A Good Daughter

After I had resigned from my community health job to take the plunge into full time writing (and was working through my 'notice' period), one of my workmates told me there was another writer working at a nearby site (large organisation with 7 sites and more than 200 workers).

People sometimes laugh when I tell them that in my previous working life I was a podiatrist. They laugh at the disparity between the two jobs. But I always found that people were keen to share their stories, and for me, it was fascinating to hear them. Our organisation existed in a culturally diverse community. Such powerful stories. So for me the leap from community health wasn't such a big one.

But I digress...back to Amra...

As luck would have it, our paths didn't cross until my final day, and then only by phone. But it was like my two work worlds colliding, talking with a workmate about passion for story. At that point, Amra had yet to place her novel, although the manuscript was receiving serious attention. Then Text did take it and recently 'A Good Daughter' hit the streets.


Amra Pajalic's 'A Good Daughter' is a novel for young adult (ya) readers but like the best ya, it also rewards the adult reader. Her main character Sabiha, is 15 years old, Australian-born with Bosnian heritage. Until now, her mother has shown little interest in her Bosnian heritage, but now everything has changed. 'A Good Daughter' explores the life of a western- suburbs teenage girl with humour and insight, without glossing over any of the challenges. Realistic, gritty, funny.

I found it a riveting read.