Swallow the Air

by Tara June Winch

A poignant journey of identity, loss, and belonging in Indigenous Australia.When May's mother dies suddenly, she and her brother Billy are taken in by Aunty. Their loss leaves them searching for their place in a world that doesn't seem to want them. While Billy takes a destructive path, May seeks her father and Aboriginal identity.

May's journey from the east coast to the far north reveals that it is the people she meets, not the destinations, that teach her what it is to belong. Swallow the Air is an unforgettable story of living in a torn world and finding the thread to help sew it back together. For readers seeking Indigenous Australian literature and coming-of-age stories.

179 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 3, 2025

About the author

Tara June Winch is an Australian (Wiradjuri) author. Her first novel, Swallow the Air won several literary awards. In 2008, she was mentored by Nobel Prize winner Wole Soyinka as part of the prestigious Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative. After The Carnage, her second book was published in 2016 to critical acclaim. Her third, The Yield, was first published in 2019, to commercial and critical success and took out three prizes including Book of the Year at the NSW Premier's Literary Awards, the Miles Franklin Literary Award, the Voss Prize, and the Prime Minister's Literary Award. She resides in France with her family.

Reviews

[Helen Maurice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful description of jacaranda trees

[harriet · Rating 4 out of 5]

tara june winch has the most beautiful lyrical way of writing. i had a five highlighter rotation when reading this book because they kept running out on me. i would recommend this book to ANY literary fiction enjoyers who are happy to just be part of the journey over having a big plot. I would especially implore Australians readers to pick this book because as a white girl (the whitest of white) I cherished this characters journey in understanding aspects of the Indigenous culture, history, and identity that we are not always aware of, and it is our shared responsibility to listen, read and learn from our First Nations people. i don’t want to spoil the book for you but the writing about the importance of the land, and connection to Country was breathtaking. There is also exploration of identity and the need for family connection / kinship groups to discover who you are alongside dialogue and prose which highlights history.

Also while I am here, I read ‘The Yield’ by Tara June Winch in 2021 and gave it 5 stars but I believe I did not have any friends on this app during that time so I am taking this moment to recommend that as well! I remember it being an addicting plot so in case you need that

[Fran Whiteman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a memorial story which highlights the character’s longing to find her ‘place’.
An audiobook which really captured the emotions of May & the amazing descriptive language of the author.
Highly recommend

[justine · Rating 5 out of 5]

3.5

[Danaë Paternoster · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading Swallow The Air has been a roller-coaster of emotions.
Losing her mum, trying to survive in this harsh world without good support around her, and then, the search for family and finding home.

How many more will find their way home?

The Treaty Bill passed Parliament in Victoria, and this means we're one step closer to reconcilliation and unity.

I wish more people would read these First Nation Classics like this book. They are an essential read!

[Susi Hendricks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, stories like the story of May and her search for belonging need to be told so that we can understand - really understand - our First Nation People and the impact of colonisation then and still ongoing. Thank you for creating and sharing it.

[Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

A 3.5. Beautifully written but didn't do much for me

[Marco Caselli · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5

[Tylah Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, such beautiful writing.

[Nya · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the writing and how I could feel the sea and her heartbreaking. The plot itself was a bit anticlimactic

[Marla Gibson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A reread for school. Only two parts of the book were remembered from last time. I think I liked it better this time around though.