This is a story that can only be told in a whisper...

In the remote outback of Western Australia, English anthropologist Nicholas Keene and his wife Stella raise a curious child, Perdita. Her childhood is far from ordinary; a shack in the wilderness, with a distant father burying himself in books and an unstable mother whose knowledge of Shakespeare forms the backbone of the girl's limited education. Emotionally adrift, Perdita develops a friendship with an Aboriginal girl, Mary, with whom she will share a very special bond. She appears content with her unusual family life in this remote corner of the globe until Nicholas Keane is discovered murdered...

The birth of a daughter in the Australian outback pushes the parents to the edges of sanity. Vivid psychological family drama, expertly crafted by the author Dreams of Speaking.

About the Author
Gail Jones teaches literature, cinema and cultural studies at the University of Western Australia. She is the author of Sixty Lights which was longlisted for the Man Booker Prize, Dreams of Speaking and Sorry, both of which were longlisted for the Orange Prize, and Five Bells.

Reviews
Haunting * Herald *
Powerful and poignant * Guardian *
She has a gift for lyricism and elegant imagery... leaves a lovely legacy * The Times *
Shards of poetry stud Jones' writing like diamonds * Independent *


Awards
Short-listed for Prime Minister's Literary Awards (Australia): Fiction 2008.



Book Information
ISBN 9780099507093
Author Gail Jones
Format Paperback
Page Count 224
Imprint Vintage
Publisher Vintage Publishing
Weight(grams) 159g
Dimensions(mm) 198mm * 129mm * 14mm