Experimental elegies, portraits of resilience, and political manifestos: 25 of the best reads of the year, as picked by Guardian Australia critics and staff
Last modified on Thu 1 Jul 2021 21.09 EDT
Paulina moves to Fairfolk Island to chase a version of happily ever after that sheâs been led to believe she doesnât deserve. Sheâs running away from heartbreak, and to escape the restless anxiety that plagues her. But the idyllic honeymoonerâs paradise doesnât turn out to be a happily ever after at all: there, sheâs a âmainieâ, a disposable outsider on minimum wage who struggles to find her place in the islandâs tight-knit community. She does all the âwrongâ things â she walks the island alone at night, sheâs promiscuous, drinks a lot, and plays fast and loose with the loyalty of her female friends. Paulina is challenging, and difficult to like. So when she is murdered, her mother, Judy, is one of the few people willing to fight for answers.