Description
Fifteen-year-old Emma is woken up by her dad's nightmares. Again.
On Friday evenings they go running at East Point Reserve to escape. Escape the ripples of grief that still chase them three years after her mum's death; escape Emma's autism diagnosis; escape her dad's work as an emergency room doctor.
At school, Emma has won a spot on the beach volleyball Sports Institute program. The spot that her best friend Summer desperately wanted. And Summer's family are moving to the other side of town. Their friendship has kept Emma going since her mum's death but now things are changing between them and change isn't something Emma can outrun.
Set in tropical Darwin, White Noise is an achingly true portrayal of girlhood, grief, and autism from the authentic and gripping voice of debut author Raelke Grimmer.
Review
It is great to be able to introduce a debut Northern Territory author to our readers. This wonderful novel captures the heart of the region and tackles important issues, particularly grief, autism, and coping with change.
Fifteen-year-old Emma’s life was dealt a terrible blow when her mother died three years ago. Emma has autism, but now she regularly shuts down completely. Her best friend, Summer, was like a sister to her but after her Mum got cancer and Summer got a new baby sibling their whole dynamic started to change.
When the talent scouts arrived, they selected Emma to try out for a position at the Adelaide Sports Institute next year. But this was always Summer’s dream, and Emma is not even sure that she will be able to cope in a whole new city away from everything she knows.
Emma is slowly becoming an item with Elliot, but their relationship is not always smooth sailing, and Summer has found love with Jaclyn and has moved house with her family to a place 20 minutes out of Darwin, and it feels like Emma and Summer are now in different orbits.
This is a terrific novel about growing up and facing the challenges that being a bit different can create. With themes of friendship, change, grief, autism and self-discovery, it is a perfect read for those aged 13 and up.
