AustLit

'Melbourne author Myfanwy Jones’s last novel, the 2015 Miles Franklin-shortlisted Leap, was a deceptively complex creation. Emotionally acute and raw in its portrayal of guilt and grief, it was simultaneously oddly elliptical, with an almost allegorical dimension. Although her new novel, Cool Water, shares Leap’s light-footedness and crystal-clear prose, at least initially it feels more conventional. But as the novel proceeds it quickly becomes clear that it shares a very similar sensibility, and more than a little of Leap’s obliqueness and preparedness to take narrative risks.'(Introduction)

'It wasn’t uncommon for Jewish people to remain silent about their experiences of the horrors of World War II in Europe, something that contributed to the inherited trauma of their children and grandchildren. Indeed, it wasn’t unheard of for people who sought asylum in other countries to hide their lineage altogether as they encouraged their children to assimilate.'(Introduction)

'It’s no wonder Greek myths keep being modernised, when the times feel so consequential, riven with myriad disruptions caused by hubris and violation. Ekhō is the latest such retelling, a book-length poem in three sections by writer and artist Roslyn Orlando.' (Introduction)