Heart of the Grass Tree

Author(s): Molly Murn

Aust Fiction | South Australian Authors

When Pearl's grandmother Nell dies unexpectedly, Pearl and her family - mother Diana, sister Lucy - return to Kangaroo Island to mourn and farewell her. Each of them knew Nell intimately but differently, and each woman must reckon with Nell's passing in her own way. But Nell had secrets, too. As Pearl, Diana and Lucy interrogate their feelings about the island, Pearl starts to pull together the scraps Nell left behind and unearths a connection to the island's early history, of the early European sealers and their first contact with the Ngarrindjeri people.Pearl's deepening connection to their history, the island's history, grounds her, and will ultimately bring the women back to each other.

Matilda Bookshop Review


Heart of the Grass Tree is a remarkably assured debut that announces Molly as a significant new Australian literary talent. The novel, which evokes Kangaroo Island with vivid intensity, draws on the early history of the island to show how the past informs everything that follows. These stories of mothers and daughters across the years, their loves and losses, are artfully woven to form a deeply resonant and moving narrative. Throughout, the writing is beautiful, her poetic, lyrical style make this a book to read and read again. I loved it. Gavin


Product Information

Indie Book Awards Debut Fiction Shortlist 2020

Mud Literary Prize Shortlist 2019

Molly Murn is a South Australian author and poet. She holds a Bachelor of Dance, a Masters of Creative Arts, and is currently a PhD candidate in Creative Writing at Flinders University. Molly also works as manager of Matilda Bookshop in the Adelaide Hills. Heart of the Grass Tree, is her first novel. Molly's poetry has been published in various anthologies including Overland, Transnational Literature and Friendly Street. She lives in the Adelaide Hills and loves to tango, read, walk, listen to records, and spend time in wild places.https-//mollymurn.com

General Fields

  • : 9781760899196
  • : PENGUIN AUSTRALIA PTY LTD
  • : Penguin
  • : 0.264
  • : November 2020
  • : books

Special Fields

  • : en
  • : Paperback
  • : Molly Murn