The Hummingbird Effect

‘A timeless and timely exploration of our capacities to destroy and to love, and of the stories that connect us – and might even save us. In this powerful and dazzling book, Kate Mildenhall brilliantly pushes language to its limits and asks, What’s worth saving? The Hummingbird Effect is an urgent, gorgeous, thrilling, page turner. A must read!’ – Sarah Sentilles, author of Stranger Care: A Memoir of Loving What Isn’t Ours‘A stunning and intricate novel, masterfully braiding the lives of its characters across time. Vivid, inventive, tender – a beautifully rendered mosaic of a book. With luminous prose linking past and future, The Hummingbird Effect is brilliant storytelling at its best.’ – Else Fitzgerald, author of Everything Feels Like the End of the World‘Reading The Hummingbird Effect is like navigating rapids: you don’t know what’s going to happen next or when you’re going to come up for air. A remarkable achievement. I couldn’t put it down.’ – Sophie Cunningham, author of This Devastating Fever‘Such an astounding and accomplished novel. It was an absolute joy to read. Simply put, I loved it.’ – Sarah Winman, author of Still Life‘Kate Mildenhall orchestrates this shape-shifting novel with extraordinary flair. Her imaginative range is astonishing. The Hummingbird Effect is audacious fiction that engages wisely and tenderly with pressing concerns.’ – Michelle de Kretser, author of Scary Monsters‘Original, mind-bending and beautifully written. These characters, connected across time and place, are absolutely alive on the page. Together, their stories reveal the reverberating consequences of violence for us and our planet, and the redeeming power of love – in all its forms.’ – Inga Simpson, author of Willowman‘This book digs deep into the universality of love, family, hardship, sisterhood, plague, disruption and, above all, connection and empowerment. Experimental, mind-bending, provocative.’ – Karen Viggers, author of The Lightkeeper’s Wife‘Cormac McCarthy meets Geraldine Brooks, Peter Carey meets Elizabeth Gilbert, The Hummingbird Effect is an ambitious, defiant, electrifying juggernaut. Kate Mildenhall cements her status as a titan of Australian literature by raising the bar to dizzying heights. An incredible achievement. I didn’t want it to end.’ – Chris Flynn, author of Mammoth‘I loved this book. It is urgent and questioning, concerned but ultimately hopeful. The writing remembers our past, honours our present and imagines our future. It is often sublime and sometimes astonishing. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know.’ – Pip Williams, author of The Bookbinder of Jericho‘Kate Mildenhall has outrageous confidence in her sparkling narrative, in her capabilities. As she should. This is a profound conversation about all those things we put-off talking about, seen in the context of the past, the present and the future.’ * Sydney Morning Herald *‘Spellbinding, genre-defying, and powerful in its vision of the future … The Hummingbird Effect is a devastating novel that exposes the ways the future is seeded in the past.’ * Australian Book Review *‘Kate Mildenhall is such an exciting writer to read … This generous, playful novel speaks to themes of climate change, survival and holding space for each other, as well as the enduring power of female friendship.’ * The Guardian *‘It’s a blinder … I read it sideways and with clenched teeth.’ – Helen Garner, author of Everywhere I Look‘The Hummingbird Effect is deeply grounded in place and character, and speaks to the interdependence of all living things. Mildenhall writes about these women and their relationships with empathy, wit, and ferocity. An exquisite, unforgettable read.’ – Grace Chan, author of Every Version of You‘The Hummingbird Effect is exceptional. Both highly creative and hugely readable, I loved it.’ – Jane Harper, author of The Dry

Kate Mildenhall is an author, writing teacher, and podcaster.

Her debut novel, Skylarking, was longlisted for Debut Fiction in the 2017 Indie Book Awards and the 2017 Voss Literary Prize.

Her second novel, The Mother Fault, was longlisted for the 2021 ABIA General Fiction Book of the Year and shortlisted for the 2021 Aurealis Science Fiction Novel of the Year.

The Hummingbird Effect was shortlisted for the 2024 ABIA Literary Fiction Book of the Year and longlisted for the 2024 Stella Prize and the 2024 Indie Book Awards for Fiction.

In 2024, Kate released her first picture book, To Stir with Love, illustrated by Jess Racklyeft. It was shortlisted for the 2025 Indie Book Awards and the 2025 ABIA Children’s Book of the Year, and was Notable in the CBCA Book Awards for Early Readers.

Kate co-hosted The First Time Podcast, where she interviewed over 200 Australian and international writers.

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