Snake

'The work of a powerful imagination.' CAROL SHIELDS

'A wonderful balance between deft, dry comedy and genuine heartbreak' Sunday Times

My life is about to begin. This is the only thought in Irene's head on the day she marries a handsome Second World War veteran and becomes a farmer's wife. But Irene quickly grows restless. Bored to her back teeth, she is scornful of her dutiful husband, heedless of her children. She wants adventure, to experience whatever is on offer- men, travel, culture. As Irene and Rex raise children and crops, the tension between them builds and builds . . .

Kate Jennings's black humour and pared-back prose, at once understated and rich in startling imagery, resonate long after the final unnerving chapter. Set in an irrigation area - barren soil blessed by water - Snake is a modern classic.