Green Dot

Green Dot by Madeleine Gray is a captivating and darkly comedic exploration of love, identity, and the struggle to navigate adulthood in the modern age. The novel centres on Hera Stephen, a young woman in her mid-twenties, who is trying to make sense of her life amidst the chaos of Sydney. Working as an underpaid comment moderator in an overly air-conditioned newsroom, Hera's daily grind is far from satisfying. Her nights are spent wandering the city with her two closest friends, a pattern that offers neither the stability nor the fulfilment she craves.

Hera finds herself reflecting on the conventional milestones of adulthood that many of her peers seem to achieve with ease: career success, financial stability, and meaningful relationships. Instead, what Hera has accumulated over the years are an ex-girlfriend, numerous hangovers, and a well-worn collection of novels. Her attempts to forge her own path leave her questioning if she's genuinely rejecting societal norms or simply being left behind.

The turning point in Hera’s journey comes when she meets Arthur, an older, married colleague. The allure of the ordinary happiness he seems to embody is irresistible. Despite knowing the romance is doomed from the start, Hera dives headfirst into an affair that is as thrilling as it is ill-fated. This relationship, filled with its own set of challenges and pitfalls, becomes a conduit for Hera to confront her deepest fears and desires.

Madeleine Gray's debut novel is rich with a daringly specific and intimate voice that draws readers into Hera's messy, beautiful life. Through her humorous and poignant storytelling, Gray explores the unexpected joys and indignities of becoming an adult in the twenty-first century. Green Dot is a story about the terrible allure of forbidden love, the satirical yet sincere look at modern professional and personal livelihoods, and the winding, often humorous journey towards self-discovery.

Readers and critics alike have heaped praise on Green Dot:

“I wolfed Green Dot down over two nights. An incredibly funny book about a woman having an affair that's a really bad idea. Every sentence sparkles.” – Caitlin Moran, author of How to Be a Woman

“Brilliant. Riveting. Sharp. Funny. Dark. I want to give Green Dot all the adjectives but will content myself with saying it is one of the best books you will read all year.” – Elizabeth Day, host of the How to Fail podcast

“I felt so much joy reading this utterly assured writing. Green Dot is written with such poise, such confidence, I could not look away. I was mesmerised by its sheer brilliance.” – Jessie Tu, author of A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing

“I am obsessed with this book. I am obsessed with Hera, with her dad, her friends, her dog. I am obsessed with how funny she is, and how hopeful and dark and tender and bleak the world is through her eyes. Green Dot is a book about love, and how stupid and funny and absolutely beautiful life can be. I would read it forever if I could.” – Laura McPhee-Browne, author of Cherry Beach

“Laugh-out-loud funny and beautifully, brutally relatable – Green Dot is a book that will stay with me for a very long time.” – Ewa Ramsey, author of The Morbids

“Incredibly funny and a bit too real. This debut novel captures the zeitgeist.” – Brigid Delaney, author of Reasons Not to Worry and Wellmania