Win one of forty copies of Little Gods

A rare, original and stunning novel about a remarkable girl who learns the hard way that the truth doesn't always set you free - with echoes of Jasper Jones, Seven Little Australians and Cloudstreet.
LITTLE GODS endorsements
A rare, original and stunning novel about a remarkable girl who learns the hard way that the truth doesn't always set you free - with echoes of Jasper Jones, Seven Little Australians and Cloudstreet.
As a child, trapped in the savage act of growing up, Olive had sensed she was at the middle of something, so close to the nucleus she could almost touch it with her tongue. But like looking at her own nose for too long, everything became blurry and she had to pull away. She'd reached for happiness as a child not yet knowing that the memories she was concocting would become deceptive. That memories get you where they want you not the other way around.
The setting is the Mallee, wide flat scrubland in north-western Victoria, country where men are bred quiet, women stoic and the gothic is never far away. Olive Lovelock has just turned twelve. She is smart, fanciful and brave and on the cusp of something darker than the small world she has known her entire life.
She knows that adults aren't very good at keeping secrets and makes it her mission to uncover as many as she can. When she learns that she once had a baby sister who died - a child unacknowledged by her close but challenging family - Olive becomes convinced it was murder. Her obsession with the mystery and relentless quest to find out what happened have seismic repercussions for the rest of her family and their community. As everything starts to change, it is Olive herself who has the most to lose as the secrets she unearths multiply and take on complicated lives of their own.
Little Gods is a novel about the mess of family, about vengeance and innocence lost. It explores resilience and girlhood and questions how families live with all of their complexities and contradictions. Resonating with echoes of great Australian novels like Seven Little Australians, Cloudstreet, and Jasper Jones, Little Gods is told with similar idiosyncrasy, insight and style. Funny and heartbreaking, this is a rare and original novel about a remarkable girl who learns the hard way that the truth doesn't always set you free.
To win one of FORTY advance reading copies, just fill in the form below.
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Staff love for Little Gods
"Reading Little Gods for the first time gave me goosebumps and that amazing feeling I was reading something that was already an Australian classic. I felt that sensation of reading something that was at once fresh, original and captivating, but coming out of a tradition and a sense of assurance that made it already seem an essential item in any Australian library. And oh, the character of Olive! What a pleasure for any reader to discover the delights of this singular girl. I absolutely LOVE this extraordinary novel."
– Jane Palfreyman, Publisher
Terms & Conditions: Win an advance copy of Little Gods

• Information on how to enter and the prize form part of these Conditions of Entry.


• The Promoter is Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd (A.B.N 79 003 994 278) of 83 Alexander Street, Crows Nest, NSW 2065.


• Entry is open to Australian residents only. Employees of Allen & Unwin Pty Ltd, anyone else connected to Allen & Unwin, and their immediate families are ineligible to enter. Eligible people (Entrants) who enter online via social media, detailed below, or at http://www.allenandunwin.com/competitions in accordance with these Conditions of Entry will be eligible to win. Forty (40) entrants will be selected as the winner.


• To enter a person must answer the question stated during the competition period. Only one (1) entry per person is allowed, with bonus entries allocated for sharing the competition using the mechanisms provided.


• The entry submitted will be taken as the Entrant’s acceptance of assigning all rights and interests including but not limited to copyright and all other intellectual property rights of the Entrant’s to Allen & Unwin. Allen & Unwin reserves the right to edit or alter the Entrant’s submission.


• The prize, consists of one (1) advance copy of Little Gods by Jenny Ackland.


• No portion of the prize is redeemable for cash.


• The prize will be awarded to the entrants, who in the opinion of the judges, provides the best answer.


• The competition commences 00:01 (AEDT) on 09/03/2018. Entries close 23.59 (AEDT) on 18/03/2018 (the Competition period). Any entry received after that date will be ineligible. Entry by any person will be taken as acceptance of these Terms and Conditions. Judgement of all entries will be conducted at the Promoter’s office on 20/03/2018. The judges’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.


• The winning entrants will receive their book by post within 7 days of the draw.


• The Promoter shall not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever which is suffered (including but not limited to indirect or consequential loss) or for personal injury which is suffered or sustained, as a result of taking the prize, except for any liability which cannot be excluded by law.


• Allen & Unwin will not accept responsibility for late entries, ailed, partial or garbled computer transmissions, or for technical failures of any kind, including but not limited to electronic malfunction or damage of any network, hardware or software. Entries that are forged, incomplete, illegible or do not comply with the terms and conditions will be deemed invalid. If for any reason this Competition is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorised intervention, fraud, technical failures, or other causes that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of this Competition, Allen & Unwin reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend this Competition. No responsibility is assumed for: any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorised access to, or alteration of, entries; or any problems or technical malfunctions of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or electronic entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to Entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participation in or downloading any materials from this Competition. In the event of a dispute over an electronic entry, prize will be awarded to the name on the Entry Form and Release, not the owner of the e-mail account.


• Allen & Unwin may conduct such further judging as is necessary on 26/03/2018 in order to distribute any prizes unclaimed by that date, or if the original winners are deemed ineligible. If rejudging is required, the winner/s will be notified by e-mail.


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• Any questions regarding this promotion can be emailed to marketing@allenandunwin.comc