Super Short Summary

by Amy Witting is a coming-of-age novel set in 1950s-1960s Australia, detailing significant moments in the life of Isobel Callaghan, a young girl coping with an abusive mother, societal expectations, and her own burgeoning identity as a writer. The book chronicles her experiences from childhood to young adulthood, showing her struggles and triumphs through five sections titled “The Birthday Present,” “False Idols and a Fireball,” “The Grace of God and the Hand-Me-Down,” “Glassware and Other Breakable Items,” and “I for Isobel.” Includes themes of child abuse.