Alli Parker is back with another high-stakes historical novel, this time set in the Melbourne theatre scene and the Second World War internment camps which are a crucial yet often unspoken part of Australian history. Emiko ‘Emmy’ Darling is the loving wife of Sebastian Darling, a big up-and-coming playwright, and the granddaughter of Hiroki, a Japanese man who immigrated to Australia before the White Australia policy of 1901 was put in place. Virginia van Belle, owner of the magnificent Belleview Theatre and the leading actress at the time, wants to bring Emiko and her family’s time in the internment camps to the stage; the camps where anyone the government deemed a ‘threat’ were held for years in brutal and unfair conditions.

As Emiko begins to work with Virginia, resurfacing past traumas for her art, the play begins to go in a dangerous direction that could lead to real, physical consequences. During this time, Emiko finds comfort in the company of Isadora, an employee at a nearby coffee lounge, a safe haven.

I was absolutely captivated from the very first chapter of this novel. Emiko is such a compelling character. Her secrets multiply throughout the book, and the slowly building tension forces you to brace for the implosion you know is coming. I think any woman will empathise with Emiko, whether that’s relating to making oneself smaller for the comfort of men, conforming to societal expectations, or being treated differently simply because of your heritage and culture. Emiko’s identity is torn in two, and it made my heart bleed for the girl who was taught she’s a ‘danger’. This novel will make you mad for the injustices Emiko faced, but also happy for the love, self-acceptance, and courage to stand up for herself that Emiko finds.