July is a month full of terrific new books by Australian women.
Four books in particular stand out: Relativity by Antonia Hayes, The Other Side of the World by Stephanie Bishop, In The Quiet by Eliza Henry-Jones, and Six Bedrooms by Tegan Bennett Daylight.
Relativity is a novel about secrets and families (with a little bit of physics thrown in!). The less you know about this book’s plot going in, the better, because there are several revelations throughout. Centred on an unusual boy, his mother, and his estranged father, Relativity is a great pick for book clubs.
In The Quiet is a beautiful, heartbreaking debut novel. Set on a rural Victorian horse farm, it tells the story of a grieving family as seen through the eyes of their dead mother. It sounds a little schmaltzy and overly sentimental, but it’s not – In The Quiet is gentle and affecting but it doesn’t shy away from the gritty, difficult parts of grief. It’s a simple, lovely book, filled with characters you’ll care about deeply.
The Other Side of the World is a masterpiece of beautiful, restrained writing. Set in the 1960s, it tells the story of an English couple, Charlotte and Henry, who move to Perth with their two young children. As their relationship becomes increasingly strained, the novel asks important questions about what it means to belong somewhere. A fascinating study of a marriage, this is a book sure to win awards.
And finally, Six Bedrooms is a collection of short stories about young women in their teens and twenties, who are struggling with friendships, families, relationships and their sense of self. The writing is exquisite, and the stories are subtle, clever and immensely moving. It’s a book that stays with you long after reading.
Other new releases to look out for this month include: The Girl With The Dogs, a new novella by Anna Funder; China Rich Girlfriend, the follow-up novel to the very popular Crazy Rich Asians; Vera, a memoir about Vera Wasowski, a truly amazing Australian woman; Blackout, a funny, very personal memoir about drinking; The Festival of Insignificance, the first new novel in 12 years from literary heavyweight Milan Kundera and, of course, Harper Lee’s highly anticipated new novel Go Set A Watchman, which is available from Tuesday 14 July.
Like this? Why not try...
10 books your partner will love as much as you do.
11 books that will transport you somewhere glorious.
Colouring books for adults just got an R rating.
