Dead Dog in the Still of the Night (Archie Fusillo, Ford Street)

Primo is coming up to the end of Year 12 and his life is falling apart. His girlfriend is leaving him, his father is stuck in a nursing home, his brother has moved back home after cheating on his wife and, worst of all, he has just crashed his father’s pride-and-joy of a car. Desperate for cash, he takes an offer from his brother. And, just like that, things start to spiral out of control. Dead Dog in the Still of the Night is a quiet, tense, insular drama centred on the lives of a family for whom everything is in flux. While the writing can be awkward at times and the dialogue slightly unbelievable, this is an otherwise enjoyable coming-of-age story about taking responsibility and facing the consequences of your actions. Primo is a character who takes a while to warm up to, but his relationship with best friend Tone is one of the finest portrayals of male friendship in YA. Their honesty and unflinching support for each other is a wonder to read. With elements of Melina Marchetta and Sue Lawson, this slow-paced, intimate family drama will appeal to an older
YA audience.

Meg Whelan works at the Hill of Content bookshop in Melbourne

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Category: Reviews