Margaret, Are You Leaving? (Dianne Yarwood, Hachette)

Following her much-loved debut, The Wakes, Dianne Yarwood’s latest novel, Margaret, Are You Leaving?, is a contemplative exploration of mother–daughter relationships, identity and the accumulation of moments that make up a life. Set in 2001, the novel centres on Maggie (Margaret) and Anna, 2 women in their 40s working late-night shifts on the switchboard at a television station in Sydney’s Inner West. Initially just colleagues, they form a close friendship after Maggie bluntly announces the death of her adoptive mother. Structured in 3 parts, the narrative traces their daily lives and parallel experiences of grief, personal upheaval and fractured relationships as Maggie searches for her birth mother while Anna grapples with the loss of her own. The first section is largely character-driven, prioritising emotional development. This is where Yarwood’s writing excels as she teases out intimate details and interactions that build a strong sense of the characters. At times, this subtle, inward focus softens the narrative momentum, though the direction becomes clearer as events unfold. References to significant world events of 2001 situate these poignant stories within a broader context, allowing Yarwood to reflect on emigration, displaced families, abuse and institutional harm. Thoughtful and quietly affecting, Margaret, Are You Leaving? is an earnest tribute to relationships of all kinds – mothers, friends, lovers, pets – and will resonate with readers of Charlotte Wood’s The Weekend and Yarwood’s previous novel.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Lisa Schuurman is an editor, writer and book reviewer working in the publishing industry. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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