Bereft
a novel
Chris Womersley
‘Bereft is a beautiful novel, which is a strange thing to say about a tale of so much loneliness, injustice and anguish. But somehow Chris Womersley peers deep into the suffering heart and sees beyond the pain that humans inflict on each other, to a place where dignity, loyalty and even affection might blossom. He writes with such compelling power it is barely possible to put the book down.’
Debra Adelaide
It is 1919. The Great War has ended, but the Spanish flu epidemic is raging across Australia. Schools are closed, state borders are guarded by armed men, and train travel is severely restricted. There are rumours it is the end of the world.
In the NSW town of Flint, Quinn Walker returns to the home he fled ten years earlier when he was accused of an unspeakable crime. Aware that his father and uncle would surely hang him, Quinn hides in the hills surrounding Flint. There, he meets the orphan Sadie Fox — a mysterious young girl who seems to know more about the crime than she should.
A searing gothic novel of love, longing and justice, Bereft is about the suffering endured by those who go to war and those who are forever left behind.
Reviews
‘Bereft is a bleak and brilliant performance that confirms [Womersley] as one of the unrepentantly daring and original talents in the landscape of Australian fiction … Few recent novels, Australian or otherwise, have such eloquence, prompted by the despair of sufferers who do not shirk the task of seeking the right words. Few lead us so fearlessly to familiar locations made strange and terrifying or to others that seem conjured by old magic … The last part of Bereft is frightening in a way that reminds one of why several reviewers of Womersley’s first novel made comparisons with Cormac McCarthy … This is an outstanding work of Australian fiction. Read it next.’
Peter Pierce, Sydney Morning Herald
‘The quiet whispering tone of this book will linger long after you’ve finished it.’
Courier Mail
» All reviews for this title‘Bereft is a dark brooding story of war, family secrets and a man’s search for justice. Chris Womersley knows how to shine light into the darkest corners of rural Australia.’
Michael Robotham
