Review: Useful by Debra Oswald

Title: Useful

Published: Viking: Penguin Jan 2015

Status: Read from January 25 to 27, 2015 — I own a copy {Courtesy the publisher}

My Thoughts:

“Sullivan stepped up onto the low wall and peered over the edge. The job of obliterating himself shouldn’t be a huge effort, considering he’d made so little meaningful impact on the world.”

Sullivan Moss is useless, once a handsome and charming young man with the world at his feet he is now a puffy faced, unemployed, near forty year old, divorced alcoholic. Wracked with guilt and regret after the death of one of his best friends, he decides to commit suicide by jumping from a building only to fall the wrong way. Waking up in hospital with bruises and concussion, a casual comment from a nurse gives Sully an idea, he can do one useful thing before his next suicide attempt, he can donate a kidney to a stranger.

To everyone’s surprise, including his own, Sully begins to turn his life around, determined to honour his commitment. He sobers up and gets a job removing hazardous asbestos. He makes an attempt to repair some of the bridges he burned and makes a friend of his reluctant landlady Natalie, and her son Louis. Redemption isn’t going to be easy though.

With a blend of black humour and soap opera like drama, Oswald explores the regrets for the life not lived. It’s not just Sully who is struggling with the disappointments of middle age, his best mate Tim is bewildered by his unhappy marriage, and Natalie is beginning to wonder if she will spend the rest of her life alone, living in her mother’s spare bedroom.

The narrative is sharp, funny and insightful. I enjoyed the writing though some may be offended by instances of crude language. The mix of slightly surreal and familiar scenario’s works well and the story is well paced.

A story about finding meaning and purpose in life, about changing the things you can, and accepting those you can’t, Useful is an entertaining read from Australian playwright, author and television scriptwriter (most notably for Offspring), Debra Oswald.

Available to purchase from

Penguin I I Booktopia I via Booko