The Neighbour

by Julie Proudfoot

When Luke is implicated in the tragic death of a child, he struggles to assert his innocence to those around him. While the accident invokes haunting memories of Luke's late brother, who died when they were children, he strives to maintain a grip on reality as his relationships begin to unravel. Set in contemporary suburbia, 'The Neighbour' is an astute psychological drama that offers a powerful and literary meditation on the nature of guilt and responsibility. Winner of the 2014 Viva La Novella prize.

Genres: Australia, Fiction

216 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2014

About the author

Julie Proudfoot is an author of fiction, poetry and non-fiction. Her first published novel, The Neighbour, won the Seizure Viva La Novella Prize. Julie has appeared at Bendigo Writers Festival, Queenscliffe Literary Festival, Perth Writers Festival, and The Melbourne Emerging Writer’s Festival. She draws on her degrees in Psychology, Anthropology and Philosophy to inform her work. Julie writes from her home in Queensland, Australia.

Praise for The Neighbour:

'Julie draws on her background in psychology and sociology to render events with extraordinary authenticity' Lisa Hill

'Proudfoot is a published poet and it shows in the careful attention to language in The Neighbour. It’s a text, that while not taxing, still demands that you notice its words, the vivid imagery that it paints for you and the weight of the world it draws you into.' Sean Wright

'Proudfoot is to be congratulated, not only on her award, but also on the publication of a beautifully written and powerful story.' Elizabeth Lhuede

'Julie Proudfoot writes tension and creepiness exceptionally well.' Jane Rawson

Reviews

[Shane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is brutal. While it is an amazing piece of fiction, it is a little too dark for me and I really struggled with it. It must be said though, that this is not a criticism of the author, who was managed to weave a complex tale with tortured characters.

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Neighbour is great!

It is tense, has a really shocking start which dictates the whole story. Julie Proudfoot is an excellent writer. She adheres to the sacred rule of 'get rid of unnecessary words'. No word is wasted. She has a beautiful grasp of language which reminded me of Shakespeare! 'Thick light' being just one example.

It is fast paced, tense and unreservedly recommended by me.

One of the best books of this fast fading year.

[Nadia King · Rating 5 out of 5]

'The rumble of a low flying aeroplane moves overhead as a reminder that a normal life is possible. Its shadow slices at the sunlight in the window, cutting the afternoon up into moments.'

The Neighbour is a beautifully poignant book by Julie Proudfoot. It tells of the unravelling of a man- his life and family, and what happens when a child dies in a terrible and awful accident. Set in the everyday, this book is about who we are and what we become through our guilt, our responsibilities and through the ties and burdens of our families. Australian author, Julie Proudfoot, has done a wonderful job and I closed this book with satisfaction. What a graceful and beautifully written book. Congratulations Julie and on winning the 2014 Viva La Novella Prize.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Julie Proudfoot has published fiction, poetry and non-fiction works in journals, but The Neighbour is her first published book. A novella of 204 pages, it is a gripping tale of a life gone horribly wrong. It begins with a perfectly ordinary scene in domestic suburbia, but a tragedy unhinges all the characters one way or another, especially the central character, Luke. Haunted by the childhood death of his brother, Luke tangles guilt and responsibility and tries desperately to prove to himself that he’s not a bad man.

I won’t spoil the powerful impact of Luke’s transgressions by telling you what they are, but I can tell you that you won’t be able to put the book down. Julie draws on her background in psychology and sociology to render events with extraordinary authenticity ... and it is these insights into Luke’s disturbed mind that makes this book so compelling.

To read the rest of my review please visit http://anzlitlovers.com/2014/06/03/th...

[Richard · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Neighbour has a truly shocking beginning that is all the better for being something that could happen to all of us.

Julie Proudfoot writes concisely, clearly and...just knows how to write very well. The Neighbour is a story of our time and tugs at our heartstrings. Not necessarily easy subject matter as it concerns loss and grief and the consequences of an accident.

Written by a hugely talented author. I look forward to more from Julie Proudfoot.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

My lovely friend Jeniwren sent and shared this book with me.

Jeniwren is a well-read lady who has excellent taste, so when this arrived in the post a while back with a couple of other books, I knew it was special.

After languishing for far too long on the shelf, I took it down to read and send to a New Zealand Bookcrosser (Edwardstreet), as part of The Southern Cross Book Exchange (over on www.bookobsessed.com). I wanted to send something new and Australian, and something Edwardstreet would not have read yet.

'The Neighbour' was certainly all of these things.

I picked it up knowing nothing about it, and flipped it open one evening several months ago, thinking I would just read the first couple of pages. Loved it. Read a bit more before bed that night, and GULP!

I popped a bookmark in it after chapter two, and took several deep breathes. During the rigors of the working week this was not a book I thought I wanted to read - just yet.

So, this little book waited beside my bed until the holiday break so I could read it through and enjoy the roller-coaster ride of a story. Elizabeth Lhuede described it as belonging to a group of "...books I’d recently been bingeing on: narratives that deal with dark sides of suburban life. I was right. And wrong."

Not my usual choice of story, this one is a creepy neighbourhood story that goes from sadness, to crazy and looped-to-loop whacky before ending with a possible redemptive finish.

The plot works best if you know nothing of the story - trust me. A real whollop to the stomach. And the writing is rather good. Some nice little touches and clear character progression.

It was not until I had finished reading this that I checked online and saw that this was Julie Proudfoot's first book, and that she had won the 2014 Viva Novella Prize with it.

Well done Julie Proudfoot.

On the author's blog she mentions her background in sociology, feminist studies, philosophy and psychology. And, her passion for psycho-drama fiction. Personally, this is a genre I normally steer clear of (I like a quiet and gentle life - in reality and on the page), but agree with Bookoanaut's review that the story and ending "...left me with the feeling that I had been thoroughly at the mercy of the author’s skill."

Thank you for sharing this book with me Jeniwren, and I hope you get a kick out of it too Edwardstreet.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This precisely written thriller about the minutiae of ordinary people’s thoughts, actions and reactions after a mix up, an accident which may or may not have been one. The reader will never sneer at a health and safety manual again; a dull suburban setting familiar from any half affluent society is corroded and exposed after a series of careless and then over-careful events. It’s a book about control – about men and women attempting to control one another, about the vulnerability of children and animals, about how major trauma can make even the most twisted logic seem a rational guide to living and even the most repellent characters strangely sympathetic if only for the length of a fleeting phrase.
Like some other reviewers, after the lull of the first few paragraphs, the initial shock of the accident was too much for me for a while, and I needed a strong stomach to read on, the forceful pull of the plot not always able to overcome my need to turn away... Not wanting nightmares later on, I kept a safe distance from the text, ready to avert my horrified gaze from my Kindle as I barely skimmed the surface (an ironic image given that so much of the novel takes place in, around or under water). For that reason I can’t go back and comment on stylistic features, quote particular passages or single out specific incidents – I rushed gratefully on to the end and am left with a jumble of distorted events: the main character’s exact calibration of how long and what form a particular death might take; dialogue between people who cannot communicate; adjunct characters moving about helplessly as events unfurl and a mind unravels; thought processes made crazy through cyclical tragedy.
But I do know that what I have just read is brilliantly written, psychologically precise and a nail biting read that will not quickly be forgotten. Just make sure you have a comforting shoulder to reassure you as you go and that if you can’t quite cope with all that is thrown at you, well, you will not be alone.

[Cass Moriarty · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Neighbour, a novella by Julie Proudfoot, was the winner of the 2014 Viva La Novella Prize. This tight, compact story begins with a tragedy - Luke is implicated in the death of a child - and then develops a deliciously sinister sense of creeping menace. The accident brings back memories of Luke's brother who drowned as a child, with the people around him once again questioning his actions and decisions. His descent into a kind of madness as his life unravels is chronicled with page-turning tension and suspense. Luke, his partner Laney, and their neighbours, Angie and Ryan, become caught in a spider's web of deceit, lies, betrayal and guilt. But it is the powerful guilt that resonates throughout this story, the guilt attached to what we do, and to what we fail to do. Guilt, and also grief, and the difficulty in extricating ourselves from either one.

[Elusively Ella · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me preface this by saying this is not my usual genre of reading material. I generally like books that make you feel warm and fuzzy inside and 'The Neighbour'...is not that book. That being said, it is an excellent book and I would recommend it to anyone willing to journey into the mind of a troubled soul trying to make sense of a horrible situation.

Julie Proudfoot executed a well written and gripping psychological drama that held my attention from beginning to end. The story tells of the fall out that can happen between neighbors, family and even one's own self in the wake of a tragedy. It's powerful imagery is a reminder that we all deal with grief in different ways and will tug at your heart long after you read the final page.

[Kathryne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite frankly The Neighbour is quintessentially riveting. Fortunately, the end leaves one wondering what will happen to Luke. Will he be found and imprisoned or will he disappear into a new unhappy life. Should he return, to whom and to what shall he return. Unputdownable.

[Rebecca James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gripping and full of tension. Very much enjoyed this.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is so much packed into this slender little book. The Neighbour could so easily have been a conventional thriller, of a seemingly ordinary neighbour whose true deranged character slowly reveals itself under stress. And it wouldn't have been a bad book if that's what it had been - Julie Proudfoot writes tension and creepiness exceptionally well. But The Neighbour is so much more. She has written characters who approach and retreat from terrible things, over and over again, inside their heads and in their behaviour. And so often the terrible things in their heads happen at different times to the terrible things in their behaviour. Proudfoot's background in psychology is very clear: these characters are complex and unpredictable, but entirely believable, creating empathetic pain and tension which drove me to keep on reading. My only qualm was towards the end: I wasn't sure how much longer I could bear to be inside Luke's head without some of his troubles being resolved - perhaps good this was a novella and not a longer work! In some ways this reminded me of Christos Tsiolkas' suburban work (such as the slap), which bodes well for Julie Proudfoot's publishing future.

[Gary Sun · Rating 2 out of 5]

Australian writer Julie Proudfoot's debut novella focuses on Luke whose life goes completely out of kilter after he accidentally caused the death of his neighbours' daughter Lily. A sense of dread and total destruction is palpable throughout the story and Proudfoot touches on many fascinating subject matters such as guilt, grief, toxic masculinity and the complexity of human existence. However, reading this book really wasn't very pleasant despite its size. One thing that frustrates me the most is that almost all main characters in this book behave in an erratic and annoyingly childish manner, which makes their life struggles somewhat difficult to relate to.

[jeniwren · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read that holds you in its grip from start to finish. The sense of foreboding is palpable and at times feels like a thriller but also tugs hard at the heartstrings.

[Kristine Parkinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this psychological drama riveting, it kept me reading until the end, I just wanted to know what would happen next.

[Clare Ingleton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is SO well written, psychological drama, insightful, page turner, you will not regret reading this, you might be a bit shocked and emotionally challenged, but you will NOT regret!

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/13791457

[Wendy Orr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darkly disturbing and emotionally complex, this story of a tragedy caused by a reluctantly given favour shines with compassion and empathy for all the characters. An extraordinary debut.

[Adam Dalton]

I had actually finished this a week ago but didnt have a chance to update it. LOVED it!

[Robin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this story difficult to get into, but it had a sort of strange fascination for me that made me keep reading, especially the falling apart of the main character, Luke. There was a revelation near the end which I had guessed was coming, and for a book full of such pathos and anguish, there seemed to be a glimmer of a happy ending.

[Guy Salvidge · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very dark and very good. It's a suburban noir with a shocking event in chapter one, right where it should be. At times I thought the narrative was going to fall into a pit of some sort, but there was always just enough momentum to keep it afloat. I'd like to read more from this author.

[CavyNomes · Rating 2 out of 5]

I did not enjoy this book.

[Glenys · Rating 4 out of 5]

given the subject matter this was quite an enjoyable read.

[Bub · Rating 4 out of 5]

Definitely check it out. I didn't want it to end! T-T

[T.W. Lawless · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luke, Laney and their four year old son Sam live right next door to Angie, Ryan and four year old Lily. They appear to be close friends as well as neighbours, right up until the tragic death of Angie’s daughter, Lily. As all their lives start to unravel, it soon becomes clear that Luke has many demons to exorcise, beginning with his childhood involvement in his brother’s death. Following Lily’s electrocution, Luke insinuates himself into his neighbours’ lives in a way which is uncomfortable and distressing to them and to the reader alike. It is apparent that the relationships between the two couples are not as they first appear.

This is a deeply psychological study, verging on the claustrophobic at times. In places, it is brutal and disturbing. Despite this, the novella rewards the reader with some unexpected twists along the way and the conclusion is almost uplifting. Proudfoot’s style is stark in contrast to the complexity of her characters, as she really gets into their heads. She dissects their grief in a manner reminiscent of an autopsy. It comes as no surprise, then, to learn that the author has a degree in psychology.

Written in the present tense, Proudfoot uses imagery to great effect. She uses words sparingly, her sentences are often pared down to bare bones, with a resulting immediacy to her narrative. Disappointingly, she offers a surprisingly facile back-story for Luke’s predicament and she only barely skims over the legal (and medical) consequences of his actions.

While the storyline might invite comparison to The Slap, the two books couldn’t be further apart in their execution.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Julie Proudfoot's novel "The Neighbour" is nothing short of a triumph. In this superbly structured and crafted work of psychological cat and mouse (and dog), she grabs you by the wrist, lifts you over the dividing fence into the neighbour's yard, round the garden, past the pool, up the side of the house and into the shed.

The incident around which the story revolves is shocking in its suddenness and violent nature. After that, we see the main protagonist, Luke, wrangle with his conscience against the background of a growing intrusion into his thoughts of a horrific event that took place in his childhood. He only wants to make things better, to atone for his mistake. His neighbours rebuff him and his relationships with his wife and son disintegrate. Along the way he tests himself by committing acts that a normal person would find bizarre, to say the least. The culmination is a kind of celebration and even vindication of the human (and animal) spirit. The reader is left wondering, though, what happens to Luke later. Sequel?

The language Julie Proudfoot uses is economical, yet poetic and powerful. No wasted words. It would take Stephen King 500 pages to achieve an inferior result. I'm going to read "The Neighbour" again for sure.

[Adam Byatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first chapter takes you by the hand, gently at first, slowly creeping up your arm as you sense the dread of what might happen; that the key event hinted at the blurb on the back is inevitable and you cannot stop it. Then the hand tightens around your throat and keeps itself there. Never quite relenting, even when you want it to. It lets go at the end but you feel the bruising.
This is a tense novella in its plot and characterisation and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
This novella takes you into the suburban world of the characters and leaves you there to examine them. I felt I was presented with the characters, their issues/history/problems but never told how to respond. I was left there to come to my own conclusion about who they were; whether they were to be pitied or hated or loved or all at once.
The brevity of the form requires a sparsity of language but Julie has used it with razor-like effect. The limited number of characters keeps you grounded in the narrowness of the suburban perspective but the scope goes so much broader and further.
This is a fantastic read.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

The neighbour is a novel about psychological disintegration brought about by grief and guilt, and about the tension that ensues when one wants to forget, another wants to remember, while yet another wishes to atone. Grief, we see, is a personal, private thing, and particularly so when it is bound up in a secret that prevents its full expression. Luke has always been Mr Fix-it for Angie and Ryan, so of course he wants to keep on fixing. If he can just fix their house, the loose roof-tiles, for example, he can make amends. Actions, he tells Angie, are the only way he can “beat down” the guilt. But you can’t help or fix for others if you are falling apart yourself, and you certainly can’t if those others don’t want that help. For my full review, please see: https://whisperinggums.com/2016/07/06...

[Writerful Books · Rating 3 out of 5]

I will be upfront and say that I didn’t get into The Neighbour at all. It begins with a four year old girl called Lily being killed in a tragic accident by Luke, a married man and neighbour of Angie and her husband, Ryan. Straight away we can guess that there is ‘history’ between Luke and Angie, from Angie’s suggestive behaviour towards Luke, and Luke’s weak-mindedness which eventuates in the electrocution of the small child. Luke’s bizarre behaviour following the accident gives the game away and leads one to guess that he has a deeper connection to Angie, the mother of the dead girl, than is being told.

Read the full review on Writerful Books

* Thanks to Julie Proudfoot for the review copy.

[Miffy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This debut novel is a claustrophic exploration of the aftermath of a terrible, heart-breaking accident. When easy-going Luke is persuaded by his neighbour, Angie, to disconnect the electricity so that a pool can be delivered, he inadvertently reverses the polarity and electrifies the house, in turn electrocuting Angie and Ryan's daughter. The aftermath of this mistake reverberates through the two families, and brings Luke to the end of his tether.
Whilst I can't say this is an enjoyable read - the descriptions of Luke's spiralling depression are harrowing - I can recommend it as an intense and perceptive novel.