One Day We’re All Going to Die (Elise Esther Hearst, HarperCollins)

Elise Esther Hearst’s impressive debut novel One Day We’re All Going To Die is introspective, evocative and imbued with poetic simplicity. With a playfully dark narrative, the book follows 27-year-old Jewish woman Naomi as she attempts to harmonise familial and cultural expectations with her desires. Living in Melbourne, Naomi is passionate about her work at the Jewish Museum but is unfulfilled in her personal life. Stumbling into a toxic affair, she soon begins to question her worth and her professional future. From finding love in the wrong places to disappointing her parents, Naomi just wants to be a normal person, if only she knew how to be. Hearst is a fresh and exciting voice and easily draws readers into a relatable, at times uncomfortable, exploration of identity, love and the pursuit of personal fulfilment. With unflinching honesty and witty prose, Hearst masterfully delves into the realities of womanhood, reflecting on that unique turning point—when you consider your origins and where you want to go next. Exploring complex relationships, parental expectations and generational trauma, particularly through the lens of Naomi’s Holocaust survivor grandmother, Cookie, One Day We’re All Going to Die is a noteworthy addition to the millennial coming-of-age genre. This must-read is for Sally Rooney, Ottessa Moshfegh and Meg Mason fans, but Hearst’s ability to embrace brevity while packing emotional depth and capturing aspects of the female millennial experience is also reminiscent of Japanese authors Meiko Kawakami (Breasts and Eggs) and Emi Yagi (Diary of a Void). One Day We’re All Going to Die reminds us that even in the face of uncertainty, there are moments when you know you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Jess Lomas is the acting editor for reviews at Books+Publishing. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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Category: Reviews