Are you having trouble deciding which of the six brilliant books on the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction 2020 shortlist to read? Then take our quiz to find out which one to pick up first…

Grab a sheet of paper, write down the letters of your chosen answers and then tally them up before scrolling down to find out what your next book should be.

QUESTION 1. WHEN READING A BOOK, DO YOU LIKE TO…?

A. Quicken your pulse and take a huge imaginative leap
B. Sit quietly and let the prose wash over you
C. Enter the inner life of others and expand your empathy
D. Be challenged and learn to look at the world in a new way
E. Slip through the cracks into an alternate reality
F. Soak up some big family drama

QUESTION 2. WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING TV SHOWS ARE YOU MOST LIKELY TO WATCH?

A. Lovecraft Country
B. Unorthodox
C. Little America
D. Insecure
E. Black Mirror
F. East West 101

QUESTION 3. WHICH OF THESE LITERARY AWARD WINNERS WOULD YOU PREFER TO READ?

A. The Natural Way of Things by Charlotte Wood
B. Milkman by Anna Burns
C. Australia Day by Melanie Cheng
D. Normal People by Sally Rooney
E. Her Body and Other Parties by Carmen Maria Machado
F. Shadowboxing by Tony Birch

QUESTION 4. WHAT KIND OF LITERARY CHARACTER(S) DO YOU MOST ENJOY READING ABOUT?

A. Someone who will upend your expectations
B. A quiet presence with a mysterious past
C. Ones with stories you may not have heard before
D. Complex, smart, and tinkering with self-destruction
E. Wonderfully weird; not necessarily human
F. Ordinary people who you feel like you’ve probably met in real life

QUESTION 5. WHERE DO YOU WANT FICTION TO TRANSPORT YOU TO?

A. Roaring down the highway like a fugitive
B. For some self-reflection in rural Europe
C. Inside other people’s homes
D. The hidden desires and fears of others
E. To others worlds that are at once strange and familiar
F. Into the suburbs of Western Sydney

Now, tally up your answers. If you chose…

…mostly As

You should read The Animals In That Country by Laura Jean McKay!

Hard-drinking, foul-mouthed, and allergic to bullshit, Jean is not your usual grandma. Working as a guide in an outback wildlife park to stay close to her beloved granddaughter, Jean hears news of a strange pandemic sweeping the country that allows humans to understand the language of animals. As the flu progresses, the unstoppable voices become overwhelming, and many people begin to lose their minds, including Jean’s infected son, Lee. When he takes off with Kimberly, heading south, Jean feels the pull to follow her kin.

‘Original, hugely entertaining and superbly crafted.’ – Alison Huber, Readings’ head book buyer

…mostly Bs

You should read Dolores by Lauren Aimee Curtis!

On a hot day in late June, a sixteen-year-old girl kneels outside a convent, then falls on her face. When the nuns take her in, they name her Dolores. As the girl adjusts to the rhythm of her new life – and relieves memories of her life before – a baby is growing inside her. This visceral, claustrophobic novella sits at just under 150 pages, making it perfect for a one-sit read.

‘If you are looking for an Australian novel that embraces its uniqueness, then Dolores can’t be recommended enough.’ – Chris Somerville, bookseller at Readings Online

…mostly Cs

You should read Lucky Ticket by Joey Bui!

In this stellar debut story collection, Joey Bui introduces a diverse range of characters, all with distinctive voices, and makes us think differently about identity, mixed-race relationships, difficulties between family generations, war and dislocation. This work draws from her interviews with Vietnamese refugees around the world and introduces Bui as talented writer to watch.

‘The prose here is juicy, polyphonic, and refreshing – so many sentences warrant underlining.’ – Ellen Cregan, marketing & events coordinator

…mostly Ds

You should read A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing by Jessie Tu!

Jena Lin plays the violin. A former child prodigy, she uses sex to fill the void left my fame. Her professional life comprises rehearsals, concerts, auditions and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing the demands of her strict family and creative friends, and hooking up. A series of significant events seem to promise change – a job interview, an ill-advised relationship, a prestigious internship – but at what cost to her dreams?

‘This is a fascinating and intense debut that challenges systemic racism and misogyny, particularly in the progressive artistic world.’ – Kara Nicholson, bookseller at Readings Carlton

…mostly Es

You should read Smart Ovens for Lonely People by Elizabeth Tan!

Conspiracies, memes, and therapies of various efficacy underpin this beguiling story collection from Elizabeth Tan. In the titular story, a cat-shaped oven tells a depressed woman she doesn’t have to be sorry anymore. In another, four girls gather to celebrate their underwear in ‘Happy Smiling Underwear Girls Party’, a hilarious take-down of saccharine advertisements. A wildly inventive work.

‘Reading this book feels like watching a Black Mirror episode that’s scored by a tender, wistful Mazzy Star song.’ – Jackie Tang, Digital Marketing Manager

…mostly Fs

You should read The House of Youssef by Yumna Kassab!

Yumna Kassab presents a collection of short stories set in Western Sydney. The stories explore the lives of Lebanese migrants who have settled in the area, circling around themes of isolation, family and community, and nostalgia for the home country.

‘Kassab knows what to leave out to ratchet up the intensity.’ – Joe Rubbo, Shop Manager at Readings Carlton

The 2020 winner of the Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction will be announced in late October. Find out more about this year’s shortlist here.

And don’t forget, you can pick up the entire shortlist in a specially priced bundle for $134.90 ().