'Great flocks of emerald budgies are flying through your brain,' Tracey said, reading the horoscopes in the paper. 'Sorry.'

This is where the title for Karyn Hay’s novel Emerald Budgies comes from. But what the (expletive) are emerald budgies, and what does it all mean? I found myself asking this many times along with the protagonist, Ruth, who is attempting to fathom her lost soul.

Whenever a glimpse of self-knowledge is located, another bender of sex, alcohol and drugs is induced and Ruth’s personal tragedy heightened further. Not to mention the guilt, panic attacks, self-flagellation...

There is remorse in this book – a plethora of it that culminates in a narrowing down of cruelty to a single event. Watch out for The Tracksuit Man: dawn of realisation. It is also highly readable and there are moments of belly-holding laughter for the reader.

Karyn Hay was awarded the Frank Sargeson Award earlier this year and is working on her second novel.