STEPHANIE BISHOP
The Other Side of the World Atria ed
The Other Side of the World by Stephanie Bishop, winner of the Readings Prize for New Australian Literature & ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year.
"An exquisite meditation on motherhood, marriage and the meaning of home." The New York Times Book Review
WINNER - Readings Prize for New Australian Fiction
WINNER - Literary Fiction Book of the Year ABIA's
Shortlisted - The Victorian Premier's Literary Award
Shortlisted - Indie Book Awards
Longlisted - The Stella Prize
Shortlisted - NSW Premier's Literary Awards
Cambridge, 1963. Charlotte struggles to reconnect with the woman she was before children, and to find the time and energy to paint. Her husband, Henry, cannot face the thought of another English winter. A brochure slipped through the letterbox gives him the answer: 'Australia brings out the best in you'.
Charlotte is too worn out to resist, and before she knows it is travelling to the other side of the world. But on their arrival in Perth, the southern sun shines a harsh light on both Henry and Charlotte and slowly reveals that their new life is not the answer either was hoping for. Charlotte is left wondering if there is anywhere she belongs, and how far she'll go to find her way home...
"Magnificent imagery and an attunement to the music of the novel's landscapes overlay its exploration of the impact of migration, place and displacement. [...] the precision and flair of the writing is breathtaking." - Felicity Plunkett, The Australian
"As a portrayal of the claustrophobia of motherhood, and of cultural and geographical dislocation, The Other Side of the World is an insightful, exquisitely observed novel. Bishop is a talented and intelligent storyteller with a masterful command of language."
- The Observer
"An artfully rendered meditation on marriage, home, and identity." - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
"A profoundly moving novel... achingly haunting prose... a literary tour de force..." - Australian Women's Weekly
"The story of Charlotte and Henry - the melancholy beauty of its prose, and the sharpness of its insights into nostalgia and belonging - has stayed with me for weeks now." - Geordie Williamson, Chief Literary Critic, The Australian
READING GROUP NOTES
© 2020 Stephanie Bishop