‘Football may be the world game, but sport starts in the family. Compelling and heartfelt, with all the drama of game day—on and off the field—Viggers shines a light on the ways competition can pull us together or drive us apart.’—Inga Simpson, author of Willowman
‘A stinging parable for any of us who have projected our inadequacies on our children. Empathetic and highly perceptive, this novel reaches well beyond the boundaries of junior sport. Like the best novels often do, Sidelines points out the failings we refuse to see.’—Jock Serong, author of The Settlement
‘Sidelines takes us into the world of kids’ sports and the games that are played on and off the field. Viggers examines the cost of high-stakes competition and the pressure it places on families, communities and relationships. With tension that builds like a well-paced match, Sidelines will leave you wondering if perhaps winning and losing are one and the same thing.’—Gabbie Stroud, author of Teacher
‘Sometimes a novel comes along that says what you’ve been thinking. Sidelines is one of those books: keen-eyed, relevant, urgent, plugged into the zeitgeist, and rendered with enviable skill. If you want to know what’s going on in Australian families, maybe even your own, Karen Viggers will bring you the news.’—Malcolm Knox, author of Bluebird
‘Timely, engaging and illuminating, Sidelines is a powerful exploration of team sport and the teenagers pressured to be part of it.’—Suzanne Leal, author of The Teacher’s Secret and The Watchful Wife
‘Viggers pulls no punches in this fast-paced narrative reminiscent of Moriarty and Picoult at their best. Ambition, sport, competition, gender, class, parents behaving badly—this is a novel totally of the moment. Viggers writes the stories of this kids’ sporting community with heart and rage. Essential—and thrilling—reading for all parents. I’ll be pushing this novel into the hands of everyone I know.’—Kate Mildenhall, author of The Mother Fault and The Hummingbird Effect
‘Sidelines is a riveting novel. It looks at a kid’s soccer team from many different points of view. The parents living out their own thwarted dreams and the children led into self-hatred and bad behaviour by the pressure of parental expectations. It takes our jittery, intensely competitive era and unpicks our self-deceptions until they bleed. Yet, such is Viggers’ skill and empathy, we can identify with them all—ambitious fathers, damaged mothers, bullying coaches and players, the depressed, the self-obsessed and, especially, the sulky, rebellious, desperate young.’—Jane Caro, author of The Mother
‘A special tale of courage, resilience, loyalty and friendship … Viggers draws these conflicts together to show how ordinary lives can produce an emotional and extraordinary tale.’—Herald Sun
‘The landscape descriptions are stunning, vividly evoking the majesty of old-growth forests. For Miki and Leon, the forest offers a connection with the land and its ancient past … Tension builds to a dramatic, satisfying conclusion.’—Good Reading
‘In The Orchardist’s Daughter, Viggers paints a vivid picture of a small timber town and the people who find themselves there … This is a well-crafted novel that also shines a light on the everyday violence that thrives where eyes are averted and silence prevails. Against the dazzling backdrop of the Tasmanian forests, Viggers brings hope by showing how, when such silence is shattered, lives can be transformed.’—Weekend Australian
‘The Orchardist’s Daughter is a strong work of fiction that could be used to start conversations about all forms of abuse, and how we can rethink the veil of silence that so often surrounds it. With the celebration of stories and an exploration of the refuge they can provide, it is also an engaging read for lovers of contemporary Australian fiction.’—Sydney Morning Herald
‘A captivating story about finding freedom and independence … Viggers describes the Tasmanian surrounds with such skill that the reader can almost see it, and it is clear from her writing that she has an understanding and love for creatures.’—Style Magazine
‘Tasmania truly comes alive through the stunning mode of storytelling … The Orchardist’s Daughter is a novel I would recommend without reservation, a remarkable yarn that left a strong mark on my heart.’—Mrs B’s Book Reviews
‘a story that aims to reduce our separation from the natural world, and perhaps in doing so from each other.’—Stephen Romei, The Australian
‘honest and brutal, gentle and poetic, a real joy to read and linger over’—Theresa Smith Writes
‘An empowering novel’—The Chronicle
‘a vital, honest look at community, the environment and courage that you won’t regret picking up … Viggers beautifully captures the pressures, perks and quirks of small-town life with the same natural ease as Chris Hammer in Scrublands—the town and its inhabitants feel impressively real.’—Where The Books Go
‘Absolutely sublime. One of the top ten books of the year.’—Le journal de la santé
‘heart-wrenching and absorbing … The Lightkeeper’s Wife is a story of love versus passion, right versus wrong, and ultimately, a story of forgiveness.’—Bookseller & Publisher
‘Nature can both isolate and enlighten. Battling the elements can be as much about battling the storms within yourself. In The Lightkeeper’s Wife … Viggers sets the scene in a family dynamic filled with regret, loss and love.’—Australian Women’s Weekly
‘a triumph’—Le Figaro
‘This is a moving story of loss and love, and acceptance of the hand life deals us. It is truly unforgettable reading.’—Woman’s Day
‘Viggers shines in her descriptions of the wilds of Bruny Island and Antarctica.’—Daily Telegraph
‘a song in two voices … Arguably the book of the summer’—Femme actuelle
‘an emotional, engrossing read, gently but passionately told.’—Sunday Herald Sun
‘Each page is impregnated with salty sea air, wild waves and rocky coasts, a thousand shades of grey. In the folds of the surf, Karen Viggers has written a beautiful story of loss, memory and the effect of time on our aching souls.’—Lire Magazine
‘a poignant anatomy of loss. It is a memorable story of broken hearts trying to mend, of personal discovery and recovery. Her writing creates seductive land-edge experiences, light off the ocean, wind over sand, weather coming in.’—The Australian
‘There is a raw saltiness to the writing that vividly conveys the wild moods of the ocean, the crippling nature of emotional baggage and the challenges of a whale rescue.’—The Age
‘The Stranding aptly demonstrates how fiction plays a part in revealing the intricate and sometimes fragile bond that we share with nature.’—Wild Melbourne
‘Steeped in natural beauty, it will have you longing for coastal sunsets and afternoons lost wandering empty beaches.’—Laurie Steed, Readings Carlton
‘a story that will return to you time and time again’—Sydney Morning Herald
‘quality commercial fiction for which Viggers deserves a strong following.’—Books + Publishing
‘Karen Viggers weaves her tale against the backdrop of our love of the land.’—Yours Magazine
‘Evocative and thought-provoking.’—Newcastle Herald
‘a breath of fresh air that teaches us humility in the face of nature and the courage to face fears. Live rather than survive.’—Le petit crayon