Australian fiction
O by Steven Carroll
Almost 70 years ago, a slim little book was published by a small French publishing house, sans publicity or fanfare, its author a previously unheard-of woman by the name of Pauline Réage. The Story of O would go on to…
The Imitator by Rebecca Starford
In writing this review I simply can’t ignore the fact that 2021 will mark the 70th anniversary of the defections of Soviet agents Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean across the Iron Curtain. Both were high-ranking double agents embedded in the…
The Price of Two Sparrows by Christy Collins
In a Sydney beachside suburb in early 2004, a block of land next to a bird sanctuary has been purchased by members of the Muslim community to build a mosque. The mosque has been designed by talented young architect Salema…
The Speechwriter by Martin McKenzie-Murray
It is a funny old time to be writing political satire. I mean, satire is everyday reality in our year 2021. And so, when a political satire comes along, I am eager to see where it can possibly go. The…
The Beach Caves by Trevor Shearston
Annette Cooley and Sue Klima met in their first prehistory tutorial. Quickly realising they were as ambitious as each other, they chose friendship over competition. Now it’s 1970 and the pair are in their final year with promising careers ahead…
Born Into This by Adam Thompson
This remarkable debut crackles with wit, swagger and rage –- as entertaining and affecting as it is thought-provoking -– and assuredly introduces Aboriginal (pakana) writer Adam Thompson as a fresh new voice to follow in the Australian fiction landscape. Thompson…
Infinite Splendours by Sofie Laguna
Infinite Splendours is filled with vivid descriptions of colour, movement, and grace. It also brims with unfathomable grief. I guarantee that award-winning author Sofie Laguna’s latest novel will force you to revisit moments from your own childhood. But, for those…
Lucky's by Andrew Pippos
Lucky’s is the kind of confident, big-thinking, character-driven, multi-storyline family saga that I love, and comes to us fully formed from a first-time author. It is one of the most impressive and appealing Australian debuts novels of 2020 – or…
Life After Truth by Ceridwen Dovey
If you need a novel to read that feels familiar but will also give you a break from dealing with your own insecurities, here it is. This novel is the perfect read to take to the couch and completely submerge…
All Our Shimmering Skies by Trent Dalton
It seems to me that some authors work desperately hard to ensure that their readers deliberate on who they are in relation to a particular character. Other authors want their readers to consider history, or an alternative narrative of humanity…
Browse our reviews by category
