A powerhouse of a novel from the brilliant Ali Millar – her first novel, in fact, following highly acclaimed debut memoir The Last Days. Ava Anna Ada tells a story of a week in a life on the precipice of natural disaster; main character Anna is an online mum influencer, battling grief following the death of her daughter and guilt for what she feels is not loving her surviving son enough. She’s a mad woman, an unlikable character yet one readers can’t help but want to know more about, perhaps even care for.
Then a not-that-chance encounter with a younger woman, Ava, happens and the novel fizzes at once with humanity, dark humour, pain and passion. Side characters of Anna’s husband and son are also penned with such a flair and come to life fully rounded and perfectly imperfect. The setting of a near-apocalyptic place called The Spit is written with such care and attention to detail, completely believable and poignant.
This is a book that consumes the reader, and despite being set in the near future it seems like it could be happening here and now, not far from the safety of one’s reading chair. Millar is a haunting writer fully in charge of her craft; I wish I could read Ava Anna Ada again for the first time.
Ava Anna Ada, Ali Millar (White Rabbit)
Price: £18.99. Info: here
words GOSIA BUZZANCA