Low Expectations

"1970s, Western Sydney. A boy and his mum living in a street where neighbours keep an eye on everyone else's business. A detested bully. And a family secret, barely hidden.Devon Destri flies under the radar. He doesn't talk to anyone, calls himself hard of speaking, and doesn't correct anyone's assumptions of his low intelligence. If no one knows otherwise, no one will expect anything of him, and maybe he won't need to expect anything of himself - that is, beyond running a highly lucrative porn-magazine racket. Only his fiercely loyal friend Big Tammy and Krenek the Hungarian refugee know that Great Expectations is his favourite book, or that he can read at all. But when Devon starts to piece together his mother's secret, his intellect and charm are put to startling and devastating use."--Publisher.

• Dublin Literary Award

  2022

  Longlist