Stained

"Stained is an entirely compelling, searing and devastatingly genuine in its portrayal of emotional disability, betrayal and moral turpitude in the cramped living conditions of a low-income housing scheme. It is a rare evocation of such conditions, and a rare revelation of the neglect, abuse, and hypocrisy to which girls and young women are so easily subject. This story will be recognised by very many schoolgirls on the Cape Flats and elsewhere, and will make a powerful impact on all other teenagers and adults who hear regularly about such conditions, but do not experience them personally."

"It is very refreshing to see a genuinely successful attempt at empathising with the issues of adolescent life without being ridiculously patronising. The plot genuinely deals with complex psychological issues such as bereavement and social isolation."

"Edwina Shaw's spotlight-sharp portrait of teenagers growing up fast and loose, dazed and confused in 1980s Brisbane is so real it hurts. With whip-like prose Shaw lets us into the lives of the thrill-seekers, this gang of boys on the cusp of adulthood and the girls who hang around them. This novel is a quiet tribute to Shaw's brother, who suffered from schizophrenia, and a louder one to Shaw's talent as a writer."

NSW Premier's Award Judges Report