The Minnow (Diana Sweeney, Text)

Tom’s family have died in a flood, along with half the population of their small rural town. Fourteen-year-old Tom now relies on a mysterious older man named Bill, who takes her in and gives her a makeshift home in the loft of his boatshed. Tom soon becomes pregnant with Bill’s baby: her own little Minnow. In The Minnow, which won the 2013 Text Prize, Diana Sweeney gives Tom a believable voice: innocent, headstrong, anxious but determined. The narrative is otherworldly at times, as Tom is able to see and speak with the ghosts of those who perished in the flood. She also speaks to fish and to her own baby in utero, and Sweeney gives these characters a voice to speak back. The Minnow is a story of loss and of the attempts we make to move on, not only for those left behind after a tragedy but also for those who are gone. Sweeney offers a unique interpretation of how the dead might watch over those who are living and grieve for their own lost loves. The Minnow could benefit from a more rounded ending, but this strong debut will resonate with young people and adults alike. 

Sarah Tanner is a freelance writer and editor, and former bookseller