Author Talk: Jessie Tu (Special Sydney Writers' Festival Event)

Join us for an engaging author talk with Jessie Tu as she discusses her latest book, The Honeyeater. This special event is presented in collaboration with the Sydney Writers’ Festival.

About the author

Jessie Tu is a journalist for Women's Agenda. Her debut novel, A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, won the ABIA for 2020 Literary Fiction Book of the Year. The Honeyeater is her second novel.

About the book

Young academic and emerging translator Fay takes her mother on a package tour holiday to France to celebrate her birthday. It's a chance for the two of them to take a break from work and have a little fun, but they both find it hard to relax. Her mother seems reluctant to leave their room in the evening, and Fay is working on a difficult translation. On their last night in France, Fay receives the shattering news that her former lover has suddenly died.

Back in Sydney, Fay seeks solace from her mentor, Professor Samantha Egan-Smith, who offers her a spot at a prestigious translation conference in Taipei. But can she trust her? Does the Professor know more than she is admitting, or is Fay being paranoid? When a shocking allegation is made, Fay chooses to keep it secret. Is she protecting the Professor or exercising power over her?

Fay arrives at the conference in Taipei. Career opportunities abound, but it's ghost month in Taiwan. Her mother had begged her not to go at that time, warning that she would be susceptible to dangers and threats. And there is almost nothing a mother won't do to protect her child.

Praise for the book

"The entire book manages to feel both painstakingly crafted, and effortless. But perhaps her most powerful skill is creating three emotionally charged characters; outwardly, they choose composure as their armour, internally they carry rage. This powerful combination is what drives the story forward and kept this reader hooked to the very end." – The Sydney Morning Herald

"We loved Australian writer Jessie Tu's first novel, A Lonely Girl Is A Dangerous Thing. Her follow-up is just as bold and thrilling, the tale of a young academic tangled in a web of grief, lust and betrayal." – Vogue

About the event

Better Read Than Dead bookshop will be selling copies of the book on the night.

5:30pm - Light refreshments

6-7pm - Author talk