Stacey and Laney are twins – identical except they are a mirror image of each other. Stacey is studious and responsible, while Laney is the rebel. One night Laney sneaks out to see her boyfriend and never returns. The police don’t take her being missing seriously, she’s just another aboriginal girl who probably ran off when a whitefella. So Laney’s mob take us the search. Stacey’s mother doesn’t want to lose her too and demands she stays home and safe rather than joining in the search. But Stacey is plagued by nightmares, dreams where she experiences what is happening to Laney, and she knows that time is running out to save Laney from the dark.
To save Laney, Stacey must defy her mothers rules, seek the assistance of her mob’s sworn enemies the Millers, but most of all, remember the teachings of her Nan about her culture and how there is more to life than just the things you can see.
It is not hard to see why this book won the Readings Young Adult Book Prize for 2020 recently.
This is a wonderfully creepy read, written beautifully by Lisa Fuller.
I’ve watched some online presentations with Lisa speaking about this book and how she went back to her home town and ask permission from her extended family to write about their community, culture and spiritual beliefs. I found this insight into the writing of the book really added to the experience of reading it.
This story is dark, spooky and you can just tell it is written with love – love for family, culture and place.
Read more about Lisa Fuller.