Autumn Laing by Alex Miller

Find this book at your library

Genre - General Fiction

During the 1930’s Autumn Laing meets artist Pat Donlon when her husband Arthur brings him home for dinner. Pat and his wife Edith come to stay for a weekend at Arthur and Autumn’s house in Ocean Grove. Autumn is bored with her marriage and enjoys playing the temptress and seduces Pat whilst he and his wife are visiting. In doing this not only does she compromise her own marriage but destroys the marriage of Pat and Edith and their unborn child. Fifty-three years later in old age Autumn regrets her actions of long ago and sets about writing her story to right the wrongs of the past.

The novel  Autumn Laing is loosely based on he life of Sunday Reed and her relationship with Sidney Nolan. The book is a good read and the correlation between Miller’s character Autumn Laing and Sunday Reed adds an interesting twist to the story .

At the end of the book Miller acknowledges Janine Burke’s biography of Sunday Reed, The Heart Garden (Vintage 2004) as being a useful source for the writing of his book.

---- Reviewed by Sharon, Healesville

Lovesong by Alex Miller

Find this book at your library

Read more reviews at NoveList

Genre - Romance

This is a truly lovely story. Set mainly in Paris, but not the part of Paris we read about most often. This is set in the part of Paris where immigrants live and work. An Australian man meets a Tunisian woman in her aunt's cafe. When the aunt dies, they take over the running of the cafe. As deeply in love as they are, they are both deeply disappointed. He misses his home, she longs for the baby she seems fated to never have. Their story is told to an almost retired popular author who then must decide what he is going to do with it.

---- Reviewed by Judy, Rowville

Lovesong by Alex Miller

Find this book at your library

Genre - Love stories

This novel from a master storyteller is simple, familiar, romantic and tragic. It takes us into the lives of the widow Houria and her young niece Sabiha who run a small Tunisian café in Paris which caters to the North African immigrant workers of the area. Sabiha is a young woman delighted to be living in Paris with her Aunt and sometimes she can barely remember her old life in El Djem. When Australian John Patterner stumbles into their café he embarks on a gentle romance with the beautiful Sabiha. It is their tragic love story that is later confided to his new friend, Ken when they are finally settled in suburban Melbourne many years later.

---- Reviewed by Sue, Belgrave