Marshmallow

A year ago the house had been full of life, of noise, of love. Now there were long stretches of silence that settled between them like a fog so dense it made it hard to see a way out, made it hard for them to see each other . . . He was losing sight of the only thing he'd ever truly been certain about.

Some moments change everything. For five friends, what should have been a birthday to remember will instead cleave a line between before and after. From then on, the shockwaves of guilt, sorrow and disbelief will colour every day, every interaction, every possibility. Each will struggle. Each will ask why. Secrets will be kept. Lies will be told. Relationships reassessed. Each friend will be forever changed. And the question all of them will be forced to ask is: can they ever find a way to live without what was lost?

A raw, powerful novel from the prize-winning author of Kokomo that exposes the ripple effect of grief. With profound insight and a tender heart, Marshmallow shows how quickly the life you thought you had can be shattered forever.

'Hannan combines a sharp wit with great emotional tenderness. The result is a heartbreaking, surprisingly funny story about grief and love; about facing darkness and finding hope' DIANA REID

'Kokomo got rave reviews, and this is as good' WEEKEND AUSTRALIAN

'A mix of delicate tenderness and probing observation . . . It's extremely readable - Marshmallow's emotional timbre is beautifully tuned' THE GUARDIAN

'An Australian Anne Tyler. Opening [Hannan's] books is like opening the door to a rowdy family home' THE AGE

'Beautiful, tender and profound . . . An emotional, raw and gripping read that will take you by surprise' COURIER-MAIL

'Pacy and highly readable' CANBERRA TIMES

'A raw, powerful and surprisingly funny story' WOMAN'S DAY

'This prize-winning author knows the recipe for a good read' WHO MAGAZINE

'A poignant and thoroughly moving read thanks to the artistry of Hannan' ARTSHUB

'It is some kind of magic that [Hannan] manages to pull us willingly through the hardest of situations. I didn't want to stop reading this book' READINGS

'Marshmallow's themes are sombre but it is impossible not to see Hannan entreating us to run to love, railing against the folly of excluding its joy when life is short' NEWTOWN REVIEW OF BOOKS