Bighearted, gritty, magical and moving, Lola in the Mirror is the irresistible new novel from international bestselling author of Boy Swallows Universe and All Our Shimmering Skies, Trent Dalton.
'Mirror, mirror, on the grass, what's my future? What's my past?'A girl and her mother are on the lam. They've been running for sixteen years, from police and the monster they left in the kitchen with the knife in his throat. They've found themselves a home inside an orange 1987 Toyota HiAce van with four flat tyres parked in a scrapyard by the edge of the Brisbane River - just two of the 100,000 Australians sleeping rough every night. The girl has no name because names are dangerous when you're on the run. But the girl has a dream. Visions in black ink and living colour. A vision of a life as a groundbreaking artist of international acclaim. A life outside the grip of the Brisbane underworld drug queen 'Lady' Flora Box. A life of love with the boy in the brown suit who's waiting for her in the middle of the bridge that stretches across a flooding and deadly river. A life far beyond the bullet that has her name on it. And now that the storm clouds are rising, there's only one person who can help make her dreams come true. That person's name is Lola and she carries all the answers. But to find Lola, the girl with no name must first do one of the hardest things we can sometimes ever do. She must look in the mirror.A big, moving, blackly funny, violent, heartbreaking and beautiful novel of love, fate, life and death and all the things we see when we look in the mirror. All of the past, all of the present, and all of our possible futures.'Mirror, mirror, please don't lie. Tell me who you are. Tell me who am I.'
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Trent Dalton's latest outing shows Australians once again why his is a name we won't soon be forgetting. Captures the gritty realities of living on the street, mixed with elements of magical realism. - Gerard (QBD)
Guest, 13/12/2023
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After her mother kills her abusive father, both mother and daughter must live life on the run, never settling long enough, never living with any concrete details to identify them. With masterful use of motif and beautiful illustrations, we as an audience get to explore this girl grappling with her identity and sense of self, with her place in the world, as she dreams of more than life on the run. - Danielle (QBD)
Guest, 01/12/2023
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With its deeply personal narrative, Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton challenges its audience with its darker themes, with a focus on family dynamics and how they can become dysfunctional within the household. Dalton manages all of this while showcasing characters that keep the audience hooked. The story is powerful, emotional, and thoroughly unique. - Sam (QBD)
Guest, 01/12/2023
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Lola in the Mirror by Trent Dalton follows a young girl and her mother, forced to change their names annually to avoid capture for their crimes. The crime? The murder of the 'monster' who hurt them both, running from the scene with just a car to their name. This heartfelt story of self discovery centres on the mother and daughter pair, handling the interpersonal themes expertly. - Zoe (QBD)
Guest, 01/12/2023
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A read that explores the stark reality of life in Brisbane away from the sky scrapers and corporate jobs; Lola In The Mirror might have you despairing at times, but the sense of hope instilled into the reader far ourweighs such negativity. With its larger than life characters and settings that almost jump out of the book and in to existence, our BOTY is a guaranteed hit. - Jade (QBD)
Guest, 30/11/2023
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"Mirror, mirror, on the grass, what's my future? What's my past?"
Trent Dalton has yet again created magic in the every day. A story of a murderous mother on the run, a daughter with big dreams whilst living in the gutter and the things we do as humans to make it through the day.
The first page will draw you in and then break your heart. - Jennifer (QBD)
Guest, 20/11/2023
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Brilliant in EVERY way. Yet again, Trent Dalton astounds readers with another heart-felt and profound, abstract portrayal of self- identity, with a tender ribbon of romance. It's a creative story of art, crime, mystery and, most of all, life. - Caisee (QBD)
Guest, 08/11/2023
