Other Houses

Paddy O’Reilly: Affirm, $33

There’s not a wasted word in this gem of a novel that is both heartbreaking and inspiring in equal measure. House cleaner Lily and partner Janks have crossed from the wrong side of the tracks in an admirable bid to set daughter Jewelee up for a better life. Lily knows there’s financial opportunity on offer – she sees it in the houses she cleans, where cash is left lying around and clients care more about shiny chrome than their kids. But breaking away from poverty and addiction is not that easy when you’re living payday to payday and one wrong move may see it all unravel. Despite despair and stress in so much of this story, clever O’Reilly has readers laughing too as she endears us to Lily and her predicaments.

★★★★½