Jessie Tu

Growing up is always hard, but especially when so many think you're a washed-up has-been at twenty-two. Jena Chung plays the violin. She was once a child prodigy and is now addicted to sex. She's struggling a little. Her professional life comprises rehearsals, concerts, auditions and relentless practice; her personal life is spent managing family demands, those of her creative friends, and lots of sex. Jena is selfish, impulsive and often behaves badly, though mostly only to her own detriment. And then she meets Mark – much older and worldly-wise – who bewitches her. Could this be love? When Jena wins an internship with the New York Philharmonic, she thinks the life she has dreamed of is about to begin. But when Trump is elected, New York changes irrevocably and Jena along with it. Is the dream over? With echoes of Frances Ha, Jena's favourite film, truths are gradually revealed to her. Jena comes to learn that there are many different ways to live and love and that no one has the how-to guide for any of it – not even her indomitable mother. A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing unflinchingly explores the confusion of having expectations upturned, and the awkwardness and pain of being human in our increasingly dislocated world – and how, in spite of all this, we still try to become the person we want to be. It is a dazzling, original and astounding debut from a young writer with a fierce, intelligent and fearless new voice.

A wildly inventive follow up to the acclaimed bestseller A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, winner of the ABIA for Literary Fiction Book of the Year. 'Translation is longing. You never get it right.' 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. A wildly inventive, chilling and intoxicating story of betrayal, ambition and love, The Honeyeater confirms that Jessie Tu is one of our most original and exciting writers. Praise for A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous 'With A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing, Tu has made a remarkable and strong entry into the national literary scene.' – Australian Book Review 'An excellent debut…Tu eschews the idea of victimhood while staying aware of the persistence of patterns of structural social inequity.' – The Weekend Australian 'Fresh and energetic…this is a raw and illuminating glimpse into the world of a child prodigy.' – Canberra Times 'A Lonely Girl is a Dangerous Thing is fiercely observant and daring, shining a spotlight on an Australian experience that is vastly underrepresented.' – Mamamia 'A fascinating and intense debut that challenges systemic racism and misogyny in the progressive artistic world…confronting, brilliant and original, Jessie Tu is an incredible new voice in Australian literature.' – Readings 'Tu's writing is piercing, with a staccato tone blending sections of intensity and quiet...The result is an absorbing, occasionally confronting and captivating first novel. In Jena Lin, Jessie Tu has crafted a memorable character – and we hope for more.' – The Sydney Morning Herald 'Bold, enthralling and sharp.' – Vogue