Australian fiction
A Universe of Sufficient Size by Miriam Sved
With her second novel, A Universe of Sufficient Size, Miriam Sved again demonstrates her ability to write about highly specific human preoccupations in a way that renders them interesting and engaging to the previously uninterested or unaware reader. Her…
The Shining Wall by Melissa Ferguson
An idealist city lies surrounded by shining metal walls that were created by LeaderCorp to benefit all within their borders. Here, the Citizens have the leading technology of medi-nanities, brain implants for communication and access to apps, life extension and…
Invented Lives by Andrea Goldsmith
I read an early draft of Invented Lives a year or so ago; it was almost wonderful then but now it really is wonderful. What I like most about Andrea Goldsmith’s work is that it manages to combine a domestic…
The Glad Shout by Alice Robinson
The Glad Shout is set in a frightening future Melbourne where storms and floods have ravaged the city; families have been separated, and food and water supplies are limited. I have to admit that speculative, or dystopian, novels generally do…
Exploded View by Carrie Tiffany
Carrie Tiffany writes compact but expansive novels. Among other prizes, Everyman’s Rules for Scientific Living was shortlisted for the Guardian First Book Award, while Mateship with Birds won the inaugural Stella Prize. Both were shortlisted for the Miles Franklin. Tiffany’s…
Hare's Fur by Trevor Shearston
In many ways, the opening scene is emblematic of the major concerns in Trevor Shearston’s new novel, Hare’s Fur. It opens in the early morning with its protagonist Russell Bass drinking a coffee, staring out the window into the…
The Hollow Bones by Leah Kaminsky
Based on a true story, Leah Kaminsky’s The Hollow Bones describes one of the most inexplicable and intriguing occurrences of the Nazi regime. For me, this heartbreaking story was reminiscent of tales from the Grimm brothers. The central characters fulfil…
The Rip by Mark Brandi
If The Rip has any antecedents it’s probably novels like Helen Garner’s Monkey Grip and the late Andrew McGahan’s Praise; its gritty look at the underbelly of our society is raw and unflinching and at the same time hopeful…
Heart of the Grass Tree by Molly Murn
Before Nell died, she knew she needed to record a story, a story she had found very hard to share, a story that stretches back before her time. After Nell dies, her daughter to whom she said little, and her…
Call Me Evie by J.P. Pomare
Novels with fragmented narratives are not for everyone – but with the rise of psychological thrillers such as Gone Girl and The Girl on the Train, they’re becoming increasingly popular. Fragmented stories can make for gripping reading, especially when…
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