This was an achingly beautiful story. August has lost her sister, her family, and her home. When she returns to Australia after her grandfather’s death, with a mining company about to take over the property, we revisit not only her past but the history of her people.

I found The Yield to be complex – definitely not a quick, easy read. August’s emotions are genuine, and the story Albert tells through the writing of his Wiradjuri dictionary is heartbreaking. Those who are practised in reading the classics and important literary fiction will likely sail through this, but for me, it felt like exercising a rarely used muscle. For this novel and this story, it’s worth it.

As dark as this story can be at times, more disturbing is a fact found at the end of the author’s note: Australia is the only Commonwealth country not to have a treaty with its Indigenous populations. This is a fictional story, but it is based in fact and mirrors thousands of Australian stories, if not millions of other Indigenous stories worldwide. The world can feel like it is moving backwards in all of the ways that truly matter, so it’s important to read and share stories like these to help keep it moving in the right direction. Only by sharing these stories, not burying them in the past and pretending they don’t exist can we help to restore a little hope and faith in humanity and the common good.