Book review: No Church in the Wild, Murray Middleton

If the title of Murray Middleton’s latest book, No Church in the Wild sounds familiar, you probably grew up in the early 2000s listening to US hip-hop music (or you’ve watched The Great Gatsby with Leonard DiCaprio too many times!) 

For those who don’t know, the Jay-Z and Kanye West song of the same name was released in 2012. Its lyrics question authority and religion, and glamourise a gangster lifestyle. The accompanying video clip is dark and apocalyptic, full of street riots and fights between groups of masked men and the police. 

While Middleton’s book reveals just how deeply this culture has seeped into the minds and hearts of marginalised young people here in Australia, these rap references, both in the title and throughout the book, are really just the tip of the iceberg in what is a complex and confronting story. 

Set around the commission towers of Melbourne’s inner city, No Church in the Wild focuses on four main characters. Anna is the idealistic young teacher who sees the best in everyone and wants to make a difference, but she’s burnt out professionally and struggling personally. Paul is a new police officer who also wants to make a difference in his own way, but carries some very distinct beliefs and thinks of himself as lucky to have come from “good stock”. Tyler is one of Anna’s students, who sees the only hope of escaping a dysfunctional life with his addict mother and her drop-kick boyfriend is to join the army. And then there’s another student, Ali, who is from a Middle Eastern background and dreams of becoming a famous rap star like his idols Dr Dre or 2Pac. 

As these characters’ paths cross in and outside of school, each struggles to reconcile their past experiences and expectations for the future, with their challenging and uncompromising reality. While their choices and actions may be confronting and unfamiliar for many readers, some will find themselves vividly transported back to a time when oversized NBA basketball shirts were fashionable and cool, Chiko Rolls, Maccas and KFC where considered good food, and the smell of cigarettes and Impulse deodorant lingered in the air.

Moving between the four perspectives, and featuring an array of supporting characters, Middleton weaves a heartbreaking tale about what it’s like trying to find your place in a world that only sees you as a problem or, worse, a lost case. He touches on themes such as racism, sexual abuse and police brutality, and explores feelings of dignity, pride and hope – which the students are significantly lacking. 

Ultimately, everyone wants to break free from generations of inequality, discrimination and trauma, and while they are presented with moments of optimism and opportunity, the cycle proves too hard to break, resulting in devastating and tragic consequences. 

No Church in the Wild documents a distinct place and time in Australian history with plenty of relatable pop culture references like Game of Thrones (first aired in 2011) and the 2Pac hologram that appeared at Coachella in 2012. 

Read: Book review: The Story Thief, Kyra Geddes

In an easy read, despite some heavy and uncomfortable topics and scenes, Middleton’s research and eight years of working in Victoria’s education system have provided a unique and shocking insight to the lives of misunderstood and disadvantaged young people in the state. 

I wonder what the towers’ young people would think…

No Church in the Wild, Murray Middleton
Publisher: Pan Macmillan
Format: Trade Paperback
Pages: 368 pages
Publication: 26 March 2024
RRP: $34.99