LOVE OBJECTS

Emily Maguire

ALLEN & UNWIN, RRP $33

Forty-five-year-old Nic can barely fit inside her own house. She collects objects, surrounding herself to fill the empty spaces in her own life; clothing that she’d worn at the time of her first kiss, a laundry basket full of her niece’s childhood crafts and drawings, old newspapers, a shoebox containing old school certificates; all of them loved and valued. Narrated by Nic, her 20-year-old adored niece Lena and her brother Will, this equally heartwarming and heart-wrenching story traverses familial relationships, fierce loyalty and ultimate betrayal. A fall at home sends Nic to hospital and it is only then that Lena discovers her aunt is a hoarder. Nic’s house is deemed unsuitable for her return in its current state, so without permission Lena begins to clear the many years of her aunt’s accumulated clutter. Lena is also experiencing her own betrayal. Josh, an affluent university student has filmed them together and it is all over the internet. Love Objects explores contemporary issues such as class, mental health and misogyny.

VITTORIA BON

VERDICT: Insightful and thought provoking