Australian fiction
Ruins by Rajith Savanadasa
Set in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Rajith Savanadasa’s debut novel Ruins is a sweeping family saga that looks at class, wealth, gender, intergenerational conflict, cultural conflict, politics and more. It follows the fortunes and misfortunes of a family, with each chapter…
Fine by Michelle Wright
The thirty-three stories in the collection Fine by Michelle Wright, are a wonderful celebration of the modern Australian short story, and a must-read for students of the form. Ranging from ‘flash fiction’ of a page or two, to comprehensive stories…
The Dry by Jane Harper
Jane Harper’s The Dry won the Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript in 2015, and before it was even published, rights were sold to over twenty territories and Reese Witherspoon’s production company is planning to adapt the book…
The Healing Party by Micheline Lee
The dysfunctional family is the foundation of so many great works of fiction – there is so much natural drama to draw upon in complicated relationships between parents and children, siblings, and tight knit communities. With her debut novel, The…
Wood Green by Sean Rabin
How does it feel to be told by an aspiring novelist that they’ve written a book, but regretted its protagonist is a writer? Some might think that writers are a dull bunch, but Sean Rabin’s Wood Green proves otherwise. Michael…
Portable Curiosities by Julie Koh
Comprising twelve darkly funny and allegorical stories spanning spec-fic, black comedy and mock journalism, Sydney writer Julie Koh’s Portable Curiosities is full of biting reimaginings of Australian culture and history that throw into sharp focus the uncomfortable realities of contemporary…
Out of the Ice by Ann Turner
Prior to reading Ann Turner’s novel Out of the Ice, I read Helen Garner’s article ‘Regions of Thick-Ribbed Ice’, which gave me a vivid impression of the sense of disorientation (especially in relation to memory and time) often felt…
The Paper House by Anna Spargo-Ryan
Anna Spargo-Ryan’s debut novel, The Paper House, is a tender evocation of a marriage, an imperfect family and a community. Spargo-Ryan’s ability to create characters for whom the reader is wholeheartedly barracking provides much of this novel’s charm.
Heather…
Our Tiny, Useless Hearts by Toni Jordan
Toni Jordan’s latest novel, Our Tiny, Useless Hearts, is a romp through the contemporary complexities of living well. Very quickly, Jordan introduces us to a cast of wonderfully flawed characters all trying desperately to live honestly and without regret…
The Last Painting of Sara De Vos by Dominic Smith
Among my favourite reads are works that source inspiration for subject material from the art world. Works such as Alex Miller’s Prochownik’s Dream or Paul Morgan’s Turner’s Paintbox draw on the rich cultural heritage of artistic life and bring depth…
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