The Deed
by Susannah Begbie
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Pub Date May 01 2024 | Archive Date Apr 17 2024
Hachette Australia & New Zealand | Hachette Australia
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Description
A perceptive and unforgettable debut novel from the 2022 Richell Prize winner that explores the messy, sometimes volatile, complications that only the best and worst of family can bring.
'Now that's the way to bury your old man ... he sank into his Jason recliner, wincing. A burial: a body wrapped in handwoven cloth, women dancing and wailing. Too much, in Tom's opinion, but at least they were mourning. To hell with that, at least they showed up.'
Tom Edwards is dying, and cranky. He's made his peace with the dying part. But he'd bet his property - the whole ten thousand acres of it - that there'd be no wailing at his funeral. His kids wouldn't be able to chop down a tree, let alone build a coffin to bury him in.
Then Tom has an idea ...
Christine is furious, David ashen-faced, and Sophie distracted. Only Jenny listens carefully as Vince Barton, of Barton & Sons, reads their father's will. Either they build his coffin - in four days - or they lose their inheritance. All of it.
A perceptive and unforgettable debut novel, The Deed explores the messy, sometimes volatile, complications that only the best and worst of family can bring. Sometimes greed can be good.
Available Editions
| EDITION | Paperback |
| ISBN | 9780733650796 |
| PRICE | A$32.99 (AUD) |
| PAGES | 378 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Jeanette C, Reviewer
Thanks kindly to NetGalley and Hachette Australia for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book was absolutely stunning. Susannah Begbie's debut novel is a gorgeous celebration of country Australia, and tells the story of four adult children of a farming family who are reunited to build their recently deceased father's coffin on a deadline, as a condition of his will.
I'll be the first to admit I wasn't sure if this book was for me. It took a while to orient myself in the world of 'The Deed', with its cast of characters and frequent perspective shifting. But I kept going, and I'm so, so glad that I did.
The writing builds and gets better and more enjoyable deeper into the book. I was increasingly impressed with how well developed and thought out the story was, and what felt like more frequent perspective switching became normal and even something to look forward to.
As a city person who's worked in agriculture, this reads as an accessible love letter to the contemporary struggles of generational farming. The genius of this novel lies in its unbelievably rich characters and story. I expected a dramatic tale but it was surprisingly humorous. And the ending was *ugh* oh so lovely - well considered and most definitely not rushed, whatsoever.
This novel surprised me in the best way possible, and I would most definitely recommend it for folks who are looking for a story centred on family dynamics that employs subtle and more understated humour, set in regional, farming Australia. Love love love. Genuinely so impressed.
12/02/24 note for publisher: Goodreads listing not linked successfully on NetGalley so separately posted there and linked here.
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