Sydney, with its iconic Opera House, Harbour Bridge, and stunning beaches, has long been a muse for writers. From classic tales to contemporary narratives, here are some novels that bring Sydney to life.
Ethel Turner’s “Seven Little Australians” is a classic Australian novel that has been cherished by many generations.
This touching story, set in late 19th-century Sydney, follows the misadventures of the Woolcot children, showcasing the charming landscape and strict societal norms of the time.
Turner’s depiction of Sydney provides a nostalgic view of a city on the cusp of modernity.
“The Harp in the South” is one of Ruth Park’s best-known works, which paints an unflinching portrait of the working-class life in the Sydney suburb of Surry Hills.
The story dives into the struggles and aspirations of the Darcy family living in a slum.
Park’s writing explores the human spirit against a Sydney that is both cruel and kind, revealing the city’s heart and hardships.
A culturally iconic novel, “Puberty Blues” by Gabrielle Carey and Kathy Lette is a raw, candid portrayal of the lives of two teenage girls growing up in the southern suburbs of Sydney during the 1970s.
It uncovers the surf culture of the time and shines a light on the sexism and conformity that shaped the era.
Sydney’s suburbs, with their distinctive landscape and social milieu, serve as a significant character in the story.
Melina Marchetta’s “Looking for Alibrandi” is a coming-of-age novel about Josephine Alibrandi, a teenager navigating her final year at a wealthy Sydney girls’ school.
As she deals with the complexities of her Italian-Australian identity, Sydney forms the dynamic backdrop to Josie’s metamorphosis, reflecting the multicultural aspect of the city.
Set around a Sydney department store in the 1950s, “The Women in Black” by Madeleine St John is a delightful and witty novel that captures the lives and interactions of the department store’s staff.
Stylish and sophisticated, it paints a vivid picture of post-war Sydney and the changing roles of women.
John Birmingham’s cult classic “He Died with a Felafel in His Hand” is a riotous tale of share-house living that, while roaming across Australia, includes unforgettable stints in Sydney.
Readers are provided glimpses into the gritty and often hilarious reality of cohabitation in Australia’s biggest cities.
“Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction” by Luke Davies takes readers down Sydney’s streets as two lovers spiral into the world of addiction.
Davies captures a Sydney that is a juxtaposition of beauty and despair reflecting the tumultuous relationship at the novel’s core.
Dymphna Cusack and Florence James’ “Come In Spinner” is an acclaimed novel set in Sydney during World War II, offering a vibrant view of life on the home front.
The narrative unfolds in a luxury hotel, exposing wartime Sydney as a city grappling with social change, political turmoil, and personal sacrifice.
“Taronga” by Victor Kelleher imagines a post-apocalyptic Sydney where the city’s landmark zoo, Taronga, becomes a sanctuary in a world gone mad.
Kelleher employs Sydney as a stark, survivalist setting where the remnants of humanity and the natural world collide.
Nobel laureate Patrick White’s “The Solid Mandala” is set in a fictional suburb of Sydney and tells the story of two deeply intertwined brothers.
The city takes on a psychological dimension, mirroring the complex relationship and conflicts between the characters.
Liane Moriarty’s “Big Little Lies” is a best-selling novel set against the Sydney’s Northern Beaches.
Through a tale of mystery and domesticity, the book reels readers into the lives of three women and a community tangled in secrets, with the Sydney setting providing an idyllic façade that belies the drama beneath.
Another of White’s masterpieces, “The Eye of the Storm” also features Sydney as a setting, where family drama unfolds amidst the fallout of a dying matriarch.
The city, with its conflicting beauty and isolation, reflects the tumult within a wealthy Sydney family’s dynamic.