The Railwayman's Wife

March 15, 2016

Anikka, widowed at 36, is a new mother going about her quiet life as a librarian in the coastal Australian town of Thirroul, trying to hold on to memories of her late husband, the titular railwayman. The year is 1948, and the local men are trying to forget their experiences fighting in World War II. One of these veterans, Roy, struggles to overcome writer's block until he finds a muse in Anikka, unbeknownst to her. Brief flashbacks show the life Anikka shared with her loving husband, and give insight into his interactions with townsfolk in the days leading up to the war. Significant moments are described with astoundingly solid writing, and the coastal setting is beautifully depicted. VERDICT Previously released to critical acclaim in Australia in 2013 and a 2014 winner of the Colin Roderick Prize in the UK, this second novel from Hay (The Body in the Clouds) is the kind of slow, ruminative, evocative story that will appeal to devotees of literary fiction who read primarily for language.--Sonia Reppe, Stickney-Forest View P.L., IL

Copyright 2016 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

April 1, 2016
World War II was over, Ani's husband, Mac, enjoyed his job on the railways, and their house was full of light and laughter. Their coastal Australian town of Thirroul was small, but Ani was content. Until Mac suffers a fatal accident, turning Ani into another postwar widow. Faced with the insurmountable task of living without Mac, Ani throws herself into a job at the library, where she is forced to interact with the patrons. One frequent patron is Roy, a poet frustrated by writer's block and haunted by memories from the front. As Ani and Roy wrestle with their private tragedies, they find they have more in common than they ever imagined. Hay immerses the reader in Mac and Ani's relationship, splicing flashbacks to happier times into the central narrative. Hay's poetic gifts are evident in her descriptions of the wild coastal landscape and Roy's measured verse. This poignant, elegant novel delves into the depth of tragedy, the shaky ground of recovery, and the bittersweet memories of lost love. Fans of Jodi Daynard and Susanna Kearsley will adore this.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)