The Buried Life (Andrea Goldsmith, Transit Lounge)

In The Buried Life, Andrea Goldsmith – renowned for her sharp insights into contemporary life and relationships – once again delves into the complexities of human connection. Known for The Prosperous Thief (shortlisted for the 2003 Miles Franklin Literary Award) and The Memory Trap (winner of the 2015 Melbourne Prize for Literature’s Best Writing Award), Goldsmith has here written a compelling story about Adrian, a death scholar, and his relationships with an artist, Kezi, and a town planner, Laura. Although the start of the novel is a bit stilted and reserved, The Buried Life soon engaged this reader and made me genuinely care about the characters. The ages of these characters range from early 20s to 60s, and each character carries heavy emotional baggage, posing challenges to their personal growth. While themes of religion, sexual identity and existentialism are not new, the combination of Goldsmith’s dialogue and the effortless-seeming musicality of her prose – supported by poetry and academic chatter – makes The Buried Life shine. Goldsmith’s insights into friendship, love, life and death are measured against the gentle backdrop of music, poetry, and even cheese! The evolution of Adrian’s friendship with Kezi, particularly in the novel’s final pages, is a deep and effective depiction of friendship and love. For fans of Fredrik Backman’s A Man Called Ove, or anyone curious about the inner lives and workings of other people and their relationships, The Buried Life is sure to evoke positive feelings.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Michelle Atkins is a communications professional and published educational author. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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