Winnie Dunn’s debut novel is unlike anything you’ve ever read, because it is unlike anything that has been published in Australia before. That said, it’s a universally relatable tale of the painful process of coming to an understanding of self. Dunn is the general manager of the renowned western Sydney-based Sweatshop Literacy Movement, and she’s also a writer of Tongan descent. Dirt Poor Islanders is the first Tongan-Australian novel, and it arrives this month already having received many accolades ahead of its release. They will not be the last.

Meadow is half-Tongan and half-White, and growing up in Mt Druitt in Sydney. The seeming simplicity of that fractional description belies the complexity of her unfolding sense of identity, and doesn’t always feel like a match for the life she is living surrounded by and being raised within her extended Tongan family. Despite the loss of her mother when she was very young, Meadow is not without maternal supports and influences, but even in the midst of her loving family, as she tries to refine her sense of who she is and what is important to her, the way ahead still sometimes appears unclear.

Dirt Poor Islanders is an immersive, moving story of a complex and richly drawn family. Dunn’s characters launch into the corporeal from the first page, and embed themselves in the heart well before the end. Meadow is a captivating narrator, and her journey through many of life’s earlier rites of passage will leave a lasting impression. Meadow’s family is as compelling as she is and the importance of shared stories is frequently underscored in their interactions. Dunn lends a deep texture to the dynamics between them with her deftly woven insights into Tongan culture. The language in this novel is a point of particular interest and enjoyment, both for Dunn’s skilful writing and for her expert, atmospheric deployment of Tongan vocabulary throughout.