The Last Summer of Ada Bloom

(Paperback)

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Description

In a small country town during one long, hot summer, the Bloom family begins to unravel. Marital secrets, new and long-hidden, surfacewith devastating effect.

Martha is straining against the confines of her life, lost in regret for what might have been, when an old flame shows up. In turn, her husband, Mike, becomes frustrated with his increasingly distant wife. While teenagers Tilly and Ben are about to step out into the world, nine-year-old Ada is holding onto a childhood that will soon be lost to her.

When Ada discovers an abandoned well beneath a rusting windmill, she is drawn to its darkness and danger. And when she witnesses a shocking and confusing event, the wells foreboding looms large in her minda driving force as events lead inexorably towards tragedy.

The Last Summer of Ada Bloom is a beguiling story about the fragility of family relationships, about the secrets we keep and the power they hold to shape our lives. And about the love that somehow holds it all together.

Reviews

Martine Murrays writing is majestical and sophisticated.' * Books+Publishing *
Murrays storytelling is so fresh and beguiling that, for a moment, we feel this is great wisdom heard for the first time. * The Times *
Murray moves easily between the everyday and the sublime, her language nuanced, slow, pleasurable. * Adelaide Advertiser *
Murrays descriptive prose is lovely, often exquisiteA wonderfully heart-warming read. * BookMooch *
Secrets, sisters, sex, adolescence and ageing. All the magnificent and aimless themes of being human are thoroughly waded through and held up to the searing summer sun for scrutiny in Martine Murrays first book for adultsA hugely accomplished work. * Big Issue *
Masterful Murrays unflinching, intuitive tale will satisfy readers who like their family dramas with a strong dose of darkness. * Publishers Weekly (starred review) *

Author Bio

Martine Murray was born in Melbourne and now lives in Castlemaine in Victoria. She is an award-winning childrens novelist and illustrator. The Last Summer of Ada Bloom is her first novel for adults.