When you are heading towards 40 and people start to notice you a little bit less, what do you do with your new powers of invisibility?
Audrey Mendes is a clever lawyer but has never made partner. Her weeks are filled with long hours in the office, visits to her ageing parents, trivia nights at the local and evenings at home with her pet rabbit, Joni.
When Audrey tries to buy wine at the pub she is ignored and walks out without paying. One thing leads to another, and soon she starts rebelling in small and creative ways against a world in which she is unseen – until a painful reminder from her childhood pushes her into a reckoning.
All the while there’s a potential romance and an eccentric new neighbour to deal with. And why does Audrey buy extravagant baby clothes when she doesn’t have a child?
Wry, humorous and provocative, this is an affectionate novel about sorting out the past, grabbing onto life and claiming your place in it.
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Read some great reviews from our Preview readers here:
Such a rollercoaster – funny, sad, traumatic in places but then uplifting and hopeful. Completely invested in Audrey, had a few “oh no she didn’t moments” which were totally relatable. Thought provoking exploration of family dynamics in the aftermath of tragedy. Highly recommend. Audrey like all women must be seen. Theresa, QLD, 5 stars
This was a thoroughly engaging and at times heartbreaking story. The author demonstrates a deep understanding of the impact of childhood trauma on women once they reach adulthood, and their struggles to navigate intimate relationships. Like so many women, Audrey is vulnerable to men who seem to possess an uncanny radar for a survivor of trauma, and who then go on to exercise their physical and psychological power over her in an abusive way. Whether or not we have experienced trauma, so many of we women feel unseen and not acknowledged by others. This certainly struck a chord with me. I loved sharing Audrey’s journey as the layers of her memory peeled away, at times painfully. Once exposed and acknowledged, it was clear that Audrey was in a better position to gain perspective and head toward healing. Witnessing her regaining her power was very satisfying. An excellent read, thank you, and I’d love a sequel! Joanne Williams, QLD, 5 stars
The Little Clothes is one of those books that hovers on the brink of Contemporary Sad Girl and Weird Girl fiction while never quite tipping over into either. The antagonist Audrey is, to most people, invisible. She’s often forgotten, hardly noticed, overlooked. This means she can nick the occasional bottle of wine or fountain pen without consequences and people forget seeing or meeting her. She’s pushing 38 and single, her mother is overbearing and yet barely thinks of her except as a sibling in the shadow of her dead golden-boy older brother. Interestingly, it’s the opposite at her work. A reliable and conscientious lawyer, Audrey is constantly taken advantage of and relied upon whilst being run over by the more extroverted players at her firm. She has the solace of a loving father and a solid best friend, but she still buys expensive baby clothes for a baby she doesn’t have. I ended up really liking Audrey, her exceedingly blunt way of dealing with idiotic people appealed to me. She was relatable and human and probably representative of most childless, well-educated, middle class white women of her age. The author has her dealing with a lot of different stresses including the tried-and-true plot device of Repressed Childhood Trauma; but while she goes fairly far off the rails the reader is still able to root for her to correct and get back on track with her life. Recommended if you enjoy books of this genre. Sarah, QLD, 4 stars
Oh my goodness did this book make me feel the feelings. Laugh out loud and heartwarming moments followed by times that I dreaded turning the page. I was left wanting more but also feel that it ended on a perfect note. Emma, VIC, 4 stars
It’s hard to sum up this book without giving away too much. It’s so human and even though the main character does questionable and unlikeable things, she is so relatable. On a deeper level, this book explores how traumatic events, family dynamics and micro-aggressions can shape us. On a lighter note, this book is quirky and tongue-in-cheek funny. Also a reminder that life isn’t black and white. No one is all good or all bad. This was not the story I was expecting but I loved it! Chloe, VIC, 4 stars
A quirky story about Audrey and her chaotic life. Full of contradictions and confusions about life and the way she lives it and the decisions she makes and to Audrey being ignored, excluded, and irritated. Audrey’s awkwardness is endearing and her audacity shocking yet exhilarating. What will she do next? her treatment by others, both past and present, pushes her behaviour to extremes. But she gets away with it all because ‘no one sees her.’ Samantha, QLD, 4 stars
Audrey, the protagonist of ‘Little Clothes’ thinks that as she gets older, she becomes invisible to a youth focused world. For instance, she waits to be served a bottle of wine in a bar but seems to be continually ignored by the busy serving staff. Frustrated she takes the bottle home and pays for it later but realises perceived invisibility is a handy trait and something to dabble in occasionally. Audrey spends most of her time with her quirky parents, mother in the main house and father in adjunct on their land and much-loved bunny, fears her new neighbour, despairs at work where she waits for the never granted promotion, she is not a team player preferring time in her own quiet world though, she grudgingly attends vacuous staff celebrations. Despite not fitting in at work she is essential as she does a lot of the hard work at the firm. Audrey buys baby clothes perhaps symbolising her hope for the future but more of an attempt to recapture a lost childhood. Secrets of the past that have possibly impacted on Audrey more than she realises swim to the surface. The novel blends humour with serious issues very well. Paula, TAS, 4 stars
The Little Clothes was a captivating read. Audrey was a fascinating character – in turn vulnerable and then unexpectedly fierce. The friendship between Maggie and Audrey felt like a life vest in an otherwise complicated life. Don’t be deceived by the cute colourful cover though, be prepared for some confronting themes in this book. This book was a lovely reminder that none of us know what we see is not the whole of a person. Kim, VIC, 4 stars
The Little Clothes by Australian Author Deborah Callaghan is a contemporary fiction set in New South Wales. The principal character is a very clever lawyer, Audrey Mendes. Audrey is single nearing 40 and has a pet rabbit “Joni” named after singer Joni Mitchell. Audrey is a loyal staff member who is taken for granted, a trivia buff at the local pub and a faithful friend. The narrative is complex, touching on various sensitive topics which intertwine throughout the novel. It took a few chapters to hook me but once it did, I was then engrossed. It was very emotional and believable. Karen, VIC, 4 stars
Audrey is a woman who is always there for anyone in need. Friendly to all, even her ex-con neighbour with the large dog, and his ex-con mates, who all harass her whenever possible. However, since her brother’s death, her parents have become more needy and intrusive in her life. She feels that she has no life of her own and no chance of having everything she deserves. Although a successful lawyer, working long hours to become a partner, she is always overlooked by others in the firm. However, this will change when a chance of fate makes her infamous and puts her in the spotlight. She will be the partner she always deserved to be and will no longer be walked over by her charismatic boss Alec. Deidre, VIC, 4 stars
This was just as strange a story as I expected from the blurb, but also desperately sad, as Audrey uncovers the truth about her past and begins to understand what exactly was kept from her all these years. She was a hard character to like, but I did appreciate how she starts to set boundaries and stand up for herself during the course of the story, although there are ups and downs along the way. I was ultimately on her side. I thought this was a well written book, and I especially liked Audrey’s dialogue as she became more and more sassy! Laura, NSW, 4 stars
The Little Clothes by Deborah Callaghan is a book that shows what can happen when you feel the world is just overlooking you. Audrey has had enough. Her family and work take her for granted, she has lost her brother and what looks to be the neighbour from hell has moved in next door. After stealing alcohol when they ignore her in a pub, she starts to rebel in other ways. She confronts her family on past issues and pressures her bosses. Her trivia group is her only real outing and even that is starting to become problematic. It all culminates in an extreme decision that shows people’s true colours, including hers. The characters all have flaws, which does at times makes it hard to like them. I think Audrey sums it up best, though, when she says, “We all hide something, even if we don’t acknowledge it to ourselves.” The title refers to the children’s clothes Audrey keeps buying, it’s her preparation for the future she envisions. This book is not easy to read and does touch on sensitive issues but I recommend it if you are looking for something different to read. Theresa, NSW, 4 stars
Audrey is a very strange character who slowly unveils more of herself as the story progresses. There are some challenging themes covered in the story around suicide, abuse and shame, it is not the soft fluffy story that the cover lures you into. It resonates with the generations we have grown up with in Australia and their lack of openness with each other and unwillingness to confront the past. I think the neighbour and trivia team had some vibrancy and colour to the story, but did not resonate with any of the relationships in the office. All in all it was an easy read but had perhaps too many characters to fully invest in them all. Tina, QLD, 4 stars
What a brilliant book. Not a book I would normally pick up by the front cover but thoroughly enjoyed it and will be looking did more books by the same author. Joel, VIC, 4 stars
A quirky story about Audrey and her chaotic life. Full of contradictions and confusion’s about life and the way she lives it and the decisions she makes. At times you cringe, cheer her on, want her to stop, feel her pain, or just need her to take a breath and ask for help. There are many people in Audrey’s life who complicate and confuse her but we can all relate to many of them I am sure. Written in a light hearted, fast paced way, the underlying messages are really what I believe the author wants us to consider. Our past experiences need resolving, everyone has a story and needs to be heard, everyone is important and everyone is different. Caroline, NSW, 4 stars
The Little Clothes by Debra Callaghan is a book that sneaks up on you, starting softly and building to a crescendo. It is insidious and emotive as the reader bears witness to Audrey being ignored, excluded, and irritated. Audrey’s awkwardness is endearing and her audacity shocking yet exhilarating. What will she do next? She is a cork bobbing up and down in a choppy sea as her treatment by others, both past and present, pushes her behaviour to extremes. But she gets away with it all because “no one sees me … I’m not a challenge or a threat. I’m useful’ she explains. Your heart will go out to Audrey, and you will be delighted by the details and quirkily described observations. The grazing board was ‘a fleeting table-to-bin amusement’. Love it! Michelle, VIC, 4 stars
The Little Clothes is a curious book both simple and complex, funny and sad exploring the themes of family, friendship, career and he search for meaning. Featuring a quirky, introverted, single and hardworking lawyer with a pet rabbit, Audrey slowly uncovers buried events from her past. By making sense of these secrets and integrating this into her life experience, Audrey is able to grow, strengthen her relationships and make sense of her life at this time. It was a strange and funny book with some unexpected and confronting parts which were quite sad but an overall compelling and enjoyable read. Meg, QLD, 3 stars
The Little Clothes by Deborah Callaghan follows the ups and downs of Audrey Mendes’ life. Audrey works in a law firm but despite her hard work, she is constantly overlooked for promotion. Her lack of confidence, especially in a social setting, is deemed to be her problem. This also impacts on her relationships with her family and friends. She constantly overreacts to situations which lead to funny but also very sad events. Audrey is also prone to a bit of thieving. As the story progresses Callaghan slowly exposes the traumas from Audrey’s life. There are moments of humour balanced by moments of great sadness. Just how much of Audrey’s problems are the result of her early life? This is a tale of overcoming problems and finally putting yourself first. An easy read. Michael, ACT, 3 stars
Audrey is a lawyer who is undervalued in the office and a limited small social life. The book deals with the dark side in both aspects of these. She goes through life trying to remain anonymous and not be noticed. The painful incident from her past pushes her and she has to deal with her past and seize control of her life. While the book had many story threads it left several story lines unresolved for me. Audrey was a smart educated woman but on occasion put herself in vulnerable situations that set her up for unpleasant treatment. Julie, QLD, 2 stars
This book is full of quirky characters and lots of cringeworthy social moments as it follows the life story of anxious lawyer Audrey. Unfortunately for me it didn’t quite hit the mark as it raised too many past traumas for Audrey, none of which seem to be resolved adequately by the end of the story. It started with promise and kept me interested but left me a bit disappointed in the end. Ruth, NSW, 2 stars
A story of a woman’s journey to healing from past trauma and new trauma and learning to find herself and take a stand and be seen. Tayla, VIC, 1 star
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