Review

26 year old Evelyn is performing in an international opera – in a named role! on her way up! – when she suddenly loses her voice, mid-duet. She visits a number of specialists, but there’s nothing medically wrong. She retreats home to Sydney, which she left years ago to study overseas, and starts living with her parents and reconnecting with her long abandoned high school friends and ex-boyfriend. She also starts coaching/babysitting a debating team at her old high school.

As she continues to try to regain her voice through lessons and counselling, she’s forced into a reckoning with her old life and choices and faced with the question: if she can’t sing… who is she?

*

A promising debut novel. I was definitely drawn in by the fabulous cover and the interesting concept about former gifted children and the mental health problems that occur when they join the adult world and find that they’re perhaps not as special as they were led to believe.

I read it hot on the heels of All Fours by Miranda July, and although comparisons are odious, July’s novel was much better written. Kirk’s minor characters tended towards caricature and the tone was a bit patchy. It was mainly written in first person, with sections written in third person when Evelyn was dissociating. And the ending was a bit unsatisfactory… I don’t need everything tied up with a neat bow, but I would have preferred a bit more of a hint about Evelyn’s future direction.

I did feel engaged by it though – it kept me turning pages. Thought provoking with lots of amusing & relatable moments.

Suitable for students Year 10 & above. 416 pp.

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One sex scene & one nearly sex scene – not a lot of detail; friendship issues; pushy stage mother; depression; lots of alcohol; mention of drugs; professional jealousy; professional disappointment; borderline abusive singing teacher practices.

*

Kirk, E. (2025). Very Impressive for Your Age. Allen & Unwin.

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