I have not got to
Picnic at Hanging Rock for a couple of days but I am 60% through it and finding it an enjoyable read - glad to have got into it. The country's many little and varied critters get a nice lot of mentions too.
I have a liking for Australian novels (not that I have managed to fit many in among all my other reading) as opposed to NZ ones among which I have not found one yet that I have really persevered with. So started on a good footing as far as expectations were concerned with
Picnic...
Is an interesting comment regarding Joan Lindsay and her marriage on Valentine's Day giving more special meaning to her as that infers that Valentine's Day was a recognized day way back then in Australia. I don't recall ever being in Australia on Valentine's Day so I really have no idea how it is celebrated there now.
Unless I have missed something, here in NZ it is different and it has really only been the last few decades, maybe, that much has been made of Valentine's Day at all. When my wife and I married I don't think I had even heard of Valentine's Day and as far as I know my wife had not either (which may have been a lucky break for me
). Retailers try to push it a bit now but as far as I know among our family and friends no one makes any special effort towards it - certainly nothing like the standing of Mother's and Father's Day, for example.
EDIT: It does occur to me that maybe the recognition of Valentine's Day has waxed and waned over time - must have a look.