'Hubris & Humiliation, the Sydney Theatre Company’s enjoyable translation of Jane Austen to contemporary Sydney, could do with some gritty social critique.'
'Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein gives Paul Dalgarno’s second novel its title, weaving through the narrative as an allegory for sparking life, a filament of memory and imagination. A Country of Eternal Light follows Dalgarno’s 2020 debut novel, Poly, an adventure in kitchen-table polyamory, and his 2015 memoir, And You May Find Yourself. This year also sees the release of his second non-fiction book, Prudish Nation.' (Introduction)
'While The Matchmaker’s title suggests the lead character is a stately woman in her 50s from Mumbai, Saman Shad’s debut novel gives us quite a different picture. Saima is in her 30s and runs a modern matchmaking service for the Pakistani community in Sydney that offers a six-month courtship period to ensure the couple’s compatibility. Her contemporary approach doesn’t appeal to the whole community, which has led to a decline in business and financial precarity. However, her fortunes turn when she meets Khalid.' (Introduction)
