Remnants

by Nigel Featherstone

Following his wife's death, Mitchell Granville, retired barrister and son of a celebrated politician, spends his twilight years hidden in a village in the Blue Mountains. For company he has his books, his late father's semi-wild peacocks, and a sculpture of a naked woman's torso. Over time he succumbs to loneliness and realises that there is at least one person he needs to rediscover. When he finally makes contact, all does not go as planned. Soon he finds himself being coaxed into a trek that crosses the breadth of his country and the depths of his past.

254 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Nigel Featherstone is an Australian writer for the page, stage, and music. His most recent work is The Wreck Event, a 16-song spokenword-and-music album under the moniker Hell Herons collaboration with award-winning poets Melinda Smith, Stuart Barnes, and CJ Bowerbird. Nigel’s most recent novel, My Heart is a Little Wild Thing, was published by Ultimo Press (Hardie Grant) in 2022. It has been described as ‘Epic in its intimacy–a triumph of a book’ (Peter Polites), ‘A remarkable look at Australian masculinity and its meaning’ (Newtown Review of Books), and ‘Yearning and intimate’ (West Australian). Nigel’s war novel, Bodies of Men, was published by Hachette Australia in 2019. It was longlisted for the 2020 ARA Historical Novel Prize, shortlisted for the 2020 ACT Book of the Year, and shortlisted in the 2019 Queensland Literary Awards. His short works - prose and poetry - have appeared in numerous literary journals such as the Review of Australian Fiction, Meanjin, Overland, Rabbit, Island, The Millions and the Chicago Quarterly Review. In terms of theatre, Nigel’s play with spokenword songs, The Story of the Oars, had its world premiere in 2025 at The Street Theatre, Canberra. As commissioned by the Hume Conservatorium, he wrote the libretto for The Weight of Light, which was developed by The Street Theatre and had its world premiere in 2018. As a freelancer, Nigel’s work has appeared in a variety of mastheads and journals, including the Sydney Morning Herald, Guardian Australia, and the Chicago Quarterly Review. In 2022, Nigel was named the ACT Artist of the Year. He is represented by Gaby Naher, The Naher Agency, Sydney.

Reviews

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s hard to describe this book as it’s a blend of a few different genres. My first thought on finishing was a family drama where the focus is on the male family members and the intricacies of their relationships. We hear and read so often about women, and for me, it was refreshing to read from a male’s perspective. The characters are well drawn and both unlikeable at times as they struggle to communicate with each other. I was drawn to keep reading as there’s twist after plot twist and the setting of the Blue Mountains and western plains is familiar from childhood day trips and holidays. An easy to read novel that’s kept me thinking since I put it down. I like that in novels.