Careless (novel)

Careless is a 2006 novel by Australian author Deborah Robertson.

Dedication
"For my brothers, Scott and Tony."

Plot summary
The novel follows the lives of four protagonists - Pearl, Anna, Sonia and Adam - who have all been touched by grief and despair. Suffering alone they are all drawn together by a tragic event.

Awards

 * International Dublin Literary Award, 2008: longlisted
 * Commonwealth Writers Prize, South East Asia and South Pacific Region, Best Book, 2007: shortlisted
 * Miles Franklin Literary Award, 2007: shortlisted
 * Orange Prize for Fiction (UK), 2007: longlisted
 * New South Wales Premier's Literary Awards, Christina Stead Prize for Fiction, 2007: shortlisted
 * Nita Kibble Literary Award, 2007: winner
 * Australian Book Industry Awards (ABIA), Australian Literary Fiction Book of the Year, 2007: shortlisted
 * The Age Book of the Year Award, Fiction Prize, 2007: shortlisted
 * Western Australian Premier's Book Awards, Fiction, 2006: shortlisted
 * Colin Roderick Award, 2006: winner

References may be found on the individual award pages.

Reviews
Rachel Slater in Australian Women's Book Review noted: "Death and grief are central to this novel, and in particular the concept of public versus private grief and the questions around how art can deal with a subject of such magnitude...Careless offers an intimate yet shared portrayal of grief in all its complexities and reminds us that our promises of care can never really be kept."