It’s 1944 when bookish, unworldly Emily Dean is shipped off to the relatives in rural Victoria after her mother has a nervous breakdown.

In 1944 Emily Dean is dispatched from Melbourne to stay with her father’s relatives in rural Victoria. At the family property of Mount Prospect, Grandmother is determined to keep up standards despite the war, while Emily’s young aunt – the beautiful, fearless Lydia – refuses to befriend her. Feeling lonely and isolated, Emily can’t wait to go home.

But things start to improve when she encounters Claudio, the Italian prisoner of war employed as a farm labourer. And become more interesting still when her uncle William returns home wounded. He’s rude, traumatised and mostly drunk, yet a passion for literature soon draws them together.

A delightfully wry novel about desire, deceit and self-discovery.

‘A resonant and engaging story – illuminating and subtly compelling.’ – Rosalie Ham
‘A rich evocation of an era and a beautiful insight into the process of emerging from childhood into womanhood. Such a great read!’ – Margaret Pomeranz

Mira Robertson is an award winning screenwriter who has also published short fiction. Her feature film credits include the multi award winning films Only the Brave and Head On, co-written with director Ana Kokkinos. The Unexpected Education of Emily Dean is her first novel. She lives in Melbourne.