The Hull

In 2002, as Australia is bitterly divided over the arrival of asylum seekers by boat, fifteen-year-old Billie is fighting a battle of her own.When the child welfare system separates her from her younger brother, Ryan, Billie steals a government car and heads north, following rumours of Indonesian fishing boats landing along Australia's remote coastline.Determined to escape a future being decided by others, she stows away aboard a vessel smuggling asylum seekers to Australia. Far from home, Billie finds herself among strangers who have lost almost everything, yet still hold on to hope. In their company, she unexpectedly encounters the patience, safety and sense of belonging that the child welfare system had failed to provide.But the journey is dangerous, and Billie's determination to reunite with Ryan will force her to confront the consequences of her choices and the true meaning of family.Set against one of Australia's most divisive political moments, The Hull is a compelling novel about a young person displaced within her own country and searching for the safety, connection and belonging she has been denied. It is a story of trauma, resilience and the unexpected places in which care can be found.