Gail Jones’s novels have been shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award three times, and already there is talk that this book may well be THE ONE. Certainly, Five Bells meets the main award criteria, in that it ‘portrays Australian life in any of its phases’. The four characters – two born overseas – are wonderful, accurate and empathically drawn modern Australians. The novel is set in Circular Quay on a beautiful summer Saturday. Jones sets the scene with local detail like the ferries: ‘bobbing, their green and yellow forms toy-like, arriving, absorbing slow lines of passengers, departing’.

Only two of the four characters know each other. After nearly 20 years, James and Ellie are planning to meet again. Both are nervous and curious to see the effect of time on each other; to gauge whether the unusually deep connection they shared as teenagers in a small West Australian town remains. Gradually, both of their back-stories emerge. Pei Xing, a Chinese woman in her sixties, makes the pilgrimage to Circular Quay each week, following her train journey with a ferry trip to the North Shore. She visits a person from her traumatic past, much to her son’s objection. The final character, Catherine, is from Ireland and still haunted by the sudden death of her brother years ago. Each character’s life and history is so multi-layered and interesting that Jones could have written a novel about each.

The format is slightly disappointing because I was wondering through much of the book how the author would create a scene bringing them all together. This does not occur. Nonetheless, Five Bells was satisfying and painted a portrait of modern Australians dealing with issues of love and loss against a shimmering backdrop.

Annie Condon is a published short-story writer and a convenor of a Readings Australian Book Club.