Extinctions (Wilson novel)

Extinctions (2016) is a Miles Franklin Award-winning novel by Australian writer Josephine Wilson. It was originally published by University of WA Publishing in Australia in 2016.

Synopsis
After the death of his wife and his estrangement from his two daughters, Professor Frederick Lothian, retired engineer, moves into a retirement village and into a deep depression. After a series of chance and unfortunate incidents he meets his village neighbour Jan and slowly begins to see life in a different light.

Publishing history
After its initial publication in Australia by UWA Publishing in 2016, the novel was reprinted as follows:


 * Serpents Tail, UK, 2018 and 2019
 * Tin House Books, USA, 2018
 * UWA, Australia, 2020

Dedication and epigraph

 * Dedication: "For Christopher Hill, who understands."
 * Epigraph: "Who is prepared to deprive life of a significant dénouement?" Jean Améry

Critical reception
In The Saturday Paper reviewer "LS" noted: "There is great sensitivity and heart in this story of redemption and Wilson can be blackly funny...Despite Fred’s advanced years, Extinctions is akin to a coming-of-age story. Will he mature into a good person? Wilson attempts too much, but Extinctions is a rich and humane novel peopled with compelling characters."

Roslyn Jolly, in The Sydney Review of Books, comments: "Frederick Lothian is a deeply flawed, emotionally stunted, at times repellent character. He has grave sins, both of omission and commission, on his conscience. He has contributed, with varying degrees of responsibility, to the destruction of three young lives. To speak of relationship breakdown does not begin to cover the amount of damage he has done to his marriage. Watching Fred grope his way towards self-insight and accountability is an experience both painful and fascinating, and I found his character convincing as the product of a particular childhood in particular historical conditions."

Awards

 * 2017 Miles Franklin Award, winner
 * 2017 Colin Roderick Award, winner