This Life

Jennifer Down won the 2022 Miles Franklin Award for her second novel, Bodies of Light (2021). It is an unflinching story of one woman's life, from a traumatic childhood in the suburbs of Melbourne, to reinvention in New Zealand and America as an adult, as she attempts to reconcile her past and claim her future.

Maggie Sullivan has reinvented herself in an effort to shed her past. After a vulnerable childhood, in which she experienced abuse and neglect as she was shuffled between foster care, group homes and institutions, Maggie continually tries to find a normal, quiet life. She is smart and full of potential, but at a disadvantage because of her upbringing and the systems and people who repeatedly failed her. When we first meet Maggie she is in her forties, living in America with a different name. An unsolicited Facebook message from someone looking for Maggie causes her to reflect on her past and her evolution from the child she was to the adult she is today. 

Bodies of Light explores difficult subject matters - child abuse, neglect, death, drug use, grief and more - but unlike so many novels, this trauma is not exploited for a voyeuristic reader. Maggie's story is authentic, and told with such beauty and trust. Her memories may be unreliable, clouded by loss and black spots, but her desire to make something of herself and find peace in her life is compelling. Along the way Maggie finds people who love her and help her on her journey, but given how often she has been let down in the past, she is always on the lookout for when she will be abandoned again. 

Every so often a character comes along that gets under your skin. I found myself so invested in Maggie's story that I could not stop thinking about her. Listening to the audiobook as I read, heightened my immersion in Maggie's life. 

Down is a poetic author, choosing adjectives that describe Maggie's world. Every sentence is beautifully crafted, and despite the dark themes, there is hope - a light in the darkness. While many readers might be put off by the subject matter, I would encourage people to give Bodies of Light their time. There are Maggies all around us and society should not shy away from understanding these experiences. 

I had the pleasure of hearing Jennifer Down speak at the Sydney Writers' Festival in May this year. She spoke about the challenges of writing this novel while working full time, the research she undertakes and the reasons why she wanted to tell this story. I am so pleased she has been recognised for this important novel with many award nominations and receiving the Miles Franklin Award. She deserves an audience for her work. I will certainly be keen to read more from Jennifer Down.