A sea change turns into a tsunami of grief in Sixty Seconds by Jesse Blackadder.
The Brennans – parents, Finn and Bridget, and their sons, Jarrah and Toby – have made a sea change, from chilly Hobart to subtropical Murwillumbah. Feeling like foreigners in this land of sun and surf, they’re still adjusting to work, school, and life in a sprawling purple weatherboard, when one morning, tragedy strikes.
In the devastating aftermath, the questions fly. What really happened? And who’s to blame?
This is a novel that will strike at the heart of parents, hitting us where it hurts: our responsibility for our child. Jesse explores the emotional fallout of a toddler drowning through the eyes of three characters: mother, father and teenage son. Compounding their loss and relentless guilt are existing feelings about sexuality, appearance, work, family isolation, ageing parents, attraction to others, and more. It’s complicated, intense and evocative – and written with words underscored by authenticity.
A great book, from start to finish.
Monique Mulligan
For more of Monique Mulligan’s writing on books, check out Write Note Reviews
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David Edwards is the editor of The Blurb and a contributor on film and television