The Unknown Woman

This skilfully written and unusual novel deliberately departs from the conventions of realist fiction. The "unknown" in the title isn't just about suburban anonymity: Lilith is unknown to herself. This is making her act in strange ways, including trespassing and an almost-kidnapping. The novel is disturbing and engaging in about equal proportions.

Kerryn Goldsworthy, The Sydney Morning Herald

This is top-end literary commercial fiction. The writing is so sharp, the imperfect characters so well drawn that it's not an oversell to rate it as one of the best releases of 2014.

Samantha Bond, InDaily Adelaide News

The Unknown Woman is not black and white. It approaches the question of whether a woman should or should not stay at home with her children—and for how long—from many angles. Lunn also acknowledges that the question itself is a privileged one that many Australian families can’t afford to consider. The novel debunks the concept that women can have it all and seeks out those sacrifices that women necessarily make. The story of the male midlife crisis is one we know well, the female one less so, and The Unknown Woman is a nuanced portrait of both a woman and a society poised in a state of uncertainty.

Margot McGovern, lip lit