'Family dynamics are tested to the limit in this emotive and confronting debut.' - Woman & Home

When Things Are Alive They Hum poses profound questions about the nature of love and existence, the ways grief changes us, and how we confront the hand fate has dealt us.

Marlowe and Harper share a bond deeper than most sisters, shaped by the loss of their mother in childhood. For Harper, living with what she calls the Up syndrome and gifted with an endless capacity for wonder, Marlowe and she are connected by an invisible thread, like the hum that connects all things. For Marlowe, they are bound by her fierce determination to keep Harper, born with a congenital heart disorder, alive.

Now 25, Marlowe is finally living her own life abroad, pursuing her studies of a rare species of butterfly secure in the knowledge Harper's happiness is complete, having found love with boyfriend, Louis. But then she receives the devastating call that Harper's heart is failing. She needs a heart transplant but is denied one by the medical establishment because she is living with a disability. Marlowe rushes to her childhood home in Hong Kong to be by Harper's side and soon has to answer the question - what lengths would you go to save your sister?

About the Author
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Hannah Bent completed her Bachelor of Arts in Fine Art and Film from Central Saint Martins School of Art and Design in London. She undertook further study in both directing and screenwriting at the Australian Film, Television and Radio School and has a Masters in Creative Writing from the University of Technology, Sydney. She was the 2013 recipient of the Ray Koppe Young Writers Award for her novel as a work in progress.

Reviews
Truths of the heart, sisterly devotion, grief, and medical ethics - this beautifully-written debut is a life-affirming, love-filled tear-jerker. * Love Reading - Book Club Recommendation *
Family dynamics are tested to the limit as personal and and ethical dilemmas create a roller coaster of raw emotions making it difficult to decide whose choice is morally or medically right. An emotive and confronting debut. * Woman's Weekly *
This book is exquisite in its simplicity, its authenticity floats from every page and the love with which it was written sings to your soul... This book's honest integrity took hold of me in the most unexpected way. I fell utterly in love with Harper and her joy for life. A reminder that a life lived 'differently', in a world where we are judged by the most inane standards most often is a life that should be celebrated. An acceptance of what we have and the peace found in that affirmation. A reminder that we can all stand to learn from each other. * numberslady_reads *
...A really rich piece of literature about the things we do in desperation to hold onto life and love. It is a captivating, heartbreaking novel and a beautiful depiction of disability. * Debut Digest *



Book Information
ISBN 9781761151538
Author Hannah Bent
Format Hardback
Page Count 368
Imprint Ultimo Press
Publisher Ultimo Press
Weight(grams) 580g