Skin

The story begins in Bali, where Natalie feels at odds with her own body. Her most recent relationship has ended for good, and her work as a teacher has lost its appeal. Hoping to reset, she does what many people do in this situation and sets off travelling. Her route takes her through Bali, New Zealand, Australia, Dublin, rural Ireland and the Netherlands as she searches for a place where she belongs. Being far from home only sharpens her unease.

The novel is as much an inner journey as a physical one. Natalie fixates on her shape and sees herself as clumsy and too large. She pulls away from men and turns to compulsive eating, a self-destructive response to her troubles with weight. Gradually, the narrative shows a significant change starting to form within her.

The book is a close look at how people relate to their own bodies and touches on concerns that matter to women in particular, and to readers more broadly. Its central interest is Natalie herself.