Books from Australia

Martha Mullins has always felt like an outsider. Growing up with a glamorous but judgmental mother and a mostly absent father, she finds refuge in the myths of ancient Rome, discovering in the underworld and its gods a world that reflects her own feelings of isolation, desire and longing. As she navigates adolescence, Martha gradually discovers the joys of friendship, intimacy and the freedom of being understood by others. Her circle of friends introduces her to spontaneity, laughter and experiences that challenge her tendency to retreat into her imagination. But when events take a painful turn, Martha must confront the difficulties of growing up and the limits of the worlds she has created to protect herself. Following her intellectual and sexual awakening through school and into adulthood, Laguna’s novel explores loneliness, queer identity, grief and the search for belonging. Blending classical mythology with the emotional realities of contemporary life, The Underworld is a tender portrait of a young woman learning how to inhabit a world in which she can be herself.