Coral Eden

First published in French in 1929, this novel is set in Sydney in 1910, before the couple leave the city for the tranquil life on a deserted island on the north Queensland coast. Their idyllic life - man, woman and dog Wolf - is interrupted by the arrival of an escaped convict, with some tragic repercussions.

Translated and introduced by Maurice Blackman, we see "a lively, bustling depiction of a modern Sydney that is definitely part of the wider modern world, with all its flaws and advantages. In one chapter, there is even a comparison between the liveliness of Sydney and the dreary stuffiness of London. The two central figures in the novel are young, vital urbanites, rather than stock outback characters, who try to live out an idealistic escape into a tropical paradise. Even if their ideals end up being crushed, the initial impetus of the story is forward-looking and full of enthusiasm... A Coral Eden can be seen as a glimpse into the future prospects of the new nation, even if there may be setbacks on the way, rather than a cosy remembrance of things past."