Prague, 1938: Eva flies down the street from her sister. Suddenly a man steps out, a man wearing a hat. Eva runs into him, hits the pavement hard.His hat is in the gutter. His anger slaps Eva, but his hate will change everything, as war forces so many lives into small, brown suitcases. Prague, 1980: No one sees Ludek. A young boy can slip right under the heavy blanket that covers this city - the fear cannot touch him. Ludek is free. And he sees everything. The world can do what it likes. The world can go to hell for all he cares because Babi is waiting for him in the warm flat. His whole world. Melbourne, 1980: Malá Li?ka's grandma holds her hand as they climb the stairs to their third floor flat. Inside, the smell of warm pipe tobacco and homemade cakes. Here, Mána and Bill have made a life for themselves and their granddaughter. A life imbued with the spirit of Prague and the loved ones left behind. Favel Parrett's deep emotional insight and stellar literary talent shine through in this love letter to the strong women who bind families together, despite dislocation and distance. It is a tender and beautifully told story of memory, family and love. Because there is still love. No matter what.

Hauntingly beautiful and told with an elegant simplicity, this is the story of two brothers growing up in a fractured family on the wild Tasmanian coast. The consequences of their parents' choices shape their lives and ultimately bring tragedy to them all.Everyone loves Harry. Everyone except his father.Three brothers, Joe, Miles and Harry, are growing up on the remote south coast of Tasmania. The brothers' lives are shaped by their father's moods - like the ocean he fishes, he is wild and unpredictable. He is a bitter man, warped by a devastating secret.Miles tries his best to watch out for Harry, the youngest, but he can't be there all the time. Often alone, Harry finds joy in the small treasures he discovers, in shark eggs and cuttlefish bones. In a kelpie pup, a big mug of Milo, and a secret friendship with a mysterious neighbour.But sometimes small treasures, or a brother's love, are not enough.Favel Parrett won the 2012 Dobbie Award for a first book published by a woman writer, was shortlisted for the Miles Franklin Award and was named Newcomer of the Year at the 2012 Australian Book Industry Awards. Favel lives in Victoria and is currently working on her next novel.Praise for Past the Shallows:'...that rare thing, a finely crafted literary novel that is genuinely moving and full of heart.' THE AGE'Wintonesque' HERALD SUNReview"If you read only one book this year, make sure it's this."(The Sunday Times (UK))"A finely crafted literary novel that is genuinely moving and full of heart."(The Age)"So real, so true—this novel sweeps you away in its tide."(Robert Drewe author of The Shark Net)"Wintonesque."(The Herald Sun (Australia))"Parrett's debut marks the addition of a strong voice to the chorus of Australian literature."(The Canberra Times (Australia))"A work by a new master...Parrett's debut is an uncompromising and memorable tale."(Sunday Tasmanian (Australia)) About the AuthorPast the Shallows is Favel Parrett's first published novel. It was shortlisted for the 2012 Miles Franklin Award and won the Australian Book Industry's Newcomer of the Year AwardPrize. Favel was the recipient of an Australian Society of Authors Mentorship in 2009 and has had a number of short stories published in various journals. She balances her writing around surfing, travelling and volunteering at an animal shelter. She lives in Victoria, Australia, with her partner and two dogs. You can find out more about Favel and her writing via her website www.favelparrett.com.au, or at www.johnmurray.co.uk. You can also visit the facebook page for Past the Shallows at https://www.facebook.com/pages/Past-the-Shallows/146189278778592, and follow her on Twitter at www.twitter.com/favelparrett.