Madeleine Ryan’s The Knowing is a seemingly simple story about a woman who leaves her phone charging at home and must then survive the train ride to work alone with her own thoughts. Yet, in a genius way, it is so much more than that. The train Camille is on leads her straight to her toxic boss, Holly, who is as intrusive and condescending as they come. Back home, Camille’s boyfriend is a tortured poet who, after publishing one book, has a crippling fear of facing the writing process again. Furthermore, Camille is trying to remember why she agreed to live in regional Victoria – her boyfriend’s idea – right after being hired to work at a florist in Armadale. To top things off, she also has her period and it’s Valentine’s Day.

While this book is really set over the course of one day, Camille’s memories leading up to this disastrous Valentine’s Day lay bare the consequences of following what others tell you to do rather than doing what you want. Full of effortless humour, all-too-relatable moments, and a metaphysical realisation regarding first-world problems, The Knowing is an easy, addictive read about womanhood, relationships, social media, and body image. Camille’s evolution from the beginning of the novel, where she swears she would still shave her legs even if she wasn’t dating someone, to the ending, when she reaches the sense of female empowerment she’s been yearning for, is a woman’s odyssey towards self-worth and personal freedom.

Whether it’s the work environment you’re stuck in, the relationship you’re not sure you should be in, your housing situation, or simply loathing Melbourne transportation without your headphones or mobile phone, Ryan speaks to the reader in a way that makes you feel seen, heard, and truly understood.