A musical guide to the 2024 Readings Young Adult Prize
The Readings Young Adult Prize is a perfect reading list for ages 14+. This year’s shortlist spans worlds of fantasy and realism, exploring the complexities of growing up – whether you're fighting off sea monsters, learning about your magical abilities, or simply finding your own pathway in life as an adolescent.
It has been an absolute pleasure to be able to immerse myself into each of these incredible novels. As a music lover, books and music go hand-in-hand for me – to setup the perfect atmosphere for reading, or to provide harmonious background music for reflecting on a book. So, here's my guide to the YA Prize shortlist, with an album that I believe is perfect listening for when you read each one!
A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street
Now playing: Born To Die by Lana Del Rey
A Curse of Salt by Sarah Street is the most magical mix of fantasy, romance and adventure, and a beautiful retelling of Beauty and The Beast.
Ria Lucroy is determined to save her family, bringing her face-to-face with, not only pirates, but the notorious ‘Heartless King’ who epitomises death. In this book, Street teaches us that we shouldn’t believe every story we’re told. She weaves together a world of pirates, sea monsters and curses whilst perfecting the tropes of found family and enemies-to-lovers romance.
A Curse of Salt is for those who fall in love with the morally grey characters, whose favourite Disney princess is Belle, and who wish they could live in a fantasy land to escape reality. It is a powerful, magical and beautifully written debut novel that explores themes of mortality, the impermanence of beauty, and true undying love.
Lana Del Rey’s album Born To Die resonates deeply with A Curse of Salt as it is an album characterised by its haunting melodies, emotional depth, and exploration of love, loss and longing. Songs such as ‘Blue Jeans’, ‘Video Games’ and ‘Born To Die’ evoke a sense of tragic love, nostalgia, and high stakes life-or-death situations that mirror the novel’s narrative. The cinematic soundscapes in ‘Born To Die’ complement the adventurous and mythical elements of A Curse of Salt – the orchestration and atmospheric production create a backdrop that feels both grand and intimate, like Ria’s journey on the high seas.
Blind Spot by Robyn Dennison
Now playing: Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers
Blind Spot by Robyn Dennison is a poignant YA novel that explores the complex themes of guilt, responsibility and the challenges of adolescence. The novel revolves around Dale, a Year 11 student grappling with the aftermath of witnessing a sexual assault at a party, dealing with a broken-down family, and his own exploration of love.
Dennison’s debut novel expertly tackles a combination of topics such as masculinity, consent, mental health, and identity, presenting a nuanced view of the burdens of being a teenager. Blind Spot is an exploration of learning what makes a good person, the complexities of being a teen and a poignant reminder that no one knows what goes on in your – or anyone's – life behind closed doors.
Through its emotionally raw and vulnerable lyrics, Punisher by Phoebe Bridgers is an album that mirrors the themes of anxiety, heartbreak and introspection explored in Blind Spot. Songs such as ‘Halloween’, ‘Graceland Too’ and ‘Kyoto’ reflect emotional struggles that align with Dale’s experiences of guilt, self-doubt and isolation. The album’s underlying ideas of personal and collective trauma resonate with the weight of the experiences that Dale carries throughout the novel. Both Bridgers and Dennison approach difficult subjects, inviting listeners and readers to reflect on their own lives.
Plus: an honorable mention to Turn Out the Lights by Julien Baker, author Robyn Dennison's own pick!
Birdy by Sharon Kernot
Now playing: Ceremonials by Florence + the Machine
Birdy by Sharon Kernot is a beautifully written poetic verse novel that delves into the pain of loss and trauma, mirrored with hope and healing through friendship. It's a touching and confronting story of Maddy, who lives with shame, mutism and anxiety, who meets Alice, a neighbour mourning her teenage daughter who disappeared – Birdy. Alice says that Maddy reminds her of Birdy and Maddy feels a strange connection to the long-lost girl.
Following an inspiring journey of healing, Kernot approaches the story in an unorthodox format that conveys a message of hope and that small acts of kindness can go a long way. Its lyrical language perfectly tells Maddy’s story as she grapples with love, forgiveness, friendship and internal turmoil.
Ceremonials by Florence + the Machine is a powerful album that speaks to themes of letting go of past pain and moving forward. Songs such as ‘What the Water Gave Me’, ‘Never Let Me Go’, ‘Heartlines’, ‘Spectrum’ and ‘All This and Heaven Too’ capture feelings of despair, hope, vulnerability, identity, love and acceptance. The haunting melodies, intense emotional lyrics and uplifting instrumentals parallel the internal battles of Birdy, exploring the intricacies of mental health, familial relationships, and the search for identity.
The Spider and Her Demons by sydney khoo
Now playing: GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo
The Spider and Her Demons by sydney khoo is a YA urban fantasy that follows Zhi as she navigates her life as a high schooler, a waitress at her aunt’s dumpling shop, and her secret identity as a half spider-demon.
All Zhi wants is a normal life where she can hang out with her friends, get good grades and make sure no one finds out she’s half spider-demon. But when she accidentally kills and eats a man in front of the most popular girl in school, she discovers that she might not be the scariest thing in the shadows. Zhi’s journey draws on the struggles of identity, intergenerational trauma, mental health, the pressures of cultural expectation and the harsh realities of being a teenager.
GUTS by Olivia Rodrigo is a perfect album to put you in the mood for this novel, as its lyrics delve into finding your own identity, struggles with body image, insecurities, and the universal teenage experience. Tracks such as ‘Ballad of a Homeschooled Girl’, ‘Lacy’, ‘Teenage Dream’, ‘Making The Bed’ and ‘Vampire’ accentuate the emotional highs and lows of Zhi’s internal battle with her identity. GUTS creates an atmosphere of raw vulnerability as well as defiant strength that parallels The Spider and Her Demons’ blend of emotional turmoil and resilience.
A Way Home by Emily Brewin
Now playing: evermore by Taylor Swift
A Way Home by Emily Brewin portrays the story of sixteen-year-old Grace who lives under a bridge in Melbourne’s CBD. Throughout the novel, she creates new and long-lasting friendships as well as returns to old ones. Grace battles against the harsh realities of homelessness, family complications, friendship and love, while showing resilience and immense strength.
The novel is full of hope and compassion, advocating for us to ask the important question of “are you okay?” because we never know what a person may be experiencing. It is a narrative that offers a nuanced exploration of youth resilience amidst adversity whilst capturing moments of hope, broadening readers’ understanding of homelessness and the interconnectedness of people’s stories.
Taylor Swift’s evermore is a rich and atmospheric album that aligns beautifully with A Way Home. Songs such as ‘willow’ and ‘right where you left me’ reflect on the idea of resilience in relationships and the difficulties in navigating them. The album captures a sense of longing for home and belonging that mirrors Grace’s inner monologue. The emotional weight of memories, family dynamics and identity are evident in songs such as ‘champagne problems’, ‘evermore’ and ‘long story short’. Both the album and novel carry an undercurrent of hope amidst darkness, reflecting on resilience and determination through the blend of melancholic writing and poignant stories.
We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough
Now playing: Superache by Conan Gray
We Didn’t Think It Through by Gary Lonesborough is a coming-of-age novel that centres around Jamie – a sixteen-year-old Aboriginal boy who is trying to forge his path in the midst of the difficulties of adolescence. But one night, everything goes wrong and Jamie lands in the youth justice system, where he confronts the consequences of his actions and the societal perceptions of him.
Jamie grapples with feelings of inadequacy, a complicated relationship with his biological family, bullying and racial discrimination. Lonesborough explores dark, complex and compelling topics that are relevant to teenagers and young adults including conformity, peer pressure, hope, self-discovery, identity, and feeling lost and helpless.
Conan Gray’s album Superache reflects Jamie’s experiences in We Didn’t Think It Through, delving into feelings of heartache, identity struggles and the complexities of relationships. Tracks such as ‘Astronomy’, ‘Memories’, ‘Jigsaw’ and ‘Family Line’ delve into the search for identity, the pressures of fitting in, and the struggles around friendships and family. Conan’s candid lyrics express raw emotions and vulnerability similar to Jamie’s internal battles with anger, trauma and the desire for connection. The album and novel both capture the essence of growing up and finding one’s voice.
