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The 2011 Award

 

Olsson

The China Garden

by Kristina Olsson

 

 

 

Nominated by:

  • The State Library of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
  • The State Library of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.

 

Publisher of Nominated Edition:

University of Queensland Press

 

The complete A-Z listing of nominated authors
ABOUT THE BOOK

  
Over two hot weeks one summer, cracks emerge in the veneer of a small coastal town. 
 
When a newborn baby is found abandoned in a backyard, this dramatic event pierces the lives of three very different women. Laura has returned home for her mother's funeral after years in exile, only to discover her upbringing was based on a lie; elderly Cress, the moral compass of the community, conceals her own vices; while young Abby walks the streets, her bruises wrapped in baggy clothes. But it is gentle Kieran, an unlikely guardian, who knows their secrets and watches over them. 
 
As their lives collide, what is buried can no longer remain hidden. The China Garden is a captivating story about betrayal and its echoes across generations. 

 (From Publisher).

 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Kristina Olsson is the author of the novel In One Skin (2001) and the biography Kilroy Was Here (2005). Her journalism and non-fiction have been published in The Australian, The Courier-Mail, The Sydney Sunday Telegraph and Griffith Review. She has worked extensively as a teacher of creative writing and journalism at tertiary level and in the community, and as an advisor to government. She lives in Brisbane. 

LIBRARIANS' COMMENTS

The book explores sobering themes of adoption, abuse, friendship and death. Olsson shows that grief is only one of the rhythms of life. She weaves nature imagery into her writing. You need to read the book slowly to fully realise its beauty and depth.

Kristina Olsson's fine novel reflects the impact of losing a child on a mother and a remaining child. It tells the story of community support and healing, providing a message of hope to readers. Winner Barbara Jefferis Award, 2010; Shortlisted for the Kibble Award for Women's Writing.

 

 

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