Green Dot is a debut novel by Australian author Madeleine Gray.
The story was narrated by Hera, an Australian woman in her twenties who up until the story began had been a perpetual Arts student living with her father in Sydney, avoiding becoming an adult and unwilling to take on a job, a home of her own or any real responsibilities.
Socially, Hera was clever and witty, but when alone she almost seemed to be verging on depression. After she took on a soul-less job at a newspaper moderating reader's comments, her spirits dipped even lower.
When Hera formed a friendship with Arthur, an older journalist who worked in her office, their text conversations using IM (the green dot next to their profiles showing when the other was online) gave Hera something to look forward to.
Their conversations became flirty and after a drunken night out with their workmates, Hera and Arthur slept together. Hera only discovered that Arthur was married later, when he took a phone call from his wife in her hearing and told his wife that he would be home soon.
By this time Hera was in love with Arthur though, and she believed him when he told her that he was also in love with her and wanted to be with her, and that he was going to tell his wife he wanted to end their marriage.
Hera and Arthur continued to work in the same office throughout their affair, using IM and texts to communicate when they couldn't see each other on their own. Eventually Hera left Arthur and her job to live and work in London. Prior to Hera leaving, Arthur had promised her on many occasions that he would leave his wife.
I've worked in two workplaces where my colleagues have had affairs. On one of these occasions, the couple were young and single and eventually they moved in together, got married and had children. Of course, everyone else in the office already knew they were seeing each other long before they told anyone.
On the other occasion, the couple having the affair were both married to other people. I'm sure they also thought they were being discreet, but again, everyone in the workplace also knew what was going on. I heard after I left that job that they had broken up their marriages and moved in together, but what happened next I don't know. Nothing good, probably.
I read this book almost in one go as I liked Hera (despite the affair), completely believed in her story and desperately wanted to know what happened next. I think this was because Hera didn't hold back in her narration, and as a result she was a convincing and relatable character. I suspect Hera's voice might ring slightly too true for anyone who has had a workplace affair or who has been the wronged party in one, though.
I thought the writing itself was very good and will be sure to read Madeleine Gray's next book
I purchased Green Dot at The Book Bird in Geelong.
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