A Great Hope
$31.83
- Paperback
416 pages
- Release Date
22 February 2022
Summary
John Clare was a titan in Australian politics. The head of a powerful union and a key player in the election of Kevin Rudd as prime minister in 2007, he had long been tipped as a future leader himself. Supporting him in his push for power were his elegant wife Grace, his troubled children Sophie and Toby, and Tessa, the mistress he thought would stay secret.
But now John has fallen, brutally, to his death. A terrible accident - or was it?
In the wake of losing John, his inner …
Book Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781760985578 |
|---|---|
| ISBN-10: | 1760985570 |
| Author: | Jessica Stanley |
| Publisher: | Pan Macmillan Australia |
| Imprint: | Picador Australia |
| Format: | Paperback |
| Number of Pages: | 416 |
| Release Date: | 22 February 2022 |
| Weight: | 512g |
| Dimensions: | 35mm x 158mm x 236mm |
You Can Find This Book In
Critics Review
When ACTU boss John Clare falls to his death from the roof of the family home, a note found on him makes it seem like suicide. But is that the case? It’s 2010 and John has helped put Kevin Rudd in power, only to be toppled by Julia Gillard. A failed bid to win the seat of Melbourne has plunged John into a depression and on top of that his personal life is a mess. He’s carrying on an affair with a staffer and his fed-up wife voted for his Greens rival. His daughter is having an emotional meltdown while his son has been accused of serious misconduct. No-one is happy. When John’s body is found it causes everyone to examine their own behaviour. Debut novelist Jessica Stanley has worked in journalism and politics, experiences that strongly inform the text-the dialogue and narrative events have the compelling ring of truth. While the novel is situated in the world of politics, its main focus is, to paraphrase Tolstoy, an unhappy family unhappy in its own particular way. Resentments, betrayals and outraged egos litter every page. An emotional train wreck coupled with a mysterious death, *A Great Hope *is written in an addictive prose that keeps the reader firmly in its grip. This is affluent, successful Australia mired in unrelenting misery-think Richard Yates’s Revolutionary Road set in Fitzroy, Melbourne. Chris Saliba is the co-owner of North Melbourne Books.
Jessica Stanley
Jessica Stanley was born in regional Victoria and grew up in Canberra and Melbourne. She worked in journalism and politics before moving to London in 2011. A Great Hope is her first novel.
Returns
This item is eligible for free returns within 30 days of delivery. See our returns policy for further details.