'A beautifully intimate portrait that celebrates the courage and resilience of the human spirit.' Jane Harper, author of The Survivors

'Historical fiction of the highest order … An engrossing, deeply-satisfying read, one of the year's outstanding, not-to-be missed debuts. ' Melissa Ashley, author of The Birdman's Wife

'A powerful and elegantly wrought story of women's resistance. This is required reading for our times.' Myfanwy Jones, author of Leap

'. . . a gripping, meticulously researched novel, and a nuanced, poetic and deeply serious exploration of the difference that individual choices can make in a society crumbling physically and morally. Wright recreates occupied Paris with immediacy and with melancholy tenderness . . . This is a book to savour and treasure.' Lee Kofman, author of Imperfect

May, 1940: After a bitter tragedy, young Australian woman Lucie and her French mother Yvonne are forced to leave home and seek help from the only family they have left-Lucie's uncle, Gerard.

As the Second World War engulfs Europe, the two women find themselves trapped in German-occupied Paris, sharing a cramped apartment with the authoritarian Gerard and his extremist views.

Drawing upon her artistic talents, Lucie risks her own safety to engage in small acts of defiance against the occupying forces and the collaborationist French regime, where the authorities reward French citizens for denouncing so-called 'traitors' in their community.

Faced with the escalating brutality of anti-Jewish measures, and the indifference of so many of her fellow Parisians, Lucie must decide how far she will go to defend the rights of others.

 

Author bio:

Michelle Wright is an award-winning writer who brings to life a remarkable range of characters, winning many awards, including The Age short story competition. Her collection of short stories, Fine, was shortlisted for the Victorian Premier's Literary Award for an Unpublished Manuscript and published in 2016.


Michelle's debut novel, Small Acts of Defiance, is the fruit of her deep love for Paris - her home for 11 years - as well as her decades of passion for French language, culture and history.

In 2017, Michelle was awarded a six-month Australia Council for the Arts residency at the Cite Internationale des Arts in Paris to carry out the extensive research needed to create her vivid portrayal of life in occupied France.