Little World (Josephine Rowe, Black Inc.)

Josephine Rowe’s Little World is a compact, lyrical read that feels both mythic and frighteningly current. When the perfectly preserved body of a child is brought to Western Australia, it raises questions of miracles, divinity, and how sainthood and holiness are bestowed. The novel’s other characters are quiet, solitary figures who live largely unremarkable lives, and as they encounter this unofficial saint, their reactions reveal their humanity. With rich prose, Rowe (Here Until August) evokes the dry, rugged landscape of Western Australia, painting the powers of nature – heat, drought and hunger – as divine in their own way, far more forceful and undeniable than any idea of God. Though the novel deals with transcendental ideas, it remains grounded in the grit of human banality. As we learn more about the child saint and her previous life, the idea of incorruptibility unravels, revealing violence at the core of reverence. Through shifting narrative perspectives and a central figure who can perceive the world around her but has no autonomy or ability to affect it, we see the inevitable grief of time passing as well as the grace and small kindnesses of individual people. Pacey and engaging as well as poetic, Little World is a brilliant choice for fans of Lauren Groff’s Matrix and Irene Solà’s When I Sing, Mountains Dance, or anyone who enjoys a short but intoxicating read.

Books+Publishing reviewer: Ash Davida Jane is a writer, editor and publisher from Aotearoa New Zealand. Books+Publishing is Australia’s number-one source of pre-publication book reviews.

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