A brilliant debut reaching from the picturesque South Coast of NSW to the cloisters of Cambridge, following two young women's lives as they become entwined in ways neither could have expected. Exploring motherhood, class, social justice, love and identity, it is told with wit and empathy - perfect for fans of Liane Moriarty.
'Sharply observed and skilfully drawn, this clever, debut novel is an exploration of motherhood, abandonment and class...exactly my kind of book!' - Sally Hepworth
For Ava, heading to university in the city is her escape from a poverty-stricken upbringing in a tiny coastal town. Her mother deserted the family when she was a baby, leaving her with a chronically ill father who was able to provide love but little else.
On the other side of the world, Laurie tolerates university only at the urging of her father, a celebrated professor of Marxist thought. Her mother died in childbirth, and Laurie feels boxed in by her father's expectations. She dreams of freedom, far from the Cambridge cloisters.
It is within these college grounds that Ava and Laurie cross paths. They could not be more different, and yet as each grapple with the lasting effects of losing a mother, their lives become entwined in ways neither could have expected.
Ava pursues academic success and security through a marriage that catapults her into the British establishment. But will her obsession with leaving the past behind drive her to do something unthinkable? Meanwhile, rebellious Laurie forgoes academia and decides to have a baby on her own-but she could never have predicted the shock that is coming.
Alison Edwards' brilliant novel Two Daughters explores motherhood, family, class, social justice, love and identity with a large dose of wit, the occasional detour into darkness, but always with the heartbeat of hope.
About the Author
Alison Edwards is an Australian/British author and linguist. She was born and raised on the south coast of New South Wales. She has lived in Europe and the UK ever since semi-failing to return home from a university exchange program in Germany. She studied journalism and international studies before obtaining a PhD in linguistics at the University of Cambridge. She is now based with her family in Amsterdam, where she works as a translator, editor and sometime academic. Two Daughters is her first novel.
Industry Reviews
'Two Daughters is that rare book that is gripping enough to get your heart pumping by the end of the prologue, yet smart enough to keep your brain ticking long after the final page. Sharply observed and skilfully drawn, this clever debut novel is an exploration of motherhood, abandonment and class - my favourite things to explore. In short, exactly my kind of book!' - Sally Hepworth, author of Darling Girls
'With a pacy, intricate plot that weaves across decades and continents, Two Daughters is a gripping and witty debut.' - Diana Reid, author of Love & Virtue
'Fresh, vivid and original...an incisive exploration of social justice, class, identity, and what it means to challenge the expectations set for women's lives.' - Clare Stephens, writer and host of the Mamamia podcasts Cancelled and But Are You Happy?
