What is one of your favourite book collections or series and why?
One of my favourite series is the Chaos Walking trilogy by Patrick Ness, a young adult sci-fi series – which is surprising because sci-fi isn’t my preferred genre! The book focuses on a community of humans who have resettled on a new planet, where every thought a man has is projected into the world for all to see, known as Noise. The way Ness writes makes you feel like you’re inside the head of the main character, experiencing every moment alongside them, and the Noise adds a fascinating layer to the storytelling. The name of this series may sound familiar as the first book was adapted into a movie in 2021, but I feel that the movie does not do justice to a trilogy that has won numerous awards for its analysis of information overload, war, redemption, and the blurring of lines between good and evil.
– Emma Jahn, Team Leader
What have been your best reads for the year?
My favourite read so far this year is ‘The Quiet and the Loud’ by Helena Fox. It was shortlisted in the Book of the Year category for Older Readers 2024 by the Children’s Book Council of Australia. Sometimes you read a book you keep coming back to, and thinking of, months after the reading experience, this is one of those books. The language is lyrical and the story has pace and is easy to read. I fell into Georgie’s life after the first few sentences. It touches on relevant subjects and it feels very now. It’s set in Sydney during the devastating bushfires 2019-2020 and it touches on topics such as climate change, domestic violence, friendship and first love. It is a coming-of-age story with a LGBTQI+ focus. It’s beautifully crafted with a rich language that brings the characters to life.
– Hanna Condon, Children’s Services Officer
Do you read much at home after working in the library all week?
Yes, I do read a lot outside of work. I discover so many great books at work that I have piles to get through. Surprisingly we don’t get much opportunity to read at work as we are too busy putting books away, helping patrons, running events and everything in between.
– Orielle Wright, Customer Service Officer
If you could go back in time, which author would you like to talk to about their books?
I would like to talk to Jane Austen – her books are romantic with interesting and often complex characters. The storylines are not overly complicated and she wrote her books in the time-period in which she was living, therefore she would have had a familiar understanding of her characters’ daily lives. Her heroines are smart and clever, her heroes are handsome and wealthy. What’s not to like?
– Jeanette Tucker, Customer Service Officer
