The Strays by Emily Bitto

On her first day at a new school, Lily befriends one of the daughters of infamous avant-garde painter Evan Trentham. He and his wife are trying to escape the stifling conservatism of 1930s Australia by inviting other like-minded artists to live and work at their family home. Lily becomes infatuated with this wild, makeshift family and longs to truly be part of it. As the years pass, Lily observes the way the lives of these artists come to reflect the same themes as their art: Faustian bargains and spectacular falls from grace. Yet it's not Evan, but his daughters, who pay the price for his radicalism. An engrossing story of ambitions, sacrifice, and compromised loyalties. --

Not entirely sure how this book makes me feel. Disturbed, but intruiged by the tension and unspoken pain felt by all, is probably the best way I can describe it. I was unsettled to discover I could relate to more than one character, and I loved the way the female bond of friendship or sisterhood is the centre of this whole tome.
I love art so I enjoyed all the references to the painting process and the contentiousness of introducing new styles into the art world. Even though the story begins in 1930 Melbourne, there are virtually no references to that time period in Australia, other than the art. The language and mannerisms of the characters appear more like it could have been the 1970s. It is as though all the characters are in a bubble of both their own making and the author's. There is a lot conveyed without words or actions here. Masterful and brilliant.

This was a stunner of a novel. Bitto perfectly captured, through gorgeous language, the languid beauty of childhood, where wonder can be found around every corner. Her fuzzy use of narrative details at times felt frustrating, but also stayed incredibly true to the experience of a child recounting a story that she doesn't fully understand. This will absolutely be one of the best I read this year.