The Strays is a fictionalisation of the 1930s group of Australian artists known as the Heide Circle. Bitto has said that she "tried to capture (...) the romance and excitement of that circle; the sense of the new that stirred the stale waters of outer Melbourne when a group of artists came together to work and live side by side, to buck the establishment and create their own small utopia within the confines of an old house and a large, thriving garden."[3]
The Age described it as "an eloquent portrayal of the damage caused by self-absorption as well as a moving study of isolation".[4] It was awarded the A$50,000Stella Prize for the best book of fiction or nonfiction by an Australian woman. The Stella Prize judges described The Strays as "like a gemstone: polished and multifaceted, reflecting illuminations back to the reader and holding rich colour in its depths."[5]
Synopsis
In her old age Art History lecturer Lily recalls her childhood in 1930s Melbourne when she had a friendship with Eva Trentham, daughter of the famous artists Evan and Helena Trentham.
Critical reception
James Tierney reviewed the novel for the Australian Book Review and noted that "Bitto has a deep interest in the transformative power of memory, in how life’s chaos is shaped into story."[6]
Writing for the Text journal Ruby Todd called the book "elegant", noting that she has created a "resonant novel".[7]
Publishing history
After the novel's initial publication in Australia in 2014 by Affirm Press[1] it was reprinted as follows:
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