The Coast

Alice is only nine years old in 1910 when she is sent to the feared Coast Hospital lazaret at Little Bay in Sydney, a veritable prison where more patients are admitted than will ever leave. She is told that she's visiting her mother, who disappeared one day when Alice was two. Once there, Alice learns her mother is suffering from leprosy and that she has the same disease.

As she grows up, the secluded refuge of the lazaret becomes Alice's entire world, her mother and the other patients and medical staff her only human contact. The patients have access to a private sandstone-edged beach, their own rowboat, a piano and a library of books, but Alice is tired of the smallness of her life and is thrilled by the thought of the outside world. It is only when Guy, a Yuwaalaraay man wounded in World War I, arrives at The Coast, that Alice begins to experience what she has yearned for, as they become friends and then something deeper.

Filled with vivid descriptions of the wild beauty of the sea cliffs and beaches surrounding the harsh isolation of the lazaret, and written in evocative prose, The Coast is meticulously researched historical fiction that holds a mirror to the present day. Heartbreaking and soul-lifting, it is a universal story of love, courage, sacrifice and resilience.


'A compelling story of loss and liberty and the capacity of the human mind to transcend boundaries' - Meg Keneally, author of Fled

'Riveting and heart-wrenching' - Mirandi Riwoe, author of The Burnished Sun

'Few books have touched me so deeply' - Suzanne Leal, author of The Deceptions

Eleanor Limprecht was born in Washington, DC and grew up in the United States, Germany and Pakistan before moving to Australia in 2002. She is the author of The Passengers (Allen & Unwin, 2018), Long Bay (Sleepers Publishing, 2015) and What Was Left (Sleepers Publishing, 2013, shortlisted for the ALS Gold Medal). Her short fiction and essays have been published in various places including Best Australian Stories, Sydney Noir, Griffith Review, Kill Your Darlings and The Big Issue. She's been the recipient of various residencies, scholarships and grants including from the Australia Council, Copyright Agency and the Australian Society of Authors. Eleanor works as a lecturer in Creative Writing at UTS.

A stunning novel of love and courage by the bestselling author of The Passengers . Alice is only nine years old in 1910 when she is sent to the feared Coast Hospital Lazaret at Little Bay in Sydney, a veritable prison where more patients are admitted than will ever leave. She is told that she's visiting her mother, who disappeared one day when Alice was two years old. Once there, she learns her mother is suffering from leprosy and that Alice has the same disease. As she grows up, the secluded refuge of the lazaret becomes Alice's entire world, her mother and the other patients and medical staff her only human contact. The patients have access to a private sandstone-edged beach, their own rowboat, a piano and a library of books, but Alice is tired of the smallness of her life and is thrilled by the thought of the outside world. It is only when Guy, a Yuwaalaraay man who fought and was injured in World War I, arrives at The Coast, that Alice begins to experience what she has yearned for, as they become friends and then something deeper. Filled with stunning descriptions of the wild beauty of the sea cliffs and beaches surrounding the harsh isolation of the lazaret, and written in beautiful, evocative prose, The Coast is meticulously researched, riveting historical fiction that resonates vitally with the present day. Heartbreaking and soul-lifting, The Coast is a compelling, universal story of love, courage, sacrifice and resilience. Praise for The Passengers : 'A stunning exploration of hope and desire, fear and control, this story is full of heart and heartbreak' Ashley Hay, author of The Railwayman's Wife 'A compelling novel about the bruises inflicted by fate and by ourselves, and the blessings to be found in resilience, determination, and love.' Debra Adelaide, author of The Household Guide to Dying 'I loved this luminous and thoughtful novel...a richly rewarding read: don't miss it.' Good Reading 'Presented with a sharp intensity...Limprecht has an ability to conjure up the tension of family life and the 'what lies beneath' which gives [ The Passengers ] a layered complexity.' Sydney Morning Herald 'Limprecht has a superior ear for dialogue...this well-written novel deftly melds history with family drama.' Weekend Australian

This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.