and the fact that he acted as if he was better than everyone just because he is wealthy, smart and "one of the finest cellist in Australia." At the end though, I do like how the trip had humbled him and gave him a better understanding that the world doesn't revolve around him. I juts wished the story had more to it and was easier to understand and comprehend all the many characters that were thrown at the reader every few sentence.
September 10, 2017
It took me a little while to get into Swerve but once I did I really enjoyed it. I think the "voice" of the narrator took a bit of getting used to - he sounded older (maybe even from a different generation) than his 16 years. Plenty happens on the road trip that Hugh takes with his newly discovered grand father. They make new friends, help people, almost get killed (more than once) and form a beautiful bond. Hugh learns a lot about "real life" on his travels to Uluru with his grandfather and Bella (the hitch hiker on the run). Hugh, a classical musician with a privileged background had always been inexplicably drawn to cars - fast "muscle" type cars, so there is plenty of car action in this story and that should appeal to many boys. If they read it they will also learn lessons on the way, like to be too quick to judge people.
January 25, 2011
Hugh Twycross has it all figured out. He’s a Sydney private school boy on a mission . . . a mission to get good grades, become a concert cellist and keep impressing his mother and father with his budding brilliance. And if that means keeping his lust for Holden muscle cars a secret, then so be it.
And then Poppy turns up. Outside Hugh’s private school gates, Poppy looks like a hippy cultist and he has some wild claims about being Hugh’s grandfather . . . a grandfather Hugh was always told had died years ago.
More than that, Poppy has some wild plans about going to The Rock. Ayers Rock. . . Uluru. No time to pack or delay, because Poppy has a Holden Monaro GTS 350 ready and rearing to go. . . and Hugh can never say no to Holden.
Phillip Gwynne’s novel is a glorious ode to the Australian outback, and an opus dedicated to the Aussie muscle car. I got so caught up in this novel that it felt as though I'd jumped in to ride shotgun with Hugh and Poppy – feeling the thrill of the ride and the purr of the engine for 228 pages of thrilling car chases and majestic scenery. . . and when I got to that last page, I just wanted to go back and ride all over again.
Hugh is a fantastic leading man. He is, by his own admission, a ner (not quite a nerD, but just inexperienced enough with girls to be cutting it damn close). When Hugh meets Poppy his world is turned upside down. In this old man, Hugh discovers his roots and an explanation for his inherited love of cars and Holden patriotism. Though Poppy is not the sort of person Hugh’s well-to-do Sydney-sider parents want him associating with, he is inexplicably drawn to the old man.
Hugh and Poppy’s dynamic is, without a doubt, the stand-out heart-warmer of this book. Poppy as an aging hippy with stories to tell and a past he’s still trying to race away from. . . and his geeky grandson who needs to loosen up. As Poppy puts it;
“My aim is to see if I can make my grandson look less like a member of the Young Liberals and more like a teenager,”
Gwynne’s book is a pretty harmless Young Adult read. Sure, Hugh develops a crush on a hitch-hiking skank called Bella. And, yes, Hugh and Poppy are chased down by a gun-wielding body-builder and his porn-star girlfriend . . . but all in all, ‘Swerve’ is a bit of good, clean fun. A story about a grandfather making up for lost time and a boy who needed to leave his comfort zone.
‘Swerve’ is also a brilliant bit of Aussie storytelling. Uluru is a majesty of Australian landscape. . . but the real scenery comes from towns like Bathurst and Coober Pedy, as Gwynne tells tale of typical Aussie life and times. There are heart-warming tales of camaraderie and mateship on the road, as well as stories that cut it a little too close to Wolf Creek for comfort. And always with the red dust in the backdrop, the endless kilometres of bitumen and freedom;
And, finally, the saltbush-tufted plains stretching out to the left and to the right and the horizon ahead broken by a purple range ridged like a lizard’s tail, Poppy and I sitting in chairs watching whirly-whirlies shot through with afternoon light as they dance a pas de deux, spiralling towards and away from each other.
‘Swerve’ was one hell of a joyride. A tale of familial relationships rekindled with a typical and truthful Outback backdrop. Glorious.
And then Poppy turns up. Outside Hugh’s private school gates, Poppy looks like a hippy cultist and he has some wild claims about being Hugh’s grandfather . . . a grandfather Hugh was always told had died years ago.
More than that, Poppy has some wild plans about going to The Rock. Ayers Rock. . . Uluru. No time to pack or delay, because Poppy has a Holden Monaro GTS 350 ready and rearing to go. . . and Hugh can never say no to Holden.
Phillip Gwynne’s novel is a glorious ode to the Australian outback, and an opus dedicated to the Aussie muscle car. I got so caught up in this novel that it felt as though I'd jumped in to ride shotgun with Hugh and Poppy – feeling the thrill of the ride and the purr of the engine for 228 pages of thrilling car chases and majestic scenery. . . and when I got to that last page, I just wanted to go back and ride all over again.
Hugh is a fantastic leading man. He is, by his own admission, a ner (not quite a nerD, but just inexperienced enough with girls to be cutting it damn close). When Hugh meets Poppy his world is turned upside down. In this old man, Hugh discovers his roots and an explanation for his inherited love of cars and Holden patriotism. Though Poppy is not the sort of person Hugh’s well-to-do Sydney-sider parents want him associating with, he is inexplicably drawn to the old man.
Hugh and Poppy’s dynamic is, without a doubt, the stand-out heart-warmer of this book. Poppy as an aging hippy with stories to tell and a past he’s still trying to race away from. . . and his geeky grandson who needs to loosen up. As Poppy puts it;
“My aim is to see if I can make my grandson look less like a member of the Young Liberals and more like a teenager,”
Gwynne’s book is a pretty harmless Young Adult read. Sure, Hugh develops a crush on a hitch-hiking skank called Bella. And, yes, Hugh and Poppy are chased down by a gun-wielding body-builder and his porn-star girlfriend . . . but all in all, ‘Swerve’ is a bit of good, clean fun. A story about a grandfather making up for lost time and a boy who needed to leave his comfort zone.
‘Swerve’ is also a brilliant bit of Aussie storytelling. Uluru is a majesty of Australian landscape. . . but the real scenery comes from towns like Bathurst and Coober Pedy, as Gwynne tells tale of typical Aussie life and times. There are heart-warming tales of camaraderie and mateship on the road, as well as stories that cut it a little too close to Wolf Creek for comfort. And always with the red dust in the backdrop, the endless kilometres of bitumen and freedom;
And, finally, the saltbush-tufted plains stretching out to the left and to the right and the horizon ahead broken by a purple range ridged like a lizard’s tail, Poppy and I sitting in chairs watching whirly-whirlies shot through with afternoon light as they dance a pas de deux, spiralling towards and away from each other.
‘Swerve’ was one hell of a joyride. A tale of familial relationships rekindled with a typical and truthful Outback backdrop. Glorious.
July 5, 2012
Hugh Twycross is a guy who knows where he’s going in life. A private school boy with a cello audition at the prestigious Conservatorium, Hugh is not one to diverge from the straight and narrow path of his life. That is until Poppy, the grandfather Hugh never knew existed, suggests a road trip to Ayres rocks in his 1969 Holden HT Monaro GTS 350 V8. And from than on out the straight and narrow starts to get a bit curvy as Hugh and Poppy venture out into the dangerously beautiful Australian terrain.
Swerve is a classic road trip story set against an Australian backdrop that bursts with imagery and realism. The dusty red surrounds and wide-open endless bitumen roads provide the perfect setting this hair-raising coming of age road trip. Road trips in young adult fiction give teenage characters the ability to break free from the humdrum of everyday life and to be spontaneous, experience new things and meet different kinds of people away from the watchful gaze of parents.
Swerve differs slightly from others in this genre as it is Poppy, an older parental figure (who is somewhat of a hippy), who forces Hugh to take this journey of self-discovery and gets him to let loose. The relationship between Hugh and Poppy is the heartwarming highlight of this story, as throughout their journey they grow closer and bond over their shared love of Holden cars. It is entertaining to watch as Poppy’s “Screw that” attitude gets rubbed off on to straight-laced Hugh, and the book provides many disturbingly comedic moments, as well as touching on some serious issues.
All-in-all, Swerve is a quintessential Aussie road trip story, with enough adventure, twists and turns, and grunt to captivate even those amongst us who don’t know a Torana from a Toyota.
Sarah @ That Teenage Feeling
Swerve is a classic road trip story set against an Australian backdrop that bursts with imagery and realism. The dusty red surrounds and wide-open endless bitumen roads provide the perfect setting this hair-raising coming of age road trip. Road trips in young adult fiction give teenage characters the ability to break free from the humdrum of everyday life and to be spontaneous, experience new things and meet different kinds of people away from the watchful gaze of parents.
Swerve differs slightly from others in this genre as it is Poppy, an older parental figure (who is somewhat of a hippy), who forces Hugh to take this journey of self-discovery and gets him to let loose. The relationship between Hugh and Poppy is the heartwarming highlight of this story, as throughout their journey they grow closer and bond over their shared love of Holden cars. It is entertaining to watch as Poppy’s “Screw that” attitude gets rubbed off on to straight-laced Hugh, and the book provides many disturbingly comedic moments, as well as touching on some serious issues.
All-in-all, Swerve is a quintessential Aussie road trip story, with enough adventure, twists and turns, and grunt to captivate even those amongst us who don’t know a Torana from a Toyota.
Sarah @ That Teenage Feeling
April 25, 2011
I absolutely loved this story and couldn't put it down! The writing is fantastic and it was great to read another YA fiction book that is not fantasy/science fiction or teen angst-y. As Hugh participates in a sort of 'right of passage' road trip from Sydney to the Red Center, he discovers there can be more to life than following all the rules. Gotta love Poppy as well, such a great character!
Reading this book took me back to the YA books I used to read almost 10 years ago, from the fantastic work of Margaret Clark (Care Factor Zero, Back on Track, Living With Leanne, On Ya Sonya), Glyn Parry's Scooter Boy, Jaclyn Moriarty's Feeling Sorry For Celia and Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry and the books by John Marsden. These were the books that first got me interested in reading when I was 12 or 13 and they still remain some of my favourite books to this day. Swerve took me back to this style of writing and everyday teens living in Australia with their own issues and insecurities. I can't quite explain what made them so special, but they are.
Reading this book took me back to the YA books I used to read almost 10 years ago, from the fantastic work of Margaret Clark (Care Factor Zero, Back on Track, Living With Leanne, On Ya Sonya), Glyn Parry's Scooter Boy, Jaclyn Moriarty's Feeling Sorry For Celia and Guitar Highway Rose by Brigid Lowry and the books by John Marsden. These were the books that first got me interested in reading when I was 12 or 13 and they still remain some of my favourite books to this day. Swerve took me back to this style of writing and everyday teens living in Australia with their own issues and insecurities. I can't quite explain what made them so special, but they are.
April 22, 2016
Plot summary: On the last day of school, Hugh's grandfather rings him and suggests that they drive from Sydney to Uluru so Hugh can clock a bunch of hours for his learner's permit. The only problem? Hugh has a big cello audition in less than a week. But when his grandfather tells Hugh - a car fanatic - that they'll be making the trip in an HT Monaro GTS 350, what's a guy to do?
Thoughts: This was a funny and fast paced read. Hugh is pretty clueless about the world around him, and it's not long before the roadtrip takes a series of unexpected twists. It's not hard to join the dots as you read, so there weren't a whole lot of surprises in the story. And I have little to no understanding/appreciation of cars, so from that perspective it wasn't particularly thrilling for me.
That said, it was still an enjoyable story about a teenaged boy getting to know his grandfather and discovering who he really is.
Thoughts: This was a funny and fast paced read. Hugh is pretty clueless about the world around him, and it's not long before the roadtrip takes a series of unexpected twists. It's not hard to join the dots as you read, so there weren't a whole lot of surprises in the story. And I have little to no understanding/appreciation of cars, so from that perspective it wasn't particularly thrilling for me.
That said, it was still an enjoyable story about a teenaged boy getting to know his grandfather and discovering who he really is.
April 5, 2016
i liked it alot, it was a nice story about a boy and his pep-pep. It showed well that the boy was different because he went to a public school but by the end he is like the people he met on the way to Uluru he doesn't judge people as he did at the beginning and he is more confident. Spoilers from here. I thought it was a good idea the writer kept it a secret till near the end that the boys pep-pep had cancer, the boy would have not agreed if he knew his pep-pep had cancer. and once you find out he does, the boy had changed. some unanswered questions i have are did they pay back the fine for speeding or would they have to go to jail for resisting arrest and driving off? Wouldn't they have a mat near Poppy's hospital bed so they could tell if he got up? What happened to the man they left by the crick? i will never know because i the writer won't know either and would have made the answer up.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2011
I'm not a slow reader but usually it takes me a while to find time to read, then a while to get into it, and I always seem to find something else I need to do (the main pitfall of moving out of my parents' house).
Swerve, however - a story about a recent high school graduate who takes a spontaneous road trip with his once-estranged grandfather to Uluru - hooked me and within a few hours I'd finished it.
It feels almost designed to be a quick read, with a lot of things skipped over in favour of a brief description. But this book is thoroughly entertaining road trip fluff. The main character, Hugh - or Brockie - is genuinely likeable and, even when he's being stupid and naive, doesn't irritate the reader.
A thought-provoking, surprising read, I would definitely recommend this one.
Swerve, however - a story about a recent high school graduate who takes a spontaneous road trip with his once-estranged grandfather to Uluru - hooked me and within a few hours I'd finished it.
It feels almost designed to be a quick read, with a lot of things skipped over in favour of a brief description. But this book is thoroughly entertaining road trip fluff. The main character, Hugh - or Brockie - is genuinely likeable and, even when he's being stupid and naive, doesn't irritate the reader.
A thought-provoking, surprising read, I would definitely recommend this one.
March 18, 2013
Swerve is a young adult novel that tells the story of 16 year old Hugh Twycross, a talented cellist with a bright future.
After discovering his estranged grandfather, Hugh unexpectedly joins him on a journey from Sydney to Uluru in his 1970 Holden HT Monaro.
Hugh loves cars and racing, a passion that does not fit into his mapped out life. His grandfather encourages his passion and during the trip teaches Hugh things that have not been touched in his formal education.
This book is a journey of self-discovery, a great book for young boys in particular who are confused about their future and their transition to adulthood.
After discovering his estranged grandfather, Hugh unexpectedly joins him on a journey from Sydney to Uluru in his 1970 Holden HT Monaro.
Hugh loves cars and racing, a passion that does not fit into his mapped out life. His grandfather encourages his passion and during the trip teaches Hugh things that have not been touched in his formal education.
This book is a journey of self-discovery, a great book for young boys in particular who are confused about their future and their transition to adulthood.
May 31, 2011
A coming of age road trip. Not the most outstanding YA novel but nevertheless, an enjoyable jaunt through the countryside with Hugh and his "elderly hippie" grandfather. The scenery of the outback features, as does a vintage Holden Monaro, both of which are almost characters in this adventure of a lifetime.
Would appeal to readers wanting an easy, escapist, holiday read.
Would appeal to readers wanting an easy, escapist, holiday read.
May 15, 2010
I guess I've got a thing for Gwynne's books - loved Deadly, Unna; liked Nukkin' Ya; now thoroughly enjoyed Swerve (after struggling through a couple of other books today that I felt like I was supposed to enjoy, but had to work at it). This one, I wanted to read.
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August 5, 2011Enjoyable and fast paced. Good to see Phillip Gwynne back in the YA arena. It fits him so well. He fits it so well. A match made and all that.
Not at all preachy, and no excessive angst. Just strong characters and a well constructed plot.
Not at all preachy, and no excessive angst. Just strong characters and a well constructed plot.
August 23, 2012
I was not sure about this book when I first read it but it has grown on me. The quintessential Aussie road trip story. Would a cello fit in the back of a Holden Monaro? I assume so but it irked me during the reading.
May 30, 2025
I read this book in an English class and just really didn’t like it very much, maybe it’s just not my type of book. I’ll probably have to read it again at some point to see if maybe it’ll change my mind.
August 6, 2012
Rating - 3.5
January 15, 2013
A nice easy read. Simple story but flowed along quickly enough to maintain interest.
March 28, 2016
The story was great, but I don't think Gwynne's style of writing did it justice. I would love to see this get turned into a film though.
March 30, 2014
I read this fabulous story in one sitting on a plane. Good fun, with many great characters and humour. A great adventure, that is easy to read.
August 9, 2016
Had to read this quickly - as I start teaching it to my Year 10s this week! Was good - my boys will like it!
August 31, 2016
A great book about a boy and his granddad (poppy) going on a road trip through Australia! Great Aussie book.
June 2, 2016
It was interesting how his life changed in the car and why he changed himself
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews