KA LINDE The Wren in the Holly Library. Reviewed by Amelia Dudley
In KA Linde’s latest fantasy series, humans and monsters live together under a tenuous peace treaty in an alternate New York. Kierse’s latest contract – to break into some rich guy’s house and steal a ring – seemed simple enough until she realised the rich guy,...
SAM ELKIN Detachable Penis: A queer legal saga. Reviewed by Michael Jongen
Sam Elkin’s memoir encompasses the politics of the queer community and the realities of gender transition. Sam Elkin has written an intriguing memoir which encompasses his transition to a transmasculine male and his work for the pilot queer legal service set up within...
JESSIE TU The Honeyeater. Reviewed by Ann Skea
The second novel from the author of A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing unpeels secrets in the life of a young Taiwanese translator. Fay’s widowed Taiwanese mother brought her to Australia when she was still a baby. Now, Fay is a well-qualified translator, teaching at...
MICHAEL SEXTON The Fox: Harry Hopman and the greatest dynasty in tennis history. Reviewed by Bernard Whimpress
At last, a wonderfully comprehensive biography of tennis legend Harry Hopman, who captained Australia’s Davis Cup teams to 16 wins from 21 Challenge Round finals. It is fortunate that Michael Sexton took on the task. A gifted writer, whose credits include the...
JOHN RICHARDS The Gorgon Flower. Reviewed by Paul Anderson
John Richards’ stories explore the phantasmagoric, the mysterious, and the follies of empire. The Gorgon Flower, John Richards’ first book, is an intriguing collection of speculative short fiction of impressive range that explores the space-time continuum. It...
BRUCE MOORE The 1972 Parramatta Jail Glossary. Reviewed by Linda Funnell
Love a good word list? More than 50 years since it was first compiled, this glossary of prison slang is a fascinating window into the past. In the early 1970s, two researchers for the yet-to-be-published Macquarie Dictionary, Sue Butler and Vanessa Mack, asked the...
ANDREW FOWLER Nuked: The submarine fiasco that sank Australia’s sovereignty. Reviewed by Braham Dabscheck
Andrew Fowler argues that the AUKUS submarine deal compromises Australia’s sovereignty and exposes the country to the danger of nuclear waste. Vassal state: a state with varying degrees of independence in its internal affairs but dominated by another state in its...
DEBORAH CALLAGHAN The Little Clothes: extract
Deborah Callaghan’s sharply observed debut explores what can happen when a woman feels invisible – and starts pushing the boundaries. Audrey, the 38-year-old protagonist of The Little Clothes, is a smart lawyer who lives alone with her pet rabbit, Joni. As the...
2024 Midwinter Book Giveaway!
We’ve just passed the shortest day of the year, so it must be time for a Midwinter Giveaway. Now the days are getting longer … yet also colder. So here’s a great swag of books to cheer away the winter blues. To go into the draw to win all four...
SHARON EMMERICHS Shield Maiden. Reviewed by Amelia Dudley
Sharon Emmerichs gives the legend of Beowulf a makeover from the point of view of Beowulf’s niece. And yes, there is a dragon. Fryda, niece of the legendary King Beowulf, has always dreamed of becoming a warrior herself, despite her father’s refusal to allow her to...
BEL SCHENK The Most Famous Boy In Town. Reviewed by Michael Jongen
Bel Schenk’s deceptively simple novel of a teenage boy’s response to a small-town scandal has a lot to say about gender relations. The Most Famous Boy in Town is the first novel from Bel Schenk, a Melbourne-based poet with three published poetry collections. It has a...
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