Love & Virtue

More about the book

Sydney Morning Herald Best Young Australian Novelist, this work has garnered multiple prestigious awards, including the ABIA Book of the Year and the MUD Literary Prize. It has been recognized by Vogue Australia as 'set to be one of the year's most talked about books' and praised by Helen Garner as 'an absolute cracker' that everyone should read. The narrative revolves around Michaela and Eve, two contrasting women who form a friendship during their first year at a university residential college. Their bond is tested after a drunken encounter during O-week, which forces them to confront complex issues of consent and power dynamics. While initially united by their sharp observations of the college's moral landscape, they soon realize the fragility of their friendship and their capacity for betrayal. The novel addresses themes of consent, class, institutional privilege, and feminism, posing enduring philosophical questions relevant today. Critics have lauded it as a clever, pacy, and thoughtful exploration of young womanhood. Diana Reid's voice has been compared to that of Sally Rooney, establishing her as a significant new talent in contemporary literature.