Birdy

Birdy is South Australian author Sharon Kernot's second verse novel, after her acclaimed debut, The Art of Taxidermy. I'm not usually a fan of verse novels, but Birdy won me over, packing in a huge amount of plot, backstory, mystery and emotion into relatively few, but well-chosen, words. 

Maddy has been mute ever since 'the Incident,' which we gradually learn involved some kind of sexual assault and social media exposure (she seems more traumatised by the social media aspect than the assault). But as she gradually thaws in the peace of the countryside, and befriends young Levi and old Alice, she begins to heal. Alice says that Maddy reminds her of her missing daughter, Birdy, and Maddy feels an affinity with the other long-departed girl, and it's through Maddy that the mystery of Birdy is finally brought to closure.

I enjoyed Birdy much more than I expected to -- it wraps up pain, grief, betrayal, nature, secrets and friendship in a beautifully judged package. It might even be my top pick of the CBCAs so far.