Nessa keeps the world at arm’s length. It’s easier that way, for everyone. Her orbit is no bigger than her sister, her parents and a solitary work colleague with a penchant for dying wishes.
But even these people don’t see the real Nessa.
Saddled with her father’s impossible ‘guilt’ gift, a rundown homestead in the middle of nowhere, Nessa reluctantly develops a wellness retreat of sorts – a no-frills escape for women. All too quickly, keeping her distance becomes a trickier dance, even for someone so good at it.
But the toughest test of Nessa’s resolve takes the shape of her feisty niece Lily, whose offer to help promote Navada comes with caveats and who ultimately holds up a mirror to a life that neither of them feels ready to see.
“It’s not just about telling your story but about having the chance to rewrite it. To tell it the way you want it to be understood.” These wise words uttered by our protagonist, Nessa, are the heart of what this tender and beautifully crafted novel is all about. Deeply moving and sharply funny, Storylines is about how we see ourselves in an age of distortion.
Thirty-something Nessa emerges from a traumatic car accident, scarred physically and emotionally. And yet, she’s opened ‘Nevada’, a healing retreat on a rustic property outside of Perth, where women come to heal, reinvigorate, repair and reinvent their sense of hope and positivity. It reminds me of the adage, ‘physician heal thyself’; that the person most in need of healing is the one facilitating the healing of others.
Seasoned writer and journalist Carrie Cox has hit the perfect and delicate balance between pathos and humour in this beautifully written and artfully executed gift of a novel.
Cox has a wonderful ability to be simultaneously funny and heartbreaking. Her wry insights into the perception of beauty, the mythology of it and the harsh criticism we so quickly provide ourselves with are glorious. Nessa’s journey to self-love via the catalyst of her niece, the spirited and complex Lily, is pitch perfect.
There are so many superb moments in this novel, from Cox’s insights into aged care to the excellent ear she has for dialogue and deep understanding of female group dynamics.
Insightful, wise and incredibly moving, Storylines is a poignant and exquisitely beautiful read. Through writing it, Cox has provided us with the opportunity to rewrite our own stories and our perceptions of what beauty truly is. I’m grateful for that, and you will be, too.
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