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The Monster of Her Age
In a neo-Gothic mansion in a city at the end of the world, Ellie finds there's room enough for art, family, forgiveness and love. A coming-of-age story about embracing the things that scare us from the author of The Year the Maps Changed.
How do you ruin someone's childhood? You let them make-believe that they are a monster. But sooner or later, the mask must come off...
Ellie Marsden was born into the legendary Lovinger acting dynasty. Granddaughter of the infamous Lottie Lovinger, as a child Ellie shared the silver screen with Lottie in her one-and-only role playing the child monster in a cult horror movie. The experience left Ellie deeply traumatised and estranged from people she loved.
Now seventeen, Ellie has returned home to Hobart for the first time in years. Lottie is dying and Ellie wants to make peace with her before it's too late. But forgiveness feels like playing make-believe, and memories are like ghosts.
When a chance encounter with a young film buff leads her to a feminist horror film collective, Ellie meets Riya, a girl who she might be able to show her real self to, and at last come to understand her family's legacy - and her own part in it.
A story of love, loss, family and film - a stirring, insightful novel about letting go of anger and learning to forgive without forgetting. And about embracing the things that scare us, in order to be braver.
How do you ruin someone's childhood? You let them make-believe that they are a monster. But sooner or later, the mask must come off...
Ellie Marsden was born into the legendary Lovinger acting dynasty. Granddaughter of the infamous Lottie Lovinger, as a child Ellie shared the silver screen with Lottie in her one-and-only role playing the child monster in a cult horror movie. The experience left Ellie deeply traumatised and estranged from people she loved.
Now seventeen, Ellie has returned home to Hobart for the first time in years. Lottie is dying and Ellie wants to make peace with her before it's too late. But forgiveness feels like playing make-believe, and memories are like ghosts.
When a chance encounter with a young film buff leads her to a feminist horror film collective, Ellie meets Riya, a girl who she might be able to show her real self to, and at last come to understand her family's legacy - and her own part in it.
A story of love, loss, family and film - a stirring, insightful novel about letting go of anger and learning to forgive without forgetting. And about embracing the things that scare us, in order to be braver.
272 pages, Paperback
First published July 28, 2021
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1103 people want to read
About the author
Danielle Binks
8 books132 followersDanielle Binks is a Melbourne-based author, and literary agent.
In 2017, she edited and contributed to Begin, End, Begin, an anthology of new Australian young adult writing inspired by the #LoveOzYA movement, which won the ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children (Ages 13+).
The Year the Maps Changed was Danielle's debut middle-grade novel, and The Monster of Her Age will be her first foray into YA, coming 2021.
In 2017, she edited and contributed to Begin, End, Begin, an anthology of new Australian young adult writing inspired by the #LoveOzYA movement, which won the ABIA Book of the Year for Older Children (Ages 13+).
The Year the Maps Changed was Danielle's debut middle-grade novel, and The Monster of Her Age will be her first foray into YA, coming 2021.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 80 reviews
July 24, 2021
2.5★s
Seventeen-year-old Ellie Marsden hadn’t spoken to her grandmother – the legendary Lottie Lovinger, actress extraordinaire – for a lot of years. She was estranged from most of her family, living and attending school in Melbourne. But when she received the call from her mother, enroute from London, to say Lottie was in a Hobart hospital after a massive stroke, and not expected to live, Ellie immediately headed back to her home state. The beautiful old home which had been in the Lovinger family since around 1890, with its many bedrooms, bathrooms and sitting rooms, could house all the family as they arrived to say their goodbyes to Lottie…
Ellie’s bitterness and anger at her grandmother, and her mother, hadn’t abated. But she wanted to make her peace with Lottie if it were possible. The one and only time Ellie joined Lottie on the big screen, when she was eleven, was what caused the situation the family was now in. Ellie was traumatized and blamed Lottie for not protecting her. Could she possibly put it behind her?
The Monster of Her Age is a young adult/coming of age novel by Aussie author Danielle Binks and is set in Hobart, Tasmania. It deals with family estrangement, grief, trauma and forgiveness, and has themes of LQBTIQ. I enjoyed the first third of the book, but then I felt like I was battling my way through the ongoing pages. I generally find YA enjoyable, but I’m afraid The Monster of Her Age wasn’t for me, although I loved The Year the Maps Changed, giving it 5 stars.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
Seventeen-year-old Ellie Marsden hadn’t spoken to her grandmother – the legendary Lottie Lovinger, actress extraordinaire – for a lot of years. She was estranged from most of her family, living and attending school in Melbourne. But when she received the call from her mother, enroute from London, to say Lottie was in a Hobart hospital after a massive stroke, and not expected to live, Ellie immediately headed back to her home state. The beautiful old home which had been in the Lovinger family since around 1890, with its many bedrooms, bathrooms and sitting rooms, could house all the family as they arrived to say their goodbyes to Lottie…
Ellie’s bitterness and anger at her grandmother, and her mother, hadn’t abated. But she wanted to make her peace with Lottie if it were possible. The one and only time Ellie joined Lottie on the big screen, when she was eleven, was what caused the situation the family was now in. Ellie was traumatized and blamed Lottie for not protecting her. Could she possibly put it behind her?
The Monster of Her Age is a young adult/coming of age novel by Aussie author Danielle Binks and is set in Hobart, Tasmania. It deals with family estrangement, grief, trauma and forgiveness, and has themes of LQBTIQ. I enjoyed the first third of the book, but then I felt like I was battling my way through the ongoing pages. I generally find YA enjoyable, but I’m afraid The Monster of Her Age wasn’t for me, although I loved The Year the Maps Changed, giving it 5 stars.
With thanks to Hachette AU for my ARC to read in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2021
So since I *think* ARCs are now winding their way out into the world - I might take this space to share the special Letter to the Reader that appears therein;
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading my new novel, The Monster of Her Age! I knew when my debut middle-grade novel The Year the Maps Changed was published that my second book would be a young adult novel. I wanted to follow the trail of a story idea I had: the first seeds were planted some time in 2016 when I had the opportunity to interview the mother of a child actor who had appeared in a local horror film (they had a brilliant experience, I hasten to add!) and pondered about what could have gone wrong, but didn’t, for them.
Survivor and activist Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement also spoke profoundly to me in 2017, and found its way into the mix – although in this story I focused on the scars created by emotional abuse, not sexual abuse or sexual harassment out of Hollywood.
And for as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with Drew Barrymore and her family dynasty – as well as the history of Australian female filmmakers like The McDonagh Sisters and Lottie Lyell.
All of that went into the making of this story and marked it as being for YA readers. But also, after five years of writing and researching my debut Maps – a story literally and emotionally close to home – a big part of me wanted my next work to have more distance, more room to breathe. So I set it in Tasmania and created a complex family and circumstances far removed from my own.
And then 2020 happened.
My grandmother passed away in January, and my uncle in December – and in between these vigils and grieving and losing three other family members (none to COVID, I should note), I found myself writing and rewriting most of this story in Melbourne lockdowns. Suddenly, I was experiencing grief and upheaval on a monumental scale, like I’d never known before (who said ‘firsts’ are only for teenagers?) and I was right there alongside my protagonist, Ellie, and her own emotional undoing. It seems like no matter what, my stories follow me!
From the start I also knew that I wanted to see aspects of myself on the page that I wish I’d encountered more of in print as a teenager, along with ideas around the importance of Australian art and telling our own stories. Ellie and Riya’s relationship became a bright spot for me to keep coming back to, and the fictional film history was just so much fun to weave.
I am glad that this book is so different from my first because I’m not the same person I was when I wrote my first book. The circumstances of writing this second book changed me even further. And that’s okay. Art changes people, and people change the world – and sometimes it all works in reverse too. I hope you enjoy reading The Monster of Her Age.
Yours happily and hopefully,
-- Danielle
Dear Reader,
Thank you for reading my new novel, The Monster of Her Age! I knew when my debut middle-grade novel The Year the Maps Changed was published that my second book would be a young adult novel. I wanted to follow the trail of a story idea I had: the first seeds were planted some time in 2016 when I had the opportunity to interview the mother of a child actor who had appeared in a local horror film (they had a brilliant experience, I hasten to add!) and pondered about what could have gone wrong, but didn’t, for them.
Survivor and activist Tarana Burke’s #MeToo movement also spoke profoundly to me in 2017, and found its way into the mix – although in this story I focused on the scars created by emotional abuse, not sexual abuse or sexual harassment out of Hollywood.
And for as long as I can remember, I’ve been obsessed with Drew Barrymore and her family dynasty – as well as the history of Australian female filmmakers like The McDonagh Sisters and Lottie Lyell.
All of that went into the making of this story and marked it as being for YA readers. But also, after five years of writing and researching my debut Maps – a story literally and emotionally close to home – a big part of me wanted my next work to have more distance, more room to breathe. So I set it in Tasmania and created a complex family and circumstances far removed from my own.
And then 2020 happened.
My grandmother passed away in January, and my uncle in December – and in between these vigils and grieving and losing three other family members (none to COVID, I should note), I found myself writing and rewriting most of this story in Melbourne lockdowns. Suddenly, I was experiencing grief and upheaval on a monumental scale, like I’d never known before (who said ‘firsts’ are only for teenagers?) and I was right there alongside my protagonist, Ellie, and her own emotional undoing. It seems like no matter what, my stories follow me!
From the start I also knew that I wanted to see aspects of myself on the page that I wish I’d encountered more of in print as a teenager, along with ideas around the importance of Australian art and telling our own stories. Ellie and Riya’s relationship became a bright spot for me to keep coming back to, and the fictional film history was just so much fun to weave.
I am glad that this book is so different from my first because I’m not the same person I was when I wrote my first book. The circumstances of writing this second book changed me even further. And that’s okay. Art changes people, and people change the world – and sometimes it all works in reverse too. I hope you enjoy reading The Monster of Her Age.
Yours happily and hopefully,
-- Danielle
May 9, 2021
This book is all kinds of wonderful. From its smart and nuanced look at how we respond to art, to questions of whether it’s possible to separate art from its problematic artist, Binks has written a book I so wish existed when I was a film-obsessed teen. It brought to mind Actress by Anne Enright and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid but also Looking for Alibrandi in the way it untangled secrets and pain passed down from grandmother to mother to daughter. The chats about the horror genre are so well done and made me immediately want to join a film group. The queer love story is beautifully told. And the look at how a family manages death is beautiful and real and profound. The chapter closes are all so nicely done too which is a minor point but shows that care was paid to both the big and the small. All up this is my favourite kind of contemporary YA and this book is perfection.
April 18, 2024
This review was originally posted on The Moonlight Library
Sometimes you find a book that speaks to your soul so personally, it's as if the author ripped open your chest, dissected your heart under a microscope, found a whole bunch of things you love and identify with, and then wrote a book about it.
To say that I understand why representation is important is an understatement.
I wanted to read The Monster of Her Age because it's set in Hobart, Tasmania (that little heart shaped island at the bottom of Australia that basically every map ever forgets to add, and which the author will remind you approximately every five pages), and it's about an alternate history where Australian cinema was just as well-funded, successful, and beloved as Hollywood; it's about the grief of losing someone you love; it's about overcoming trauma and learning to heal without necessarily forgiving.
I found the narrative so touching. The main character, Ellie, has been dragged back to the arse end of the world (I say with all the love in my heart), having left for her own sanity, which I totally understand. It's actually a thing that many young Tasmanians feel that they have to do at some point in their life. Her grandmother, beloved film actress Lottie Lovinger, is dying, and Ellie has many demons to face.
She meets a cute horror film nerd and they slowly tumble into a relationship. I really liked this aspect of the story because Ellie is bi, and her parents have no issue with that at all, and her love interest is also a queer girl, and it was really lovely seeing a queer love story where both of them are out and loved and supported by their families and friends. Their queerness isn't the issue, and I love that so much.
I know a bit about the Australian film industry, but Binks fills in the blanks with a complete alternate history that is so seamlessly woven into the established truth that you're not sure what's fact and what's fiction. Binks also appears to know Hobart very well, and fills the pages with local landmarks, including the history of the beloved State Cinema that hosts the horror film night where Ellie's love interest works.
I just loved everything about this book. I loved Ellie's struggle to face her past, and relationships with her mother and her step-grandfather Poe who I love with every fibre of my being, and her messy family dynamics which might as well have been holding a mirror up to my own. I loved the plot and the narrative voice, the pacing, the antagonists, the worldbuilding, the word choices, the attitude towards the Arts, just everything. I loved the gothic feel (Tasmania is famous in the literary world for its gothic literature, FYI!), the atmosphere, Ellie's feelings on returning to a place that already haunted her and she'd rather forget.
I raced through this book in an afternoon, and although I had a fabulous time, I regret spending so little time with Ellie.
Sometimes you find a book that speaks to your soul so personally, it's as if the author ripped open your chest, dissected your heart under a microscope, found a whole bunch of things you love and identify with, and then wrote a book about it.
To say that I understand why representation is important is an understatement.
I wanted to read The Monster of Her Age because it's set in Hobart, Tasmania (that little heart shaped island at the bottom of Australia that basically every map ever forgets to add, and which the author will remind you approximately every five pages), and it's about an alternate history where Australian cinema was just as well-funded, successful, and beloved as Hollywood; it's about the grief of losing someone you love; it's about overcoming trauma and learning to heal without necessarily forgiving.
I found the narrative so touching. The main character, Ellie, has been dragged back to the arse end of the world (I say with all the love in my heart), having left for her own sanity, which I totally understand. It's actually a thing that many young Tasmanians feel that they have to do at some point in their life. Her grandmother, beloved film actress Lottie Lovinger, is dying, and Ellie has many demons to face.
She meets a cute horror film nerd and they slowly tumble into a relationship. I really liked this aspect of the story because Ellie is bi, and her parents have no issue with that at all, and her love interest is also a queer girl, and it was really lovely seeing a queer love story where both of them are out and loved and supported by their families and friends. Their queerness isn't the issue, and I love that so much.
I know a bit about the Australian film industry, but Binks fills in the blanks with a complete alternate history that is so seamlessly woven into the established truth that you're not sure what's fact and what's fiction. Binks also appears to know Hobart very well, and fills the pages with local landmarks, including the history of the beloved State Cinema that hosts the horror film night where Ellie's love interest works.
I just loved everything about this book. I loved Ellie's struggle to face her past, and relationships with her mother and her step-grandfather Poe who I love with every fibre of my being, and her messy family dynamics which might as well have been holding a mirror up to my own. I loved the plot and the narrative voice, the pacing, the antagonists, the worldbuilding, the word choices, the attitude towards the Arts, just everything. I loved the gothic feel (Tasmania is famous in the literary world for its gothic literature, FYI!), the atmosphere, Ellie's feelings on returning to a place that already haunted her and she'd rather forget.
I raced through this book in an afternoon, and although I had a fabulous time, I regret spending so little time with Ellie.
December 19, 2021
Trigger warnings: bullying (in the past), grief, .
Okay, let's start with the fact that the main character's name is Ellie Marsden. It felt like a little Easter egg to Tomorrow When the War Began fans, and I loved it. The Hobart setting was wonderful - there are almost no YA books set in Tasmania and I'd love to see that change going forward.
This was definitely darker than I expected it to be - grief and trauma and loss are at the forefront of the story throughout. And knowing the losses Danielle suffered while writing this, it makes perfect sense that those themes would be so prevalent. There was plenty of diversity, and Jen was a particularly delightful secondary character.
Ultimately, this wasn't entirely what I expected it to be, but I mean that in a good way.
Okay, let's start with the fact that the main character's name is Ellie Marsden. It felt like a little Easter egg to Tomorrow When the War Began fans, and I loved it. The Hobart setting was wonderful - there are almost no YA books set in Tasmania and I'd love to see that change going forward.
This was definitely darker than I expected it to be - grief and trauma and loss are at the forefront of the story throughout. And knowing the losses Danielle suffered while writing this, it makes perfect sense that those themes would be so prevalent. There was plenty of diversity, and Jen was a particularly delightful secondary character.
Ultimately, this wasn't entirely what I expected it to be, but I mean that in a good way.
January 27, 2022
Danielle Binks recreates an Australia with a film industry to rival Hollywood's in this novel of coming to terms with past disappointments and the healing power of forgiveness. Recommended.
October 29, 2022
Gorgeous YA story with great characters. Loved that it was set in Hobart.
November 15, 2021
‘Growing up, Lottie looked just the same to me as she did in the movies.’
Ellie Marsden has returned home, to Hobart, because her grandmother Lottie Lovinger is dying. Can Ellie make peace with her grandmother? Ellie is seventeen now, but she is still living with the trauma of her movie appearance with Lottie as a child.
‘Sadness has stages.’
As we wait with Ellie, as her grandmother lies in hospital, we learn about the infamous Lovinger dynasty. Their home in Battery Point is on the tourist trail, and every few hours a bus load of tourists is treated to a potted history of the Lovinger thespian fame. And Ellie, cast as a monster in the horror movie with Lottie, bullied at school and angry with both her mother and her grandmother is trying to separate person from deed. Ellie’s mother, Lottie’s ex-husbands, Ellie’s cousin Yael are some of the people who have gathered at Lovinger House.
Ellie meets Riya, who invites her to a meeting of a feminist film horror film collective. Ellie starts to look at horror movies through different eyes, questioning some of what she had come to believe. And she and Riya find their own space.
Ms Binks has set this novel in a fictional Australian film industry, one in which Australian film stars were successful without needing to flee to Hollywood. In this world, Lottie Lovinger is a big star, known and respected locally. Ellie comes to appreciate that her grandmother and the film star had separate identities (albeit with a degree of overlap).
There are some delightful characters in this novel, including several from diverse backgrounds. I enjoyed the way that Ms Binks drew the different elements (and people) together.
I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading ‘The Year the Maps Changed’.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
Ellie Marsden has returned home, to Hobart, because her grandmother Lottie Lovinger is dying. Can Ellie make peace with her grandmother? Ellie is seventeen now, but she is still living with the trauma of her movie appearance with Lottie as a child.
‘Sadness has stages.’
As we wait with Ellie, as her grandmother lies in hospital, we learn about the infamous Lovinger dynasty. Their home in Battery Point is on the tourist trail, and every few hours a bus load of tourists is treated to a potted history of the Lovinger thespian fame. And Ellie, cast as a monster in the horror movie with Lottie, bullied at school and angry with both her mother and her grandmother is trying to separate person from deed. Ellie’s mother, Lottie’s ex-husbands, Ellie’s cousin Yael are some of the people who have gathered at Lovinger House.
Ellie meets Riya, who invites her to a meeting of a feminist film horror film collective. Ellie starts to look at horror movies through different eyes, questioning some of what she had come to believe. And she and Riya find their own space.
Ms Binks has set this novel in a fictional Australian film industry, one in which Australian film stars were successful without needing to flee to Hollywood. In this world, Lottie Lovinger is a big star, known and respected locally. Ellie comes to appreciate that her grandmother and the film star had separate identities (albeit with a degree of overlap).
There are some delightful characters in this novel, including several from diverse backgrounds. I enjoyed the way that Ms Binks drew the different elements (and people) together.
I enjoyed this novel and am looking forward to reading ‘The Year the Maps Changed’.
Jennifer Cameron-Smith
August 15, 2021
Absolutely loved this one!
October 8, 2021
10/10 enjoyed and recommend this book!! It was awesome to read a book set where I live and a very queer and diverse book at that!
February 18, 2025
(rounded up from 4.5)
This was a wonderful love letter to the arts and an alternate history "Golden age" of cinema in Australia. I love the legacy arts family and how they congregate around their dying matriarch. All the messiness of family is topped off by the secrecy involved in keeping the approaching death of a well-loved movie star private and also a younger member of the family coming to terms with her imperfect family and falling for someone who truly loves cinema. I especially appreciate that we have characters who are imperfect and do things that are harmful to each other but are also good and loving to each other, as fully realised people tend to be. A delightful and informative romp through Australian cinema and horror movies and a feminist lens on both.
This was a wonderful love letter to the arts and an alternate history "Golden age" of cinema in Australia. I love the legacy arts family and how they congregate around their dying matriarch. All the messiness of family is topped off by the secrecy involved in keeping the approaching death of a well-loved movie star private and also a younger member of the family coming to terms with her imperfect family and falling for someone who truly loves cinema. I especially appreciate that we have characters who are imperfect and do things that are harmful to each other but are also good and loving to each other, as fully realised people tend to be. A delightful and informative romp through Australian cinema and horror movies and a feminist lens on both.
May 28, 2021
The Monster of her Age is another fantastic book by the emerging talent of Danielle Binks, this time moving back into the YA field. This novel deals with family relations, relationships, grief, fear and forgiveness, and has LQBTIQ themes. Danielle is skilled in character development and perceptively conveys the voice of the main teen protagonist very well. I am sure this book will appeal to YA readers and further cement Danielle’s place as a respected YA and middle grade Australian author.
July 31, 2021
A really enjoyable read, rich with (semi-fictionalised) cinematic history set in the backdrop of atmospheric Hobart. The characters were complex and loveable, and the family dynamics will resonate with anyone even if you aren’t famous like the Lovingers. Really enjoyed the LGBTQI romance themes, such a treat to have that in the book but not as a conflict point just as a regular romantic undertone. Perfect for all ages despite the YA genre.
March 12, 2022
Ellie is a likeable protagonist and her blossoming relationship with Riya is super sweet. I also really liked the arc of her relationship with her cousin Yael. There were some pacing issues at the end of the book - resolutions and revelations all ended up coming too quickly and I didn’t have time to process them before the next thing happened. There were also a couple of times the wise words of a character didn’t ring true to their voice - the voice of the author came through too much, which yanked me out of the world. I would also have liked some of the side characters to have been more fleshed out - Riya’s cousin and the girls in the film club, for example. But over all, I enjoyed reading this book, even though I am not its target demographic, and would recommend it.
August 6, 2021
I fell in love with this book. As a film student and a lesbian it gave me everything I needed. Such a beautiful story and I am obsessed with what the Australian Film Industry could have been!!
November 16, 2021
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Thank you Hachette for this book in exchange for an honest review
Brinks has a way to find your soul and whack it with a shovel while she maniacally laughs from behind her keyboard. The Monster of Her Age is a prime example of a touching narrative cantered around Ellie, who lives in Hobart as she watches her Grandmother, loved actress Lottie Lovinger slowly fade before her. While dealing with the family and past demons in her life, Ellie must juggle her home life after she stumbles into a relationship.
The trauma of this book is what I found myself attracted to the most, a great deal of the time books that say they focus on trauma generally grazes across the subject, instead of holding onto it and letting it resonate within every fibre of the reader so it makes an actual impact. The trauma of Ellie’s life isn’t something that you can graze over and Brinks has written it in such a caring, deep and moving way that you honestly can’t help by clasp the book to your chest once you finish the last page.
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Thank you Hachette for this book in exchange for an honest review
Brinks has a way to find your soul and whack it with a shovel while she maniacally laughs from behind her keyboard. The Monster of Her Age is a prime example of a touching narrative cantered around Ellie, who lives in Hobart as she watches her Grandmother, loved actress Lottie Lovinger slowly fade before her. While dealing with the family and past demons in her life, Ellie must juggle her home life after she stumbles into a relationship.
The trauma of this book is what I found myself attracted to the most, a great deal of the time books that say they focus on trauma generally grazes across the subject, instead of holding onto it and letting it resonate within every fibre of the reader so it makes an actual impact. The trauma of Ellie’s life isn’t something that you can graze over and Brinks has written it in such a caring, deep and moving way that you honestly can’t help by clasp the book to your chest once you finish the last page.
July 4, 2021
4.5 stars.
The Monster of Her Age is such a beautiful novel; filled to the brim with wonderful writing, diverse characters, film references, romance and banter. It felt like a love letter to Hobart/nipaluna, the Australian film industry, horror movies, and (film)nerdy girls.
I loved the dynamic between Ellie and Riya, their banter was delightful and the chemistry was A++. There family dynamics were so on point too. Highlights for me were the fraught relationship between Ellie and her grandmother, the camaraderie between Ellie and Yael, Ellie and her mum's back and forth, Poe - the light of my life, best grandfather award goes to.
The inclusivity and diversity was great, with bisexual characters, Deaf representation - including a bit of Auslan, lots of culturally diverse characters, including Jewish and Indian representation.
A sensitive look at grief, complicated family relationships, forgiveness, and trauma, and how to deal with those things and still try to find happiness.
(AND it featured my all time favourite literary grandfather, Poe Tuhana.)
The Monster of Her Age is such a beautiful novel; filled to the brim with wonderful writing, diverse characters, film references, romance and banter. It felt like a love letter to Hobart/nipaluna, the Australian film industry, horror movies, and (film)nerdy girls.
I loved the dynamic between Ellie and Riya, their banter was delightful and the chemistry was A++. There family dynamics were so on point too. Highlights for me were the fraught relationship between Ellie and her grandmother, the camaraderie between Ellie and Yael, Ellie and her mum's back and forth, Poe - the light of my life, best grandfather award goes to.
The inclusivity and diversity was great, with bisexual characters, Deaf representation - including a bit of Auslan, lots of culturally diverse characters, including Jewish and Indian representation.
A sensitive look at grief, complicated family relationships, forgiveness, and trauma, and how to deal with those things and still try to find happiness.
(AND it featured my all time favourite literary grandfather, Poe Tuhana.)
August 15, 2021
I have so much love for this book. The characters felt so raw and real and the plot flowed so beautifully. I really connected with the MC's journey of grief and the slow-building relationship was precious. This book made my soul cry and my heart sing simultaneously. Highly recommend, particularly if you are looking for more Aussie rep and detailed settings.
Representation:
- Jewish main character
- Deaf side character
- Auslan use
- Bisexual (on the page) main character
- F-F Romance
- Indian side characters (exact ethnic group undefined)
Trigger/Content Warnings:
- Terminally ill family member
- Death of a family member
- Gaslighting
- Horror Film descriptions
- Manipulation
- Bullying (past)
- Childhood trauma
Representation:
- Jewish main character
- Deaf side character
- Auslan use
- Bisexual (on the page) main character
- F-F Romance
- Indian side characters (exact ethnic group undefined)
Trigger/Content Warnings:
- Terminally ill family member
- Death of a family member
- Gaslighting
- Horror Film descriptions
- Manipulation
- Bullying (past)
- Childhood trauma
September 28, 2021
There’s such wonderful energy and heart to this book. I loved it! I think it’s perfect especially for young adult readers. The young women in the film club are especially inspiring with their passion for film because it speaks to them and ‘let’s them know themselves deeper.’ I also love Ellie’s journey which takes her to a realisation that it’s possible to hold seemingly competing emotions about those closest to her at the same time – and to an appreciation of the complexity of people.
It’s also a really compelling narrative with a beautiful love story! A very special novel!
It’s also a really compelling narrative with a beautiful love story! A very special novel!
January 4, 2022
not my thing presently but i appreciate what it is doing.
also- ENTIRELY INACCURATE DEPICTION WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WORK AT THE STATE CINEMA. i am currently working on my own story about the State, which is a psychological horror.
also- ENTIRELY INACCURATE DEPICTION WHAT IT IS LIKE TO WORK AT THE STATE CINEMA. i am currently working on my own story about the State, which is a psychological horror.
August 6, 2022
I do enjoy YA when it is written sensitively and intelligently (like this) and is not just an excuse to feature a lot of alcohol and sex (yawn).
Ellie's grandmother is a movie star in an alt-history where Australia has had a vibrant movie industry all along (like most decent alt-histories it starts from the author knowing the ACTUAL history well enough to make it convincing so I had no idea this was all made up until I read the author's note at the end LOL). The grandmother is dying and Ellie has to navigate her positive and negative memories of her, all her extended family that turns out to have interesting skeletons and conflicts and a considerable trauma of her own centred in her grandmother. This aspect of the story I thought was handled well because at no point were we supposed to accept that it was "ok" that her family had effectively gaslit her for so many years and left her vulnerable to bullying and other issues.
Somehow, in such a short book that never drags and doesn't seem rushed we confront economic privilege, the shitty side of being a celebrity, cousin relationships (I was all set to hate Yael but turned out she was a good one), Jewish culture, Diwali (there's not enough detail to pick the specific religious tradition here), communicating with a Deaf friend, the pros and cons of social media, and relationships with step parents (did I miss anything?). As you can imagine there's not a full detailed investigation of any of these but it depicts Australian life well- some people are Jewish, some people are rich enough to get into whatever university they like, some people have step-parents, some families celebrate Diwali, some people are Deaf, people have various names and surnames from all sorts of cultures not just everyone being white-Anglo (a big Yay for that).
Then there's the romance, and my only objection is it goes from "instalove" to "true love" in the course of this short book. I don't like that but I was prepared to accept it because it was a very sweet romance. Ellie has trust issues (can you imagine why?). Riya is a confident, queer-aesthetic, horror-film nerd and musician. It's hinted that Riya is a plus size but it's kind of not a big deal, mostly Ellie only notices her body because of lust. Neither family seems to think it's a big deal that they are both girls or that they come from different cultures (big yay). Ellie is bisexual. They are both utterly adorable and wholesome and I love how supportive one of the grandparents is too!
As I read it, I just enjoyed the trip but when I think about how well this fit together I feel like there was a lot of thought, research, knowing back-stories and probably painful editing that went into this book. I am proud to live in a country (Australia) where people take books for youth this seriously and really craft them properly. I am an English teacher but don't worry it's not a book only an English teacher could love- it's entertaining and sweet and in my opinion has far too much fashion in it!
I do recommend this one and feel motivated to see what else Binks has written. (ps. I was not meant to read it in one day instead of doing other stuff)
Ellie's grandmother is a movie star in an alt-history where Australia has had a vibrant movie industry all along (like most decent alt-histories it starts from the author knowing the ACTUAL history well enough to make it convincing so I had no idea this was all made up until I read the author's note at the end LOL). The grandmother is dying and Ellie has to navigate her positive and negative memories of her, all her extended family that turns out to have interesting skeletons and conflicts and a considerable trauma of her own centred in her grandmother. This aspect of the story I thought was handled well because at no point were we supposed to accept that it was "ok" that her family had effectively gaslit her for so many years and left her vulnerable to bullying and other issues.
Somehow, in such a short book that never drags and doesn't seem rushed we confront economic privilege, the shitty side of being a celebrity, cousin relationships (I was all set to hate Yael but turned out she was a good one), Jewish culture, Diwali (there's not enough detail to pick the specific religious tradition here), communicating with a Deaf friend, the pros and cons of social media, and relationships with step parents (did I miss anything?). As you can imagine there's not a full detailed investigation of any of these but it depicts Australian life well- some people are Jewish, some people are rich enough to get into whatever university they like, some people have step-parents, some families celebrate Diwali, some people are Deaf, people have various names and surnames from all sorts of cultures not just everyone being white-Anglo (a big Yay for that).
Then there's the romance, and my only objection is it goes from "instalove" to "true love" in the course of this short book. I don't like that but I was prepared to accept it because it was a very sweet romance. Ellie has trust issues (can you imagine why?). Riya is a confident, queer-aesthetic, horror-film nerd and musician. It's hinted that Riya is a plus size but it's kind of not a big deal, mostly Ellie only notices her body because of lust. Neither family seems to think it's a big deal that they are both girls or that they come from different cultures (big yay). Ellie is bisexual. They are both utterly adorable and wholesome and I love how supportive one of the grandparents is too!
As I read it, I just enjoyed the trip but when I think about how well this fit together I feel like there was a lot of thought, research, knowing back-stories and probably painful editing that went into this book. I am proud to live in a country (Australia) where people take books for youth this seriously and really craft them properly. I am an English teacher but don't worry it's not a book only an English teacher could love- it's entertaining and sweet and in my opinion has far too much fashion in it!
I do recommend this one and feel motivated to see what else Binks has written. (ps. I was not meant to read it in one day instead of doing other stuff)
July 6, 2021
Danielle Banks has once again written a soul-touching piece of literature that makes you rethink your own perspective in life.
The Monster Her Age follows Ellie Marsden as she deals with the pain and trauma of being hurt by someone you love very dearly and not knowing how to forgive them (or even if you want to forgive them). Ellie’s grandmother is the infamous Lottie Lovinger, actress of several famous cult horror friends, and she is also dying.
After several years of being away from her childhood home of Hobart, Ellie returns with the need to make peace with her grandmother. Except making peace with someone who is slowly dying in a coma is not as easy as it seems, especially when they cannot apologize for the trauma inflicted on you.
While in Hobart, Ellie meets Riya, a young film buff who is a big fan of her grandmother’s movies. Through Riya, Ellie begins the healing process of being clouded by the past and attempt to move forward from it.
This book, whoa, was beautiful and found itself to me while dealing with similar family situations. This is not your typical contemporary YA; it is so much more than that. It explores how family can hurt you so deeply that it changes everything about you and their perception of them. Often in YA, family trauma is seen as physical or emotional abuse which is fine. Still, sometimes the most painful memories are when you can’t find a reason why they hurt you that way.
The exploration of family in YA is something we need more of. Throughout the novel, we see Ellie deal with her childhood trauma in the same way you begin to catch your breath after a big cry, slow and bumpy. We see her reconcile with family members who did not know the complete picture of her trauma (I don’t want to give it away because it is heartbreaking). We see family dynamics heal once they understand Ellie’s sudden need to get away from them all. And it was all done when she was ready to speak about her trauma and let people in.
It’s not easy to deal with trauma, especially when someone you care about is dying. Ellie is no exception, and I guess that’s why she felt so real. Ellie was not strong, nor did she have her life figure out; she did not find a big ah-hah; she was simply living and trying not to drown from pain.
Everything about this novel was perfect. The romance? Perfect. The representation? Perfect. Taking responsibility for your actions? Perfect. The asking for forgiveness? Genuine.
I think children are often taught to forgive and forget, but this novel tells us that it is okay not to forgive and not forget until you are ready to do so. That, my friends, is more important.
The Monster Her Age follows Ellie Marsden as she deals with the pain and trauma of being hurt by someone you love very dearly and not knowing how to forgive them (or even if you want to forgive them). Ellie’s grandmother is the infamous Lottie Lovinger, actress of several famous cult horror friends, and she is also dying.
After several years of being away from her childhood home of Hobart, Ellie returns with the need to make peace with her grandmother. Except making peace with someone who is slowly dying in a coma is not as easy as it seems, especially when they cannot apologize for the trauma inflicted on you.
While in Hobart, Ellie meets Riya, a young film buff who is a big fan of her grandmother’s movies. Through Riya, Ellie begins the healing process of being clouded by the past and attempt to move forward from it.
This book, whoa, was beautiful and found itself to me while dealing with similar family situations. This is not your typical contemporary YA; it is so much more than that. It explores how family can hurt you so deeply that it changes everything about you and their perception of them. Often in YA, family trauma is seen as physical or emotional abuse which is fine. Still, sometimes the most painful memories are when you can’t find a reason why they hurt you that way.
The exploration of family in YA is something we need more of. Throughout the novel, we see Ellie deal with her childhood trauma in the same way you begin to catch your breath after a big cry, slow and bumpy. We see her reconcile with family members who did not know the complete picture of her trauma (I don’t want to give it away because it is heartbreaking). We see family dynamics heal once they understand Ellie’s sudden need to get away from them all. And it was all done when she was ready to speak about her trauma and let people in.
It’s not easy to deal with trauma, especially when someone you care about is dying. Ellie is no exception, and I guess that’s why she felt so real. Ellie was not strong, nor did she have her life figure out; she did not find a big ah-hah; she was simply living and trying not to drown from pain.
Everything about this novel was perfect. The romance? Perfect. The representation? Perfect. Taking responsibility for your actions? Perfect. The asking for forgiveness? Genuine.
I think children are often taught to forgive and forget, but this novel tells us that it is okay not to forgive and not forget until you are ready to do so. That, my friends, is more important.
June 15, 2022
Set in an alternate history where Australia had its own Golden Age of cinema right alongside Hollywood, this is a neat character drama about complicated relationships… and horror movies! Honestly I’m in love with this one purely for Binks’ rebellious twist on history, inviting us to imagine a world where Hobart is as glamorous as Beverly Hills and Aussies don’t have to fit themselves into the US market to make their art on a grand stage. Combined with the ruminations on the cathartic, feminist potential of horror as a genre, the nuanced discussion of forgiveness and trauma, and, yes, the very cute romantic subplot, this one’s a real winner for me.
December 19, 2021
3.5 stars
I got this book as part of a holiday book program thing I'm doing which is very exciting and I feel soo professional just having books shipped to me.
The Monster of Her Age is not bad! It's got an indian love interest, set in Australia, Deaf rep and it's pretty enjoyable. I loved seeing Ellie and how her character grows and changes throughout the book and overall, it's a calming and fun read about horror movies, giant famous families and queer characters!
I got this book as part of a holiday book program thing I'm doing which is very exciting and I feel soo professional just having books shipped to me.
The Monster of Her Age is not bad! It's got an indian love interest, set in Australia, Deaf rep and it's pretty enjoyable. I loved seeing Ellie and how her character grows and changes throughout the book and overall, it's a calming and fun read about horror movies, giant famous families and queer characters!
September 6, 2021
I thought this was absolutely adorable. It talks about forgiveness and grief and how you can still be allowed to grieve for someone who may of done harm to you in your life.
The Hobart setting was great. And the characters were very sweet. Overall a very good book that just bumbled along and gives you many feels
The Hobart setting was great. And the characters were very sweet. Overall a very good book that just bumbled along and gives you many feels
May 10, 2021
This is such a warm and compassionate #LoveOzYA story, and a loving tribute to the beautiful nipaluna/Hobart — as a local, and a State Cinema devotee, I relished every mention of the Tassie capital’s many charms!
Much like The Year The Maps Changed, Danielle charts her protagonist’s interior journey with patience and grace — in Ellie, we find a teenager striving to seize happiness and resolve how she feels about the impact of her family’s film dynasty past.
Apart from the Tassie details, my other fave was glorious Riya — an infectious film nerd after my own heart!
With thanks to Danielle and the Hachette team for my early reading copy :)
Much like The Year The Maps Changed, Danielle charts her protagonist’s interior journey with patience and grace — in Ellie, we find a teenager striving to seize happiness and resolve how she feels about the impact of her family’s film dynasty past.
Apart from the Tassie details, my other fave was glorious Riya — an infectious film nerd after my own heart!
With thanks to Danielle and the Hachette team for my early reading copy :)
August 9, 2021
My heart is full after reading this fabulous book. Love and grief, past and present, strength and courage, with a delightfully imagined alternative Australian film industry. Utterly compelling. And it's also a masterclass in respectful inclusivity when writing fiction. Brilliant!
postponed-reading
March 8, 2022Oh dear, I haven't got back to this in four months.
Why? I have no idea because I was loving it...
It's waiting patiently on my book shelf with a pretty book mark at p.150. I will get back to it!
And why is it not on the CBCA Notables list? Maybe the judges only got half way, then put it away for later.
Why? I have no idea because I was loving it...
It's waiting patiently on my book shelf with a pretty book mark at p.150. I will get back to it!
And why is it not on the CBCA Notables list? Maybe the judges only got half way, then put it away for later.
Read
August 18, 2023this was an absolute slay of a book. like i think about many queer ya books, i reckon if i had read this approx six years ago, it would have changed and helped me in my own journey quite a damn bit. riya and ellie for life, would honestly love a sequel pls ms binks 🥺🥺🥺
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