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'Charlotte Wood has the ability to evoke matters of life and death without straining for effect' Sydney Morning Herald 'Wood's writing is direct and spare, yet capable of bursting with unexpected beauty' Economist 'Charlotte Wood makes the most ordinary moments glow' Australian Book Review Jude, Wendy and Adele have been friends for decades. Now in their seventies, they are gathering at their friend Sylvie's home by the ocean to mourn her death and clear out her belongings. It's the height of summer, the weather is hot and muggy and the air is crackling with tension: Sylvie was the thread that kept Jude, Wendy and Adele together and with her gone, a fragile balance is broken. But amid the ruins of their relationship there are also moments of affection, glimpses of the reason why these three utterly different women - 'perfect Jude' with her spotless life and a long-standing affair with a married man; feminist intellectual Wendy, adrift and alone, caring for her elderly dog Finn; Adele, a former star of the stage, now practically homeless - are still together after so many years. And when disaster strikes and secrets are revealed, their friendship will be the only thing keeping them alive. PRAISE FOR CHARLOTTE WOOD'S NOVEL THE NATURAL WAY OF THINGS : 'Savage: think Atwood in the outback' Paula Hawkins, author of The Girl on the Train 'An unforgettable reading experience' Liane Moriarity, author of Big Little Lies 'Ferocious... recalls the early Elena Ferrante' NPR 'A masterpiece' Guardian 'Devastating' Economist
